I reluctantly use a pixel with grapheneos, but anything that can only run google or manufacturer provided software without an independent 3rd party is trash, having looked at wearos while trying to refuse Samsungs terms/integration I also consider it a worse grade of trash than a phone since it can intentionally create codependency on other devices for management despite having more processing power than android 2-4 phones had.

Pixel Watches have an unlocked bootloader [1] and publish factory images [2].

That being said, it appears that the main open source version of WearOS (AsteroidOS) only supports watches that are 5-10 years old [3].

I suspect that if you did try to flash this watch, you would experience a whole host of rough edges.

[1] https://9to5google.com/2022/10/21/pixel-watch-bootloader-unl...

[2] https://developers.google.com/android/images-watch

[3] https://asteroidos.org/watches/

Edit: past pixels watches have an unlocked bootloader, I assume this one will as well. I don't see this information in the announcement post.

I'm pretty happy with a Pixel 9 running GrapheneOS and a Garmin that I never connected to a Garmin account. I use https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge instead (then synced to my computer with syncthing), and I don't miss anything from Garmin.

I'm 100% Google free, and far happier with tech that I ever was.

It really does feel like such a waste. If I switch to Android I might as well toss my Apple Watch out and vice versa. Along with the fact they basically require the phone to do nearly anything.