Changing Pixel Watch bands is so easy, you’ll want to start a collection
It’s an incredibly human desire to want to express ourselves through our appearance, whether that means spending 20 minutes choosing what to wear in the morning, orpicking out a phone casethat’s just looking to attract attention. With the newPixel Watch, Google is hitting the ground running when it comes to customization, already offering over a dozen bands to pair with thatwearable you’re pre-ordering— and even more variety is on the way in 2023. Access to lots of options like that is great, but what I think I like the most about personalizing the Pixel Watch is just how easy Google has made it to change bands.
Google decided to reinvent the wheel when it comes to Pixel Watch bands
When it first emerged that Google was using a custom band design for the Pixel Watch, I was a little nervous — instead of a standard spring-pin design, we were going to be stuck with a proprietary band. And right away I started worrying about all the consequences of that decision, like the steep prices we might face due to lock-in. Well,prices are indeed quite high, but at least we’re getting something for our money: swapping straps on the Pixel Watch is super, super easy.
That little button next to the strap is the key to customizing your Pixel Watch
Looking at how the band attaches, it’s not immediately obvious how to remove it from the Watch, let alone connect a new one. There are no spring pins to depress (so no need to find something small enough to poke at them), nor any little sliders to push back. But once you’re clued in to how the system works, it’s a breeze. The trick is that you need to depress a little button to the side of the strap where it attaches to the Watch’s body, and then rotate the band slightly counter-clockwise. After traveling a few degrees, it effortlessly pulls away from the Watch.
Once depressed, a slight twist is all it takes to release the band
Connecting a new strap is just as easy: insert, rotate (now clockwise), and you’ll feel a gentle “click” as the band locks into place — that’s it. Once you discover the presence of the release buttons and understand this mechanic, you can move from one band to another in just a few seconds, without needing any tools, and without fiddling with any microscopic spring pins to depress. It’s a lot of fun (as much as smartwatch configuration can be, I suppose) and really makes me want to start putting together a collection of various bands, changing up my look by the day.
Slide a new band in place, and you’re good to to
Google’s inevitably going to draw comparisons to Apple with this system, but the Pixel Watch’s band hardware works even better than the Apple Watch’s. The release buttons here are easier to depress, and you only have to twist the band slightly to disengage — versus Apple, where the strap has to slide all the way into its holder from the side. They’re not night-and-day different, but I’ve got to give Google the edge here.
So, start saving up for all the (expensive) bands you’ll need to complete your collection, and get on board with the idea of a smartwatch that’s as eager to play with its look as you are.
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