☕ Good morning! Day 3 of MWC 2022 and this morning, due to some street maintenance, we lost water to the apartment. Thankfully, that was after the morning rush of showers for most of us.

Google Pixel Watch, Pixel 6a getting closer?

Reports are that the Google Pixel 6a, which we fully expect, and the Google Pixel Watch, which remains a bit of a unicorn, have listed on a US carrier site.

• Sources passed on to Android Police that the smartwatch, Google’s first dedicated wearable, and Google’s next affordable phone went live on a US carrier’s inventory system.

Pixel Watch:

• The only first hard detail, per the report, is that the Pixel Watch will come with 32GB of storage. That one piece of data alone tells us a bit: it’s double the Samsung Galaxy 4, and continues the pattern of reports that suggest it’ll be priced like an Apple Watch.
• Of course, Google might be leaning on the engineering of FitBit, which it acquired just over a year ago.
• The wearable had a bunch of details spill late last year, too, though it’s been so long-awaited that all kinds of rumors have come and gone over the years.
• Also it’s worth considering that per the report, the carrier that lists the wearable only sells smartwatches with cellular connectivity.
• Should that be accurate and if nothing changes, you could bank on Google’s first smartwatch coming with eSIM connectivity.

Pixel 6a:

• As for the Pixel 6a, the leaks and info we’ve received already are strong. We’ve seen renders point to the Pixel 6 series design also translating to the next more-affordable release.
• The Pixel “a”-series usually drops a few of the higher-end features to get it to a cheaper overall device, but it’s often been one of the top devices of the year for us due to its mix of value and near-enough feature set.
• The latest from this report is that the 6a will be available in black, white, and green, with all three options listed with 128GB internal storage.
• The real problem is the lack of availability from Google — previously blamed on the supply chain but always an odd problem for Google, that hits certain select markets and leaves many more out.
• In Spain right now, where we are for MWC until tomorrow, the Pixel 6 series has been on sale for just weeks. And the Pixel 5a just isn’t offered here, despite a likely good market-fit.

Roundup

🏆 Best of MWC 2022 Awards: Android Authority’s favorite products from the show!

⌚ The Google Pixel Watch and Pixel 6a seem to be drawing closer to launch (Android Authority).

👉 Google details March 2022 system update: Bug fixes and new Google Play Store features, and more of what’s coming (Android Authority).

🍎 Apple has halted all device sales in Russia in response to invasion of Ukraine, which is fairly meaningful. Russians could still log on to Apple’s store but couldn’t buy a device. Apple also joined Google in disabling live traffic in Apple Maps in Ukraine. Google Pay and Apple Pay are down in Russia, too (Ars Technica).

🤔 TikTok’s design and algorithm are ideal for sharing videos of war, as we’re seeing in Ukraine, but the moderation system can’t keep up (Wired).

👉 The Pixelmon NFT debacle: $70M raised, bizarre art unveiled, and a lot of rework to come… (CNET).

🔋 Jeep’s first all-electric SUV arrives in 2023, with more off-road options from 2024 (Engadget).

🔱 That cargo ship carrying Porsches, Lamborghinis, and Bentleys has now sunk in the Atlantic ocean. Bad news for those who wanted a slightly used Porsche… (The Verge).

🚀 Finally, Steve Wozniak’s new venture via Privateer has been announced: It’s taking aim at space junk, with improved tracking (CNN).

🍿 “Can I walk into a movie theater just to buy popcorn?” (r/nostupidquestions).

Weirdness Wednesday

A selection of weird things for you.

First, we thought we spotted a surprise new phone at the Qualcomm booth at MWC. But, relax, it’s just a rogue typo. ( There is no ASUS Rogue 5s, just a Rog 5s):

And a second bit of weird before you head on your way to your Wednesday: Quantum gravity sensors. Yup.

• That’s a thing that exists. Apaprently it’s able to minutely check free-falling atoms to reveal variations in Earth’s gravitational pull at different points
• It’s so sensitive that it might be able to be used to “soil quality or help engineers inspect potential construction sites for unstable ground,” or quite seriously, find buried treasure.
• More on what’s going on with gravity at ScienceNews.

Cheers,

Tristan Rayner, Senior Editor