What you need to know
- An unannounced Pixel Watch band, referred to as the "Performance Loop Band," has appeared for a second time.
- After accidentally showing up in an Amazon listing last month, the bands popped up yet again on Best Buy and Amazon's online Canadian sites.
- The existence of a soft Performance Loop band would fill a massive gap in the Pixel Watch ecosystem, offering an alternative to Apple's Sport Loop bands.
Google recently launched the Pixel Watch 3, but there's still one more thing wearable fans have been waiting for. Shortly after the Pixel Watch 3 was officially announced, an Amazon listing appeared for a "Performance Loop Band," which was seemingly posted in error. It was pulled, and Google never officially acknowledged the existence of the Performance Loop band. However, as spotted by Droid Life, the band recently appeared in another pair of retail listings before being quickly removed.
The listings were posted to Best Buy Canada and Amazon Canada on Sept. 19 and were fairly detailed. There are band options in at least four colors, called Dark, Light, Mojito, and Cosmic. The first two are basic black and white colorways, but the latter are bright green and pink hues. Here's how Best Buy describes the Performance Loop in the most recent listing (via Droid Life):
"Functionality and style comes with the Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm) Performance loop band. Your new run buddy is micro-adjustable for the perfect fit, featuring the right amount of stretch during workouts. It’s made with comfortable recycled fabric."
Although this description only notes that the Performance Loop is for the Pixel Watch 3 (41mm), that's just because there are separate listings for sizes and colors. A few product pages appeared for the 45mm Pixel Watch 3, signaling that this fresh strap will support the entire Pixel Watch family. It is marketed as a fitness-first smartwatch band with superb breathability and comfort, kind of like the Sport Loop band that Apple sells for the Apple Watch.
Similarly to the Sport Loop, the Performance Loop has a fabric material and an elastic strap design, using a "micro-adjustable" Velcro closure mechanism. However, compared to the Woven Band, it has thinner and tighter stitching. The entire band uses nylon, recycled polyester, and elastane yarn.
All signs are pointing to the Performance Band costing around $60, if not cheaper. The first Amazon listing priced the strap at $43.04 in U.S. dollars, while the second set of product pages priced it at $79.99 in Canadian dollars. If the Performance Loop matches the price conversions of existing Pixel Watch bands between U.S. and Canadian dollars, it would cost $59.99 in U.S. dollars. This is all to be confirmed because Google hasn't even officially announced this band yet.
While we still don't have an official release date, the fact that the Performance Loop has appeared once again in multiple listings could mean a launch is imminent.
Where are all the Pixel Watch bands?
A Sport Loop competitor feels long overdue for the Pixel Watch band lineup, as Google offers a few other competing versions of popular Apple Watch bands. The Stretch Band, a continuous loop of similar fabric material to the unreleased Performance Loop, matches up well with Apple's Solo Loop. The Active Sport Band compares to Apple's Sport Band, and so on. However, for people who don't find Google's first-party Active Sport Bands or Stretch Bands comfortable for workouts, something was missing.
Being that the Pixel Watch product category is only a few generations old, the market for third-party watch bands isn't as robust as for, say, Apple or Samsung watches. It doesn't help that the Pixel Watch uses a proprietary band connection system. It's specific to the Pixel Watch family, much like the Apple Watch system. Since the Pixel Watch simply doesn't command the same sales as the Apple Watch, there is less incentive for watch band manufacturers to support the lineup.
Apple succeeds in the first and third-party band markets because it moves enough volume to sell an assortment of different SKUs, and Apple Watch owners are willing to pay for great third-party bands. Samsung, on the other hand, avoided the Pixel Watch's current problem by not using a proprietary band connection system at all. The Galaxy Watch 7 uses standard 20mm watch bands, just like previous Galaxy Watch models.
There are pros and cons to going with a proprietary band connection system or choosing to stick with a standard. Historically, the watch lugs of a Galaxy Watch don't look as seamless as the design of a Pixel Watch or Galaxy Watch. With that being said, Galaxy Watches can tap into a rich market of third-party watch bands, which is a real plus.
I've tried a Pixel Watch, and the disappointing band selection was one of the many things that pushed me back to watches from Apple and Samsung. Hopefully, Google can start improving this by making the rumored Performance Loop available for Pixel Watch owners soon.
Better than ever
The Pixel Watch 3 may not look like much of an upgrade, but it's arguably the best Wear OS smartwatch on the market.
