Google's Wear OS has come of age in many ways, and with the introduction of the Pixel Watch, the smartwatch battleground is bound to get more interesting. Thanks to its innovative software features and deep integration with Fitbit’s core health features, Google’s first smartwatch is uniquely positioned to take this market segment by storm.

There is another reason power users and developers have been inclined towards Google devices: The ability to unlock the bootloader and run third-party software, courtesy of the aftermarket development friendliness of the Mountain View company. This policy has attracted a lot of users to partake in modifying or replacing the pre-loaded software on Nexus and Pixel smartphones. However, the situation is a bit different on the Pixel Watch, as the tinkering possibilities are quite limited for this device.

Well, it's all about perspective. When you buy a watch for prices close to $350, you often think about specifications and features more than anything else. Never on your mind is about how friendly your new wearable is to the modding scene. Or, if it’s using recycled materials and upcycled content. You just want one of the best smartwatches that feels premium, and will last.

But this is XDA, which means people here like to take full control of the hardware they own — especially if there's a "Pixel" branding on it. If you’re thinking of buying the Pixel Watch, it might be a good idea to get a thorough look at its modding friendliness.

Navigate this article:

• Does the Google Pixel Watch come with an unlockable bootloader?
• Is there any user-flashable factory image for the Pixel Watch?
• What about the kernel source code?
• Will Google provide a beta program for the Pixel Watch similar to the Pixel phones?

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Does the Google Pixel Watch come with an unlockable bootloader?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Unlike Google's Pixel phones, the Pixel Watch doesn't feature an unlockable bootloader. While you can enable the developer options, Google doesn’t even offer a typical "OEM unlocking" toggle on the device.

Without unlocking the bootloader, there is no way to run third-party binaries on the first-generation Pixel Watch. In case you're looking for root access, you have to rely on potential security vulnerabilities in the OS or the hardware platform to craft an unofficial bootloader unlock method. Moreover, a locked bootloader means absolutely zero aftermarket software update, so no unofficial extension after the official support ends.

When we reached out to Google about the bootloader unlockability, we got the following response:

While the bootloader itself is no more restrictive than on Pixel phones, Fitbit currently does not provide a debug adapter needed to unlock the bootloader.

We know that there are pogo pins inside the watch band connector. If debugging via these pogo pins is possible, then it could be possible that Google will enable the OEM unlocking toggle with a future software update and allow us to unlock the bootloader of the Pixel Watch. But for now, the device can only run Google's official software.

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Is there any user-flashable factory image for the Pixel Watch?

Google maintains a dedicated download portal for the factory images and full OTA packages for its Pixel smartphones. The company also offers a handy web-based flash tool for easy flashing.

However, the Pixel Watch has no such option available, at least at this moment. In fact, the lack of an unlockable bootloader means regular users can't flash an official factory image even if Google provides them.

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What about the kernel source code?

The GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2) mandates every Android device manufacturer to publicly release the part of Linux kernel code that they have shipped on their devices. An ideal kernel source release should be accompanied by appropriate commit history, and all the dependencies are expected to be properly documented.

Since Wear OS (which is nothing but Android designed for smartwatches and other wearables) is built on top of the Linux kernel, Google has to provide, upon customer request, the kernel source code for the Pixel Watch. The company has an excellent track record when it comes to publishing such sources, and the Pixel Watch is thankfully not an exception.

If you’re a developer and you’re interested in studying the bits and pieces related to the Exynos 9110 SoC as well as other hardware components of the Watch, then check out the kernel sources from the links below:

Google Pixel Watch (code-name: “rohan”) kernel sources: Platform ||| Modules (Configuration || Device Tree || Drivers)

Keep in mind that you need to follow the tags that start with "android-wear-11.0.0." No device tree sources are available, though.

While the availability of the kernel source code could be useful for building a custom recovery or an AOSP-based ROM for the Pixel Watch, you can't install any of them without an unlocked bootloader.

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Will Google provide a beta program for the Pixel Watch similar to the Pixel phones?

The Pixel Watch is guaranteed to receive software updates from Google until October 2025. That's three years of software updates for the Watch, while the company has confirmed that it will offer at least five years of software updates for its flagship Pixel 7 series.

Apart from the aforementioned discrepancy, there is no beta program planned for the Pixel Watch community. This sounds logical, though, as offering beta quality software to a device without publicly downloadable factory images is really not a good idea.

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If you are in the market for a minimalistic Wear OS smartwatch, then go for Google's offering. It also gives you access to a host of features you'd find on Fitbit smartwatches, which is a big plus. With that said, the Pixel Watch is far from being the ideal reference device for tinkering with Wear OS that many would have thought of.

Google Pixel Watch XDA Forums

Do you think that the Pixel Watch is worthy to buy? We’d love to know your opinions! Share your thoughts in the comments.