Google’s new Pixel Watch faces hurdles with economy, no iPhone support

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct 6 (Reuters) – Google’s debut smartwatch will go on sale Oct. 13 for $350, the Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) unit mentioned on Thursday, taking up a area dominated by Apple Watch at a time when inflation-hammered customers are shunning all types of expensive wearables.

At $100 greater than Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) lowest-cost mannequin and restricted to folks with Android telephones, the Google Pixel Watch faces huge obstacles to adoption, market analysts say. Even gross sales of the Apple Watch have slipped this 12 months as customers delay purchases or choose cheaper rivals.

“The market is just not as sturdy because it as soon as was,” mentioned Jitesh Ubrani, a analysis supervisor at market intelligence agency IDC, including that aggressive discounting will probably be essential to Google.

Google apps already work with watches from corporations together with Apple, Samsung Electronics Co (005930.KS) and Fitbit, which Google purchased final 12 months and whose gadgets are identified for monitoring private well being.

The brand new round-faced Pixel Watch, comprised of chrome steel and glass with dozens of wristband choices, allows contactless funds, music management and turn-by-turn instructions. A mannequin with mobile connectivity prices $50 extra.

The watches will probably be bought in the USA and several other different international locations. They won’t pair with iPhones as a result of Apple offers its personal watches unique entry to messaging and different necessary options customers would need, mentioned Sandeep Waraich, a Google director of product administration.

{Hardware} gross sales are a rising a part of Google’s gross sales, with advantages additionally coming by means of extra alternatives to promote adverts and companies subscriptions.

Google additionally mentioned its newest smartphones would go on sale in 17 international locations beginning Oct. 13. They embody a $599 Pixel 7 with a 6.3-inch show and a shinier $899 7 Professional with a 6.7-inch show, additional digicam zoom and extra RAM.

Although a small participant in smartphones general, Google’s gross sales are accelerating. It shipped 3 million telephones within the first half of this 12 months, up 131% on a 12 months in the past, in response to monitoring firm Canalys.

Reporting by Paresh Dave; Modifying by Peter Henderson and Richard Pullin

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