Can you charge the Pixel Watch with the Pixel Stand v2?
Best answer: No. The Google Pixel Watch can only be charged by the magnetic charger that comes in the box with it. While it might appear to charge on other Qi-enabled charging pads, including the Pixel Stand v2, it is not supported and cannot be confirmed. Google suggests only charging the Pixel Watch with its own charger.
Why can’t you charge the Pixel Watch with Pixel Stand v2?
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Despite the Pixel Stand v2 being designed to charge Google Pixel phones and other Qi-enabled devices, the Google Pixel Watch is actually not Qi-enabled. This means it also cannot make use of the reverse charging capabilities of some Android phones, including Pixel phones.
Google notes that some devices might be able to give the Pixel Watch a charge or at least appear to. But the official charger is the only accessory supported to charge the Watch and offer a “strong and consistent charging experience,” the company told 9to5Google in a statement.
Many have reported getting a short charge only for it to stop after a few seconds: the unstable charging connection won’t provide any significant charge to the device. What’s more, using another charger for the Watch could actually do the opposite and cause it to discharge.
It appears Google is following in the spirit of Fitbit, the popular brand of fitness trackers and smartwatches the company acquired in early 2021. Fitbit offers proprietary chargers with each of its devices, often with a new one for every new model such that they are not interchangeable. In fact, this is the case with many smartwatch and fitness tracker brands.
Why? It comes down to the small size of these devices, which makes it difficult to include the necessary sensors for wireless charging on the inside, not to mention position the watch properly on a wireless charger like the Pixel Stand v2 on the outside. It’s precisely for this reason, in fact, that many smartwatches and fitness trackers use magnetic chargers. The only reason Qi chargers are able to work with true wireless earbuds, which are even smaller, is because they come with charging cases that have room for sensors and simple placement on a charging stand or pad.
Bottom line: the Pixel Stand v2 could rank among the best wireless chargers for a myriad of wireless-enabled devices, but the Google Pixel Watch is not one of them.
Only one charger
The Google Pixel Watch comes with a magnetic charger in the box, and this is the only charger that will work with the smartwatch. A quick charge of about an hour and-a-half will yield about 24 hours of battery life, or about 8-10 hours with continuous GPS.
Charge any Qi-enabled device
Place any Qi-enabled wireless device atop the Google Pixel Stand v2, from Google Pixel phones to other Android devices (and those from other manufacturers), true wireless earbuds in their cases, and more, and charge it up without the need for charging cables.
