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OAKLAND — Google’s debut smartwatch will go on sale Oct. 13 for $350, the Alphabet Inc unit said Thursday, filling a field dominated by the Apple Watch at a time when consumers affected by inflation avoid all forms of expensive laptops.
At $100 more than Apple Inc’s lower-cost model and limited to people with Android phones, the Google Pixel Watch faces huge hurdles to adoption, market analysts say. Even Apple Watch sales have fallen this year as consumers delay purchases or select cheaper rivals.
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“The market is not as robust as it used to be,” said Jitesh Ubrani, director of research at market intelligence firm IDC, adding that aggressive discounting will be crucial for Google.
Google’s apps already work with watches from companies including Apple, Samsung Electronics Co and Fitbit, which Google bought last year and whose devices are known for tracking personal health.
The new round-faced Pixel Watch, made of stainless steel and glass with dozens of wristband options, enables contactless payments, music control and turn-by-turn directions. A model with cellular connectivity costs $50 more.
The watches will be sold in the United States and other countries. They won’t pair with iPhones because Apple gives its own watches exclusive access to messaging and other important features that users would want, said Sandeep Waraich, Google’s director of product management.
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Hardware sales are a growing part of Google’s sales, with benefits also coming from more opportunities to sell ads and service subscriptions.
Google also said that its latest smartphones will go on sale in 17 countries from October 13. They include a $599 Pixel 7 with a 6.3-inch screen and a brighter $899 7 Pro with a 6.7-inch screen, plus camera zoom and extra RAM.
Although a small player in smartphones overall, Google’s sales are accelerating. It shipped 3 million phones in the first half of this year, up 131 percent from a year ago, according to tracking firm Canalys. (Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by Peter Henderson and Richard Pullin)