Pixel Watch 3 won’t support all bands in its larger size

Ahead of Google’s August 13 launch event, we’ve learned basically everything there is to know about the Pixel 9 series, but the Pixel Watch 3 hasn’t leaked to the same extent. A new report this week, though, claims that Pixel Watch 3 will get a new type of band, and that the 45mm size won’t work with all bands.

A new report from Android Headlines reveals the band lineup for Pixel Watch 3, which includes some returning favorites and some new arrivals. Bands sold alongside Pixel Watch 3 will apparently consist of the Active Band, Active Sport Band, Woven Band, Stretch Band, Metal Mesh Band, Metal Links Band, Metal Slim Band, Two-Tone Leather Band, and Crafted Leather Band. Those all exist on Pixel Watch 2 today, but there are some new variants.

The Active Band will get “Rose Quartz” while the Active Sport Band will get a new “Wintergreen” color option. The Woven Band adds “Peony” to its collection, while the Stretch Band gets “Wintergreen” and “Rose Quartz.”

Completely new to the lineup is the Pixel Watch 3’s “Performance Loop” band, which will come in “Obsidian,” “Porcelain,” “Peony,” and “Wintergreen” color options. There’s no description or images of the “Performance Loop,” but the name implies it may be similar to the “Solo Loop” that launched in 2020 for the Apple Watch as a stretchy but sized band with no buckle mechanism.

This new “Performance Loop” apparently won’t be released until October, though.

Perhaps the most important detail from this leak, though, is that the Pixel Watch 3 won’t support all bands in its 45mm size. It was previously mentioned that the band connection was “altered” on the larger size, but this report explicitly confirms that bands will need to directly support the new size of the 45mm Pixel Watch 3. This was highly likely due to Google’s design, but it’s certainly a shame for anyone who’s built up a big collection of bands.

Immediately, too, this seems to have an impact on what bands are available for the bigger size, with the “Rose Quartz” Active Band and two colors of the Woven Band being exclusive to the 41mm size. Beyond that, the Stretch Band, Metal Mesh Band, Metal Slim Band, and the Two-Tone Leather Band simply will not be available to the 45mm Pixel Watch 3 at all.

Google’s larger Pixel Watch 3 is set to offer a larger 1.45-inch display and is expected to have a larger battery for better endurance. It’s mentioned in a separate report that this new size will be branded as “Pixel Watch 3 (45mm)” rather than the “Pixel Watch 3 XL” that some thought would be used.

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