Technologies

Pixel Watch 4 Features vs. Apple Watch Series 10: Google Came to Play!

Google’s latest watch takes a direct hit at Apple with a new AI health coach and advanced emergency connectivity. Find out how they stack up.

Google’s Pixel Watch 4 is the newest player on the smartwatch field and it’s not holding back. With a sleek design, AI-powered health coach, first-of-its-kind emergency satellite connectivity and improved battery life, it’s a major leap forward for a relative newcomer that’s been edging its way up the ranks to compete with the heavy hitters of the wearable world.

The Apple Watch Series 10, meanwhile, remains a benchmark in the category. While technically at a disadvantage being last year’s model, it holds its own with more than a decade of refinements and deep integration with the iPhone and Apple’s extensive health and fitness ecosystem.

As smartwatches make the leap from wearable phone extensions to essential health and safety tools, these two flagships are redefining the category — especially with both companies controlling the full hardware and software experience on their respective platforms. And with Apple expected to debut its Series 11 in September, this face-off feels like just the opening move in what’s shaping up to be a high-stakes game of chess between two of the biggest names in tech. Here’s how the specs stack up on paper; we’ll conduct our full suite of tests for the full Pixel Watch 4 review.

Pricing and availability

Being an older model, the Apple Watch Series 10 can be found for a discounted rate through third party sellers like Best Buy and Walmart, but the original price of $399 is technically higher than the base price of the $350 Pixel Watch 4. However, the larger-size versions have less of a price gap with the 45mm Wi-Fi version of the Series 10 costing $429 and the Pixel Watch 4 equivalent costing $400. And the Apple Watch is the only one that offers a higher-end titanium model that costs about $200 more than the base aluminum. Both watches are rated for 5ATM water resistance and have IP6X dust protection.

Design and display

Both watches remain true to their original form factor and this category is more a matter of preference. The Pixel Watch 4 sticks with its signature circular design that looks closer to a traditional analog watch than the Apple Watch, with a bubble-like screen that curves outward for a sleek, all-display look. It comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes with silver, dark gray and gold aluminum finishes, plus interchangeable bands.

Apple, by contrast, hasn’t strayed from its signature rectangular shape since its launch. It’s more «tech» looking than the Pixel Watch, but it’s also slightly more practical for navigating apps and notifications. The Series 10 also has minimal bezels with a screen that expands into the thin frame and comes in a 42mm and 46mm version. The Apple Watch has a slightly higher pixel density for better image quality but the Pixel 4 is brighter with up to 3,000 nits peak brightness compared to the Apple Watch’s 2,000 nits.

Performance, software and AI

Under the hood, both watches run the latest versions of their respective software: WatchOS 10 for Apple and Wear OS 6 for the Pixel. Apple offers the usual tight integration with the iPhone, while Google leans on its Fitbit acquisition for health tracking and now its AI expertise with the built-in Gemini assistant.

And this is where the Apple Watch starts to lose its footing. Google’s Gemini voice assistant handles back-to-back commands, summarizes information from your apps and responds conversationally without shuttling you out to a web link — something Siri still struggles to match. Apple’s assistant remains more limited, often requiring repeat commands and leaning on your iPhone for anything beyond the basics. Even a cautious AI user like myself can’t help notice how Gemini’s added capabilities feel genuinely useful on the wrist, cutting down on screen taps and making it easier to get more done on the go.

Health and fitness features

This is another area where Google’s AI could give the Pixel Watch 4 an extra edge. Both watches set the standard in health and fitness features — Apple because of its longstanding commitment to health and fitness, and Pixel through its integration with Fitbit. Their metrics are accurate and easy to make sense of in their respective apps. But the Pixel 4 just stepped it up with a concierge style AI health coach (coming in October) that can help you interpret your health data and give personalized recommendations: everything from whether to rest or exercise on any given day, to how to improve sleep quality. Apple’s Workout Buddy, coming in watchOS 26, offers live feedback on a handful of workouts but isn’t as far along in pulling together a complete picture of your health data (at least not yet). The caveat, however, is that Google’s coach will require a Fitbit Premium subscription ($10/month after a trial), while Apple’s AI fitness tool is free.

Emergency features

Beyond health tracking, both watches add an extra layer of protection with a range of emergency tools, including fall and crash detection, workout check-ins and Emergency SOS. The Apple Watch leans more on proactive health alerts, like warnings for irregular heart rhythm and potential sleep apnea.

But the Pixel Watch 4 just boosted its emergency features by adding satellite connectivity. This means you can send a message for help even without a phone or cell service. The Apple Watch, by comparison, still relies on the iPhone or needs network coverage for models that are cellular-enabled to make an emergency call.

Battery and charging

On paper the Series 10 promises 18 hours of heavy use, though in our testing it’s consistently gotten closer to 26 to 30 hours with the always-on display active. Google claims 30 to 40 hours on the Pixel Watch 4 depending on size, giving it a slight edge, but it’s hard to pass judgment without our real world tests.

Charging speed is another strong point for both watches with quick charge capabilities, although the Pixel Watch 4 is still faster when you need a quick top-up. It reaches 50% in just 15 minutes and a full charge in an hour. The Series 10 also takes an hour to reach a full charge, but hits 80% in 40 minutes.

Google has also made the Pixel Watch 4’s battery and display easier to replace for repairs, a big step forward for long-term usability, while Apple hasn’t emphasized the same level of repairability on the Series 10.

Bottom line

If you’re all-in on Apple, the Series 10 still delivers everything you need in a smartwatch. But for Android users (or anyone curious about AI on the wrist) the Pixel Watch 4 shows Google is serious about challenging Apple’s dominance.

Pixel Watch 4 vs. Apple Watch Series 10: Specs at a glance

	Pixel Watch 4	Apple Watch Series 10
Design & sizes	Round, 41mm & 45mm	Square, 42mm, 46mm
Display	AMOLED LTPO, 320 ppi	LTPO3 OLED, 446 x 374 ppi
Thickness & weight	12.3mm; 31–36.7g	9.7mm; 30-41.7g (46mm titanium model)
Material & finish	Aluminum case: Silver, Champagne gold, Satin Moonstone or Matte black finish	Aluminum: Jet black, Rose gold or Silver finish; Titanium: Slate, Gold or Natural finish
Durability	5ATM water + IP68 (dust)	5ATM Water + IP6X (dust)
Battery life	30–40 hrs (always-on) + quick charge dock: 50% in 15min, 100% in 60 min	24-30 (always-on) + Fast charge: 80% in 30 min, 100% in 60 min
Sensors	ECG, SpO₂, heart rate, skin temp, loss of pulse detection	ECG, heart rate, skin temp, depth gauge, SpO2, Noise monitoring
Emergency features	Satellite SOS, Safety Check, Safety Signal, fall & crash detection	Emergency SOS, Fall detection, Crash detection, Check in and Backtrack
AI & coaching	Gemini voice assistant; Fitbit AI health coach (via Premium)	Siri (voice assistant); Workout Buddy
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 Gen 2, Cortex-M55 co-processor	S10 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor, W3 Apple wireless chip
RAM/Storage	2GB, 32GB (storage)	64GB (storage)
Payments	Google Wallet	Apple Pay
Price (US)	$350–$500	$399-$750 (titanium)

Technologies

Your Pixel 10 Might Have Issues With Older Wireless Chargers

You might want to try taking the case off your phone in order to successfully charge it.

When Google introduced the Pixel 10 lineup in August, it became one of the first major Android phones to receive the Qi 2 wireless charging standard, which Google calls Pixelsnap. However, users noticed issues with wireless charging on the Pixel 10 almost immediately after its release.

Some people are having trouble charging their phone with the new Pixelsnap charger, and others are having issues with older wireless chargers, including Google’s own Pixel Stands. The bulk of the problems happen when a case is on the phone — whether it has the magnet array or not.

I own both the first and second generation Pixel Stands and both will charge my Pixel 10 Pro XL without an issue if there’s no case on it. However, when I add a case to my phone, the problems begin.

I have three cases for my phone, the Mous Super Thin Clear Case, the Magnetic Slim Case Fit by Grecazo, and a no-name soft TPU case. If my phone has any of those cases on and I attempt to charge it while it’s vertical, it starts to charge and then stops after a second or two, and keeps doing that.

I can fix this for the first-generation Pixel Stand by turning the phone horizontal, but it will still charge very slowly. I can’t seem to fix it at all for the Pixel Stand 2 — vertical, horizontal, it doesn’t charge.

Not everyone has this issue

The problem doesn’t seem to be universal. CNET editor Patrick Holland said he had no issues charging the Pixel 10 Pro during his time with it.

A Google spokesperson told me the Pixel 10 lineup is not optimized for older Qi wireless charging standards, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the phones won’t work with older wireless chargers.

Qi 2 is backwards-compatible with older standards, but the phone’s height and charging coil placement on both the phone and the charger are still factors. If you’re having problems, you might see if removing the case helps.

The prospect of potentially needing to replace your older wireless chargers with newer ones isn’t ideal, especially if you shelled out $80 for one or both of Google’s own Pixel Stands. Still, if you want the best wireless charging speed for your brand new Pixel 10 phone, it won’t be with wireless chargers that only support older Qi standards.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Sept. 19, #361

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Sept. 19, No. 361.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

The yellow category in Connections: Sports Edition is always easy, but today’s seemed like a no-brainer. The other categories aren’t too tough, either, especially for midwesterners. But if you’re struggling but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Spotted on TV.

Green group hint: Unusual team names.

Blue group hint: Air Jordan.

Purple group hint: The Big House is another one.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Things seen on an NFL sideline.

Green group: NBA teams with singular nicknames.

Blue group: Teams Michael Jordan played for.

Purple group: Big Ten stadiums.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is things seen on an NFL sideline. The four answers are benches, chains, coaches and medical tent.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is NBA teams with singular nicknames. The four answers are Heat, Jazz, Magic and Thunder.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is teams Michael Jordan played for. The four answers are Barons, Bulls, UNC and Wizards.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is Big Ten stadiums. The four answers are Beaver, Camp Randall, Ohio and Spartan.

Technologies

AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: Should You Upgrade?

Here’s a look at the key differences between Apple’s latest flagship noise-canceling earbuds compared with their predecessor.

With Apple releasing the AirPods Pro 3, folks who already own the AirPods Pro 2 may be wondering whether it’s worth upgrading.

A good portion of my full review of the AirPods Pro 3 is devoted to discussing the differences between the two models. Here’s how I conclude my review: «Several new features, such as Live Translation, will be available for the AirPods Pro 2, so many AirPods Pro 2 owners won’t feel the need to upgrade right away. But if you’ve been using AirPods Pro 2 for a while, it might be worth passing them on to a friend or relative and upgrading to the Pro 3s.»

Read more: Best wireless earbuds of 2025

AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: What’s stayed the same

The AirPods Pro 3’s list price is still $249 (£219, AU$429). That wasn’t a given with all the uncertainty surrounding the Trump administration tariffs, but we’ll see how the price shakes out on Amazon and other retailers, where AirPods models often get discounted.
The AirPods Pro 3 are powered by Apple’s H2 chip, the same one that powers the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 and Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. Rumors pointed to an H3 chip, but that didn’t happen.
No new color options; white is still the only option.
The AirPods Pro 3 stick with Bluetooth 5.3, just like the AirPods Pro 2 (though some true-wireless earbuds have already jumped to Bluetooth 6.0).
The buds still feature a MagSafe charging case with USB-C and wireless charging. However, no USB-C charging cable is included (Apple also left out a charging cable with the AirPods 4, though most people have a USB-C cable).

AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods Pro 2: What’s changed

While they look similar to the previous model, the AirPods Pro 3 have been redesigned. Their geometric shape has changed a bit, with the angle of the bud shifted. They’re the same length but slightly smaller width-wise, slightly larger depth-wise and weigh a touch more (5.55 grams vs. 5.3 grams on the AirPods Pro 2).
The AirPods Pro 3 come with new foam-infused silicone eartips in five sizes, including a new extra-extra small size.
The AirPods Pro 3 are equipped with heart-rate sensors like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.
2x better noise cancellation compared to the AirPods Pro 2, according to Apple.
While the AirPods Pro 3 have 10.7mm drivers like the AirPods Pro 2, those drivers have been upgraded to take advantage of the buds’ new multiport acoustic architecture, which moves more air through the buds and improves sound quality.
The AirPods Pro 3’s microphones have been upgraded.
The AirPods Pro 3’s Transparency Mode has been enhanced.
New Live Translation feature (also available for the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 series, but not the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2).
The AirPods Pro 3’s battery life has improved to 8 hours with noise cancellation on and up to 10 hours in Hearing Aid mode with transparency on. The AirPods Pro 2 are rated for up to 6 hours of battery life with noise-canceling on.
Instead of being IPX4 splash-proof like the AirPods Pro 2, the AirPods Pro 3 got an IP57 rating (so did their charging case), which means they can withstand a sustained spray of water. (I poured water on them and they survived just fine.) They’re also dust-resistant.
The AirPods Pro’s case now includes a U2 chip, boosting Precision Finding range in the Find My app by 1.5x (requires an iPhone 17). The AirPods Pro 2’s case has the U1 chip.
Like with the AirPods 4, the AirPods Pro 3’s case no longer has a button for Bluetooth pairing. You simply double-tap on the front of the case to put the buds into Bluetooth pairing mode. The AirPods Pro 2 have a physical button for Bluetooth pairing.

The AirPods Pro 3’s new geometric shape and eartips are among the biggest changes

While the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Pro 2 look very similar at first glance, they do feel different in your ears. That’s because the AirPods Pro 3’s new eartips are made of silicone but infused with foam toward the front of the ear tip. Also, the angle of the bud has been adjusted so the eartips point more directly into your ear canals.

If you’re someone who couldn’t quite get a good fit with the original AirPods Pro or Pro 2, the new design could very well help you get a snugger, more secure fit. The fact is that a tight seal is crucial for optimal sound and noise-canceling performance, and Apple redesigned the eartips to make sure users could hear the sound and noise-canceling upgrades with the AirPods Pro 3.

Alas, the new AirPods Pro 3 tips don’t work with earlier AirPods Pro models; they attach differently.

Do you really need the AirPods Pro 3’s heart-rate monitoring?

I personally don’t feel that heart-rate monitoring is a must-have feature, particularly if you already own a smartwatch with the feature. But for some folks, it will be a welcome addition. The heart-rate sensors have been custom-designed for the AirPods Pro 3 (they’re Apple’s smallest heart-rate sensors) and aren’t identical to the ones in the Powerbeats Pro 2, but the experience using the heart-rate monitoring feature is the same.

How much better are the AirPods Pro 3 than the AirPods Pro 2?

It’s always hard to put an exact percentage on how improved one generation of a product is to the next, and there are always some people who will prefer the older model for whatever reason. But for me, the AirPods Pro 3 are about 20-25% better.

While they both use the H2 chip, the newest AirPods have been redesigned on the outside and inside, and most people should notice the improvements to sound quality, noise cancellation and fit.

If you own the original AirPods Pro, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend upgrading, especially if your battery life has decreased.

If you’re happy with your AirPods Pro 2, there’s no hurry to upgrade unless your battery life has become an issue (some people have the older AirPods Pro 2 with a Lightning connector for charging instead of USB-C). The previous generation supports most of the same features as the AirPods Pro 3 (aside from heart-monitoring), including Live Translation and Hearing Aid mode.

It’s worth pointing out that the AirPods Pro 3 offer slightly better speech clarity for Hearing Aid mode (with Automatic Conversation Boost) and better battery life — up to 10 hours with Transparency and Hearing Aid mode. That makes the AirPods 3 the better choice if you have small to moderate hearing loss and plan to use your AirPods as hearing aids.

AirPods Pro 2 vs. AirPods Pro 3 vs. AirPods 4 with ANC spec comparison

	AirPods Pro 2	AirPods Pro 3	AirPods 4 with ANC
Weight (each earbud)	0.19 ounce (5.13 grams)	0.20 ounce (5.5 grams)	0.15 ounce (4.3 grams)
Weight (case)	1.79 ounces (50.8 grams)	1.55 ounces (43.99 grams)	1.22 ounces (34.7 grams)
Water resistant	IPX4	IP57	IP54
Sensors	Skin-detect sensor, Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor	Skin-detect sensor, Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor, heart-rate sensor	Optical in-ear sensor, Motion-detecting accelerometer, Speech-detecting accelerometer, Force sensor
Microphones	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone	Dual beamforming microphones, inward-facing microphone
Chip	H2	H2	H2
Conectivity	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3	Bluetooth 5.3
Active Noise Cancelation, Transparency mode	Yes	Yes	Yes
Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio	Yes	Yes	Yes
Voice Isolation, Personalized volume	Yes	Yes	Yes
Battery life	Up to 6 hours +30 hours with case	Up to 8 hours +24 hours with case	Up to 5 hours +30 hours with case
Wire in box	Yes	No	No
Launch Price	$249	$249	$179