Google unveiled the Pixel Watch, its first smartwatch, at its Made by Google event on October 6. While the company highlighted various features of the wearable, it never clarified how long the smartwatch would receive updates. Considering that Pixel devices are at the forefront of receiving OS updates, it was odd that Google did not highlight this aspect of the watch at the event. In a support document (via Reddit), the big G has now revealed that the Pixel Watch is guaranteed to get software updates until at least October 2025.

Google's software policy for the Pixel Watch states it will receive regular software updates for "at least three years" after it first went on sale on the Google Store in the US. This will include all kinds of updates: security patches, feature drops, and new OS releases. In comparison, Pixel phones are guaranteed three years of OS updates and five years of security patches. It is unclear why Google is not supporting the Pixel Watch for five years like its smartphones. There's also no mention of how frequently the company will update the Pixel Watch with new features, OS updates, and security patches.

Google's software update policy for the Pixel Watch puts it behind Samsung. Like its smartphones, the Korean giant promises four years of One UI and Wear OS updates for the Galaxy Watch 4 and Watch 5 lineup. This means despite the Galaxy Watch 5 launching a couple of months earlier than Google's Watch, it will receive software updates until 2026—a year more than the latter. The inferior software support will help the Galaxy Watch 5 edge the Pixel Watch as the best Android smartwatch on the market.

However, Apple beats both Google and Samsung with its software support policy for the Apple Watch. The Cupertino giant tends to update its smartwatch with the latest watchOS release for at least five years after launch.