Wear OS 4 is on its way to the original Pixel Watch, and it’s bringing some new safety features that are debuting on the Pixel Watch 2.
One of the key focuses for the new wearable is safety, and Google is introducing three new safety features to the original Pixel Watch with the Wear OS 4 update.
First up is “Emergency Sharing,” which allows you to send your real-time location to predefined contacts. You can set in advance what information will be shared. This includes phone call data (when you start and end a call), emergency call data (when you start and end an emergency call), low battery status (when your battery is below 15%), and real-time location (required for Emergency Sharing and utilizes Location Sharing in Google Maps). You can activate this feature by opening the Personal Safety app on the Pixel Watch.
Next is “Safety Check,” which lets you create a check-in timer. If you don’t cancel the countdown, the Pixel Watch will automatically share your location with your emergency contacts. This feature is also triggered from the Personal Safety app.
Lastly, there’s the option to add medical information to your Pixel Watch that can be accessed by emergency responders. This can be done by long-pressing on the crown. Google even sells a $9.99 Medical ID Tag that you can affix to a band. The available medical information that you can add includes date of birth, blood type, height, weight, allergies, pregnancy status, medications, address, medical notes, and organ donor status.
These new safety features complement the existing Emergency SOS and Fall Detection. However, it’s worth noting that features like Safety Signal (which requires Fitbit Premium) and “Emergency contact dialing” are exclusive to the Pixel Watch 2.
Looking ahead, Google plans to bring “Auto Call Screen” to both generations of Pixel Watch, as long as it’s paired with a Tensor-powered phone. This feature will provide real-time call transcription on your wrist and is expected to arrive with the December Feature Drop.
Additionally, apps like Gmail are already available on Wear OS 3, and new system features include the ability to transfer your watch to a new phone and updated Tile designs.
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