The Google Pixel Watch 2 (and its less successful predecessor) are both getting a significant software update, which has begun rolling out today. It doesn’t overhaul the Pixel Watch experience, but it adds some very welcome new features.
One of the most interesting features included in this update is Call Screen. If you’re using your Pixel Watch with a Pixel smartphone that has a Tensor processor — like the Google Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro — you’ll now see a transcript of the person who’s calling you so you can decide if you want to pick up the call or ignore it. Pixel phones have had Call Screen for years now, but with this update, it’s finally coming to your wrist. It works for both the first Pixel Watch and the Pixel Watch 2.
The other big feature is Watch Unlock. Similar to how the Apple Watch can unlock your iPhone, you can have your Pixel Watch unlock your phone (so long as that phone is a Pixel). You’ll need to enable Watch Unlock for it to work, but the process is simple: open the Watch app on your phone, tap Watch preferences, tap Security, and you should find the setting there. You’ll get a warning that Watch Unlock can reduce your Pixel Watch’s battery, so keep that in mind before you enable it.
If you’re still rocking a first-gen Pixel Watch, this update now syncs your Do Not Disturb and Bedtime Modes across your smartwatch and Pixel phone. If you enable Bedtime Mode on your Pixel Watch, for example, it also gets toggled on your phone. This has been available on the Pixel Watch 2 since its release, and I can personally vouch for how incredibly useful it is.
This update also includes a fix for an “image retention” issue that some Pixel Watch 2 owners have previously complained about. Finally, your Pixel Watch’s security patch will be increased to December 5, 2023.
You should receive the update automatically, but if you want to check for yourself, open the Settings app on your Pixel Watch, tap System, and then tap System updates. 9to5Google notes that tapping the button multiple times should eventually trigger the update to become available, but your mileage may vary. This update also comes just days after Google started rolling out charged battery notifications for the Pixel Watch. Safe to say, Pixel Watch users are eating good this month.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.