The Verge is covering the rapidly evolving world of wearables. We test everything from smartwatches like the Apple Watch, to smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Bans, to fitness trackers like the Oura Ring to find out which ones deliver on their promises. Follow along to find out whether covering our bodies in screens and sensors can actually make us smarter and healthier.
As announced Thursday morning, Apple has now released new iPhone and Watch updates that re-enable the Blood Oxygen monitoring feature in the US for Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users as a workaround for the ITC’s import ban.
A lot of people are very excited about the return of Pebble smartwatches, but our first good look at the Time 2’s design has some admitting that nostalgia alone won’t get them to switch smartwatches.
Subsy:
“I love this for nostalgic reasons, but can’t ditch the Apple Watch for it.
I need NFC payment support, LTE for leaving my phone at home, and a good fitness app.”
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My colleague Allison was humbled by the attempt to ditch her phone and live on her Apple Watch alone, but a few commenters have chimed in to insist it can be done:
scttcnnr1:
I’ve done this for over a year now and have loved it - my phone stays in the office, which lets me check in on anything while at work, but outside of work I have found that an LTE Apple Watch does everything I need to do without any of the distracting apps. Been a huge improvement in my life.
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I’ve lived in that future. Before my health improved, I spiraled into obsession, injury, and disordered eating.
The fifth iOS 26 developer beta contains evidence suggesting the new watch might have a display resolution of 422 x 514, which is a little bigger than the 410 x 502 resolution on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, according to MacRumors.
[macrumors.com]
Gemini’s biggest obstacle on smartwatches is the phone in your pocket.
After a leak from Android Headlines showed no major pricing changes for the Pixel 10 lineup, the outlet has shared another rumor that suggests the 41mm Pixel Watch 4 will start at the same $349 price tag for the Wi-Fi version, increasing to $399 for the LTE variant.
Meanwhile, Android Headlines says the larger 45mm Pixel Watch 4 could cost $399 for the Wi-Fi version and $449 with LTE.
[androidheadlines.com]
6
Verge Score
Great for outdoorsy folks. Everyone else, get the Ray-Bans.
In its Q2 2025 earnings call, Garmin CEO Cliff Pemble says, “Glasses have come and gone once, and the utility and concerns around the use of those have always come up in the context.” He went on to say it’s a “wait and see thing.”
He’s not wrong. Privacy is still a major concern with smart glasses. But frankly, Garmin is probably happy enough with another gangbusters quarter in fitness, logging a 41 percent increase year-over-year.
[prnewswire.com]
7
Verge Score
I’m at peace with the squircle. Gemini is promising. But the sum of the parts doesn’t add up to a must-have upgrade.
Whoop’s FDA notice is a reminder that it’s harder to tell what’s a medical feature and what’s “just for fun.”
Specifically, Google says it now works with the Hydrow and Hydrow Wave rowers, the latest models of Echelon machines, and the confusingly named Spinning bikes and the accompanying mobile app. The Strava app is also confirmed to work. Sadly, the official list of compatible devices and apps says the device will definitely not work with Garmin, Life Fitness and TechnoGym. Oh, and there’s a handful of new clock faces too.
[community.fitbit.com]
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Google’s Pixel 10 range has leaked. This time Evan Blass did the honors, sharing images of the 10 Pro and Pro XL, the Watch 4, and our first look at the Buds 2A.
This week we’ve seen repeated leaks of the phone designs, the Watch 4’s new charger, and even an official tease, so there won’t be much left to tell when everything launches on August 20th,
Yesterday we learned Google’s new smartwatch might charge on its side, and now Android Headlines has shared official renders of it in various colors, matching almost every hue we’ve seen from the Pixel 10 phones: the vibrant “Indigo” and “Limoncello;” the muted “Moonstone” and “Porcelain;” and “Obsidian” black — plus a return for the Pixel 9A’s “Iris” purple.
More colors are expected, while the watch itself will apparently come in black, silver, gold, and “Moonstone.”
Workout Buddy is Apple’s foray into fitness AI, but the real stars of watchOS 26 are Wrist Flick and Smart Stack.
Google’s AI is rolling out to more wearables, after the company announced it was coming at I/O in May, then debuted it on the Galaxy Watch 8 this month.
Gemini replaces Google Assistant, and should be available from the Play Store for any watch running Wear OS 4 or later that has Assistant. But if your watch doesn’t have Assistant already, you’re not getting the Gemini upgrade.
[9to5google.com]
Meta’s hinted at this kind of wristband before, but The New York Times just published a deeper dive based on a research paper published in Nature. The neat thing is it can “predict” what you’re going to do based on electrical signals sent from your brain through your muscles. This isn’t a new concept. Third-party straps like the Mudra Band do similar things. But according to my colleague Alex Heath, this particular band will launch at Connect with Meta’s Hypernova glasses.
Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company has officially launched its hearing aid feature, along with the Apple Watch’s sleep apnea detection, in more locations, including Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and others.
Don’t take my word for it — I interviewed Jason Valley, a visually impaired Verge reader, for this week’s Vergecast. Jason tells me how he uses the Ray-Ban Meta glasses as a visual interpreter, and how the Live AI feature has helped him live a more independent life after losing much of his sight. I also chat with Be My Eyes CEO Mike Buckley about why accessible design is universal design. Watch the full episode here.
