Now that smartphones are firmly ingrained in our lives, we've seen "minimalist phones" rise in popularity.The problem is, these phones are often , and a regular smartphone is still required.LTE smartwatches are a nearly perfect middle ground, but what if you don't like wearing a watch? I've got a solution.
I've always been intrigued by minimalist "dumb" phones, but I just can't use one full-time.However, I also don't like the idea of having a primary and secondary phone.In the past, I've either tried to create minimalist modes on my daily phone, or leave my phone behind entirely and use an LTE smartwatch instead — that's the idea I wanted to explore more.
Smart watch = dumb phone Stay connected without the distractions I like the LTE smartwatch approach because I don't have to switch my eSIM to a different device, but I'm still somewhat connected to my phone.Calls and messages can be answered and sent, app notifications come through, and I can access a handful of essential apps right on the watch.I was inspired by multiple Apple Watch products that change the form factor of the watch into something more pocketable.
The RePod, Miniphone Ultra, and TinyPod are a few examples of this concept.I haven't seen anyone try to do this with a Wear OS device, so I decided to give it a shot with my LTE-enabled Pixel Watch 4.First, we need to optimize the Pixel Watch to be used as a "phone." I started with a watch face that has a bunch of slots for shortcuts ("Active" face with "Minimal" layout).
I chose "At a Glance," phone, messages, Google Maps, and Gemini as the shortcuts.Then, I added frequently accessed information and tools as Widgets: weather, my favorite contact, upcoming tasks and calendar events, Google Home toggles, and a timer.That covers pretty much all the essentials that I would need on a normal day.
I can make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, check the weather and my calendar, turn on or off lights, and even use Gemini for more advanced tasks and reminders.All without a phone.Making a watch feel like a phone The design process Close With software out of the way, I could focus on the main problem: making a Pixel Watch feel more like a "phone" in your hand.
In my mind, that means it should have a slab-shaped body with rounded edges, full access to the buttons, a functional scroll wheel, and the ability to charge without being removed.Thankfully, the shape of the Pixel Watch is pretty easy to design around.It's a perfect circle with rounded edges.
I designed the case in two parts so the watch could be sandwiched between them.Sadly, the Pixel Watch 4 switched to a side-mounted charger, so I had to create a cut-out on the left side.Previous back-charging models would have allowed for a cleaner design.
Close The Pixel Watch 5 has a back button and a "crown" scroll wheel that doubles as the app list/home button.The back button was relatively easy to figure out.I designed a slot with a couple of "catches" that allow an elongated button to move freely but not fall out.
By far the trickiest part of this build was the Pixel Watch's crown.I wanted it to work like the Rabbit R1, which failed as a product, but looked pretty darn cool.I designed a ribbed cylinder with a small hole just barely smaller than the crown, then pushed it on with a dab of hot glue for assurance.
The cylinder sits proud of the top cover for easy scrolling, and you can still press it in to go home or open the app list.It's not perfect, but it works.Surprisingly simple and effective That's all there was to it! I have to say I was surprised by how well this worked.
It's comfortable to hold, and the watch interface is very easy to navigate in this form factor.I love the scroll wheel, too.There's honestly not much to say — it does exactly what I was hoping it would.
For this prototype, I glued the two halves together, but in the future, I'd use screws instead.My only real gripe is the side-mounted charger, but using an older Pixel Watch would fix that problem.I didn't expect how much using the watch in this form factor genuinely changes the experience.
It changes how I think of the device, and having it in my pocket as opposed to my wrist helps remind me that I don't need to grab my phone.Going in, I thought this was for people who don't like wearing watches, but I think it's actually valuable for those who do, too.
Read More
