Two days before the Pixel 11 presentation, details of a special version of the Pixel Watch 5 created in partnership with basketball player Stephen Curry emerged online. It is not a new watch, but a new band — albeit with a new price tag.
Curry has already collaborated with Google: previously a special version of the Fitbit Air fitness tracker with his name was released. Now the collaboration is moving to the flagship smartwatch, and according to insiders, the Stephen Curry Edition will be unveiled at the Made by Google presentation on August 12, along with standard Pixel Watch 5 models and the Pixel 11 lineup.
What actually changes
Technically, the watch is identical to the standard version. The difference is purely in the band: a fabric woven weave in gray-beige tones with orange and brown stripes, Stephen Curry and LockIn branding, and water-repellent coating. The edition will only be available in a 45-millimeter case with LTE.
This is where the expectation conflict begins. Designer collaborations typically sell the illusion of an exclusive product, not an accessory. Reviewers who have already seen Google's marketing materials point to this very discrepancy between price and content: the special version essentially remains "an ordinary Pixel Watch 5 with a more distinctive band and approximately $35 more expensive."
Moreover, according to available data, Google itself acknowledges that the water-repellent coating on the band wears off over time — meaning one of the few physical advantages of the limited edition is not permanent.
The price question — literally
The limited model will cost around $669 (579 euros) compared to approximately $634 for the standard 45-millimeter version — making the premium around $35–40. This is not a critical sum for a flagship gadget, but it is telling: the buyer is paying not for new functionality, but for a name on the band and the status of a limited edition.
Google traditionally releases such editions in small batches and not simultaneously across all markets — a model familiar from collaborations with other celebrity lineups of technology companies: scarcity creates demand where there is no technical difference.
Industry reaction
Specialized publications that gained access to Google's marketing materials before the official announcement are unanimous in their assessment: the collaboration appears to be more of a marketing gesture than an engineering solution. Headlines like "an expensive story that ends on a band" reflect the general tone of reaction — recognition that Curry's brand sells emotion, not new technology.
Google itself has not officially confirmed the details yet — the information is based on leaks ahead of the August 12 event, so final specifications and price may differ from what insiders revealed.
- Even before the presentation, one of the Pixel Watch 5 prototypes was accidentally found at the bottom of the ocean.
- In 2025, Google added an AI trainer to Fitbit and Pixel Watch with sleep advice.
- The previous model, Pixel Watch 4, received automatic workout tracking without separate activation.
The question on August 12 is simple: will Google confirm the price and water-repellent coating that the company itself calls temporary, or did the leak overstate the premium for Curry's brand compared to what buyers will see in person.
