You may think you have heard this story before. A high-priced smartwatch series approaches its annual debut; talk swells to a restless peak, and then, before the date is set, a supposed final model turns up for sale in an unexpected quarter. Two months past, it was the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic. Now it is the Pixel Watch 4, still not due in shops for another two months.
Too Good to Be True? Price Tag Sparks Doubts
The Pixel Watch 4 is expected to cost $350, and it will be so scarce at first that its release has been put back. The same happened with the Pixel Watch 3, so it is not unheard of. These watches always draw a crowd, and Pixel enthusiasts are as loyal to their cause as any group in the tech world—meant as praise, not censure.
The difficulty, to put it plainly, is the $200 price on the listing. Countless eager buyers would gladly fasten this watch to their wrists, yet it is said to be so scarce that one of the largest firms in the world cannot produce it quickly enough to meet its intended release. And now it is offered at little more than half its market value?
I do not believe it. You might as well tell me the next Galaxy S will carry Exynos chips in America. The claim is absurd. Besides, the pictures are few: a single dim photograph of the watch still in its box. However genuine it may appear, there is nothing to show it works at all.
Convincing Appearance, But Evidence Falls Short
I admit there is a chance I am mistaken. It does not happen often, but the box has an air of authenticity. A quick glance shows nothing odd beyond the usual grain from a JPG file, which suggests the pictures themselves have not been altered. Yet it would be no great task to print a carton in the same size and shape as that of the Pixel Watch 3, with the same notes in several languages on the back. The hardware is no longer a mystery to anyone.
In the end there is no sure way to know the truth without buying it and waiting for the post. My editors will not approve the expense, and I will not risk my own $200. I doubt it is a stolen Pixel Watch 4 or some breach of contract worth losing a job over. Most likely it is a forgery, and a reminder that anything on the internet should be treated with caution. Still, it would be remarkable if it proved genuine.
Final Words
The photos are convincing enough to fool your tech-obsessed cousin, but at 200 dollars for a 350 dollar watch which is supposedly rarer than a unicorn? It is not a bargain, it is a red flag as big as a Tesla Cybertruck. This is where the golden rule of internet shopping comes into play with even more emphasis: when it looks too good to be true, it probably is someone in a basement with a 3D printer and little morals. Wait until it comes out and spend your hard-earned money on the real thing, or, better yet, spend it on something that is sure to exist like coffee, which never fails to disappoint and will not come as a cardboard imitation three weeks later.
