wearables132.565 min read
Pixel Watch 5 vs Galaxy Watch 9: Health features and battery life drive the verdict
10 days ago•Source: Android Central
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100.645 min•1 month ago
Galaxy Watch 9 gains five major Wear OS upgrades, extending support through 2031
Samsung has extended software support for the Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 to five major Wear OS upgrades plus five years of security updates, likely thanks to the new 3nm Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, meaning updates through 2031; the watches ship with Wear OS 7/One UI 9, start at $380 (Watch 9) and $700 (Ultra 2), and go on sale August 7.
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Samsung hints at AI-driven health upgrades for Galaxy Watch 9 ahead of Unpacked
Android Central•1 month ago
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Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 leaks point to boxier chassis and slimmer bezels
A fresh leak suggests Samsung will skip a Galaxy Watch 9 Classic in favor of a redesigned Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with a boxier body and thinner bezels, plus a reportedly revised outer ring that may show numbers 1–12. The leak also hints at an updated One UI 9 Watch, including a revamp of Samsung Health, a new watch-face picker, and a dedicated compass interface, with beige, black, and silver color options mentioned.
Pixel Watch 5 leaks from the ocean floor, hinting at a near-final prototype
An alleged Pixel Watch 5 prototype was found underwater near St. Martin, with branding and sensor cues (SpO2, EDA, heart rate, UWB) and IP68 water resistance visible, suggesting a device close to a retail-ready product. Google has not commented, and the watch could be real or a convincing fake, but the underwater survival adds an intriguing twist to early hardware leaks.
Fitbit Air Band Colors: Which Strap and Color Are Right for You
The Fitbit Air comes in seven colorways across three band types. Four colors—Berry, Lavender, Fog, and Obsidian—come with the Performance Loop Band, including Obsidian which is also available in the Active Band. Porcelain and Moonstone are exclusive to the Elevated Modern Band, while Rye is a Special Edition color paired with the Stephen Curry band at a $30 premium. For versatility, Obsidian with the standard Performance Loop Band is a safe bet; consider an extra Active or Elevated Modern band for different looks or workouts; and if you want a bold option, Berry, Lavender, or Fog are great everyday choices.
Seven essential first steps to set up Google's Fitbit Air
Google’s Fitbit Air is a $99, screenless fitness tracker that works with the Google Health app. This seven‑step setup guide walks you through enabling alarms, setting wrist preference to improve step accuracy, adjusting vibration, sharing heart‑rate data with apps/equipment, selecting a main fitness goal, configuring heart‑rate warnings, and turning on AFib irregular rhythm alerts—delivering a quick, subscription‑free path to start tracking sleep and workouts.
Luna Band debuts in July as subscription-free rival to Fitbit Air
Luna Band, Luna’s screenless fitness tracker unveiled at CES 2026, will ship starting July 31 with pre-orders opening July 4. It tracks activity, sleep, nutrition and medical data, runs LifeOS with Siri/Gemini integration and voice logging, and reportedly does not require a subscription—unlike Fitbit Air or WHOOP—with up to 10 days of battery life; pricing has not been announced.
Android XR display glasses emerge at Google I/O, hinting at a smarter future for wearables
At Google I/O, Android Central tester tries Google’s monocular Android XR glasses and Xreal’s Project Aura, finding display glasses more exciting than audio-only models: Aura uses dual OLED displays driven by a power puck with gesture controls, while Google’s prototype offers in‑lens widgets like Translate and Maps, suggesting practical AR in everyday wear as Samsung and others prep their own display glasses for launch.
Google's Fitbit Air aims to out-slim Whoop with a screenless, battery-friendly design
Google’s Fitbit Air is a slim, screenless fitness tracker designed to rival Whoop, promising up to a week of battery life in a lighter, smaller form factor (12g) with a left-side LED status light and a double-tap to check battery or dismiss alarms. It’s priced at $99 with a $35 Google Store credit for pre-orders before May 25, and wider shipping begins May 26; demo units are live in Google Store locations, and side-by-side comparisons show the Air is notably slimmer than Whoop.
Samsung teases two-model Galaxy Glasses to rival Ray‑Ban's AR crown
Samsung’s Galaxy Glasses leak reveals two models in development: Jinju (entry-level, no display) and Haean (premium with a micro‑LED AR display), with Jinju slated for late 2026 and Haean in 2027. The lineup, which emphasizes audio, AI, and an autofocus camera, appears aimed at everyday users and could challenge Meta’s Ray‑Ban glasses, signaling a broader consumer AR strategy that could incorporate Google’s Gemini AI features.
Google Health Could Fold Fitbit Into a Unified Health Brand
Rumors suggest Google may rebrand Fitbit’s software and services under Google Health, renaming Fitbit Premium to Google Health Premium and introducing a Google Health logo, while Fitbit hardware could remain branded separately. Early store listings and App Store changes pointed to the shift, but Google reportedly pulled back the branding and restored Fitbit Premium in some regions, leaving the future branding unclear as Google may keep Fitbit for devices while unifying software under Google Health.
Fitbit Air hints at May release with colorful, screen-free tracking
A rumored Fitbit Air, a screen-free fitness tracker aiming to rival Whoop, is expected to launch around May 16 for about $99. It would focus on passive metrics like sleep, heart rate, HRV, and activity without a monthly fee, and would offer multiple color options and bands (Obsidian, Lavender, Berry) as Google continues to push into health wearables.