Curry Strap: A €31 Premium for a Coating That Won't Last
The Pixel Watch 5 Stephen Curry Special Edition is set to be released on August 20th, following Google's Made by Google event on August 12th. The special edition will cost €579.99 in Europe, which is about €31 more expensive than the regular 45mm LTE model.
The extra cost gets you a Stephen Curry-branded Sport Band with a stone grey and taupe base color and bright orange and brown stripes running along the edges. However, Google's own technical material warns that the water-repellent coating on the band is not permanent and can diminish or disappear with normal wear.
This raises questions about whether the extra cost justifies the premium price. The regular Pixel Watch 5 already carries 5ATM and IP68 ratings, although the standard straps themselves are not water-resistant.