Technologies

A Month With the Pixel Watch 4: I’m Still a Fan, but It’s Showing Signs of Wear

From screen scratches to unwelcome Gemini pop-ups, here’s how it holds up after the honeymoon period.

I’ve spent over a month wearing the Pixel Watch 4 as my daily (and nightly) companion. While it’s still one of my favorite Android watches out there, the honeymoon phase is officially over and some of its quirks (and scratches) have started to surface.

The look and feel still hold up to the test of time; it’s sleek, understated and comfortable to wear. But it’s the intuitive UI, the seamless syncing with my phone and the way it fits so naturally into the Android ecosystem that keep me coming back to it. Paired with my Pixel 9 Pro, notifications arrive instantly, health data syncs the moment I open the app and Wear OS updates are delivered faster than on most other watches.

Although the Pixel Watch 4 remains one of my favorite Android watches of 2025, there are some literal kinks in its armor that have started to surface with long-term, real-world use.

Gemini butts into my conversations

I’ve already raved about how useful Google’s new AI assistant is on a smartwatch. It handles complex requests in natural language (no robo-voice needed), understands follow-up prompts without requiring me to repeat the original question and it can even translate text on the fly. On a tiny watch screen, where typing and reading long responses is tedious, Gemini really does deliver a more seamless hands-free experience.

Gemini isn’t exclusive to the Pixel Watch 4 (it comes to newer Android watches with Wear OS 6), but it does it a step further by letting you talk to it instantly: no buttons, no wake words.

During the first week, I went full-on Dick Tracy, asking my wrist every stray thought that crossed my mind. I loved that it read answers aloud so I could keep cooking or wrangling kids without stopping to look down. That was short-lived.

A few weeks later, Gemini has mostly faded into the background. Part of that is from the novelty wearing off, but mostly it’s because Gemini keeps missing the mark when I actually need it. It turns out that having an assistant so readily available isn’t always as convenient as it sounds.

Sometimes I have to exaggerate the wrist-raise that triggers it to listen, while other times it wakes up unprompted because I’m emphatically gesturing with my hands like the spirited Latin woman that I am. Often, there’s a noticeable delay before it responds, too. Case in point: I was on a video call with my manager when Gemini suddenly chimed in with an answer to… absolutely nothing either of us asked. It makes the watch feel like it’s eavesdropping, and ready to interject at the worst possible moment.

You can turn off raise-to-wake and switch to a button press or on-screen activation. But for now, I’m leaving it on, hoping that with more time Gemini and I figure out a rhythm — and it’ll learn not to butt into my conversations.

Apparently, I’m a walking durability test

I love the Pixel Watch 4’s domed circular screen. It’s understated and elegant and looks good with just about any watch band (elegant or sporty). The near-180-degree visibility makes it easy to read at a glance without needing to angle your wrist, and the 4,000-nit display is legible on bright midday runs. I’ve been using the 41mm model (also comes in 45mm), and it’s comfortable enough to wear 24/7. During the day, I’d forget I was wearing it because it’s so slim; at night, the bubble screen is a touch more noticeable against the pillow, but not enough to disturb my sleep.

The downside to a watch that’s basically all screen is that it’s more exposed to the realities of life (mine, in particular). As an outdoor enthusiast and a mom of three kids whose personal hobbies include testing the limits of gravity, I can’t afford to be precious about my tech, jewelry or anything. Function over form is the stage I’m in.

So yes, I’ve already managed to scrape the custom 3D Gorilla Glass 5. I wish I could tell you what epic adventure caused it, but I genuinely didn’t notice until I was filming the review video. The scratch is definitely visible and worth considering if you plan to use the watch for more rugged activities. You may want to invest in a screen protector, which admittedly defeats the whole sleek, minimalistic aesthetic, but here we are.

The strap system requires a learning curve. It’s the same mechanism as the previous model, but pressing the release button while sliding the band out takes coordination. If you’re planning to swap in third-party bands to dress it up (or down), just know it takes a few tries before it feels natural.

Fitbit’s app is a joy, but I’m still not sold on Coach

The Pixel Watch 4 packs every major health and safety feature you’d expect: ECG, irregular heart rhythm detection, crash and fall alerts and an FDA-approved low pulse detection feature. But none of those are what I interact with day-to-day.

The Fitbit ecosystem is where the watch really shines. The UI is clean, intuitive and breaks down your data into easy-to-digest snippets on both the watch and in the app. I love waking up to my health summary, which has my sleep and readiness scores (even if they’re occasionally depressing). It has misread a late-night couch session as sleep once or twice, but overall, its tracking feels accurate. It even flagged a dip in my HRV on a night I was clearly fighting some kind of bug. Paired with a low readiness score, it gave me the nudge I needed to take it easy and recover. It never fully developed into anything serious, which I credit the Pixel Watch for.

The Pixel Watch 4 does all the fitness basics, but goes above and beyond on the details. For example, instead of making me hunt through screens for my heart rate zone, the watch simply changes the interface color of my workout to match my heart rate zone so I can quickly see where I’m at in my training without breaking my stride.

I’ve always thought the Fitbit app was one of the most intuitive in the wearable space, but after testing the redesigned version (rolling out publicly next year), it might be the best. Instead of focusing on a single day, it now gives you a full week’s view of your fitness data, which feels far more realistic. If I skip a workout, the broader context keeps me from feeling defeatist and, weirdly, makes me more motivated.

The biggest update, though, lies behind the $10/month Fitbit Premium paywall: Fitbit Coach, an AI chatbot that’s supposed to help translate your data into actionable guidance.

Setup requires answering a series of questions about your goals, equipment and time commitment. My goal was to get the most bang for my buck out of workouts within my time constraints. Coach generated a custom plan to match my needs, although plugging similar info into the free version of Gemini on my phone produced almost identical suggestions. The difference is that Coach gave me video examples of the workout moves, which was a nice touch.

Coach also has access to your habits and health data to make tweaks on the fly, which is genuinely useful. It flagged that working out past 9 p.m. is counterproductive for me based on my sleep patterns and energy scores. It also recommended skipping my workout on that bad sleep day and opting for a nap instead (which I didn’t have time for, but still appreciated the permission to rest).

But there are limitations. Unlike Gemini, which I can summon at any time on my watch, Coach is only available in the Fitbit app on my phone, making the experience feel oddly passive. I wish it coached me during workouts and nudged me to hit a target zone or told me when it’s time to move to the next exercise in my training plan.

Coach also can’t offer medical advice (which is a good thing), and when I tried to bait it into doing so, it correctly told me to talk to a doctor. Still, handing over so much health data to an AI makes me a little uneasy because I’m not exactly sure what it can be used for down the line.

To be fair, Coach is still in beta and is supposed to adapt as it learns your habits. So, it may improve over time, and the version you eventually receive could look very different from what I’ve been previewing.

Battery life is just OK

Over the past month, my take on the battery hasn’t changed much. It’s a welcome improvement over the last generation, but that 30-hour mark still arrives fast — usually right in the middle of my second day when I’m nowhere near a charger. I’ve fallen into a routine of micro-charging for 10 minutes before bed or right when I wake up. That’s usually all it needs to get through a full night of sleep tracking.

Google claims it takes 60 minutes to fully charge, but in my experience, it’s closer to 40 minutes.

Some of its best features are ones I haven’t had to use yet

Even if I’d managed to scratch the screen into oblivion or crack it outright, I have the peace of mind knowing Google made this watch easy to repair. The display, battery and other components can all be swapped without buying a whole new device — just don’t try to DIY it. That level of repairability is rare in the smartwatch world, and it might save me from having to shell out for a brand-new watch down the line.

I’ve been testing the LTE model, which can contact emergency services via satellite if you’re off the grid and need help. I haven’t been without a cell signal (or in distress, thankfully), but it’s a nice safety net, especially for the price. Similar satellite-enabled watches, like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or Garmin’s Fenix 8 Pro, cost more than $700, while the LTE version of the Pixel Watch 4 starts at $450.

Closing thoughts

After a solid month together, here’s where I’ve landed: If you’re looking for an Android watch that does pretty much everything well, the Pixel Watch 4 is a solid pick. The 41mm battery still needs work (the 45mm should be better), and if you’re buying it just for Fitbit Coach, I’d hold off: it’s promising, but not quite there yet.

Even without Coach, though, the redesigned Fitbit app alone is enough to get excited about. Add in the sleek design, ease of use and seamless integration, and the Pixel Watch 4 keeps this watch at the top of my list. And if Google does eventually nail the coaching side, it’ll be the cherry on top of an already well-rounded sundae.
I’m sure in another month I’ll have even more gems and quirks to report. That’s just how it goes with wearables you live with day in and day out, especially now that they’re constantly adapting to your habits.

Technologies

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”