The Pixel Watch shipped with compelling health features when it debuted back in October 2022, but Google has added a few features post-launch — including Fall Detection. Though the Pixel Watch underwhelmed when compared with other smartwatches on the market, it was a solid device considering it is a first-generation product. Reviewers speculated that it could become a fierce market competitor in the future, and that might be coming sooner than anyone thought. Google has added features to the original Pixel Watch via over-the-air software updates, including Fitbit Premium’s Sleep Tracking.
Now, Google’s bringing Fall Detection to the Pixel Watch. The feature can track the wearer’s movement and determine whether they’ve taken a hard fall, similar to a feature by the same name on the Apple Watch. If the Pixel Watch wearer is unresponsive after taking the hard fall, the smartwatch can automatically initiate a call with first responders to get help. Google says that the feature uses the motion sensors within the Pixel Watch and on-device machine learning to detect a hard fall, and adds that it knows the difference between a fall and a high-intensity workout. False alerts can have very real consequences, so if Google has gotten Fall Detection right, it could put the company ahead of its competitors.
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Enable Fall Detection In The Personal Safety App
Fall Detection is available on Pixel Watches starting Feb. 28, but it’ll need to be enabled before it can detect hard falls. To do that, navigate to the Updates page in the Pixel Watch companion app on a paired Android device. The Updates button looks like a chat box and is found in the upper right corner of the application’s homepage. There, users will find a setup card that will walk them through the steps to enable Fall Detection.
Alternatively, users can set up Fall Detection in the Personal Safety app on their Pixel Watch. After opening the Personal Safety app, navigate to the Fall Detection tab and follow the prompts to enable the feature. Inside this app, users can also view settings for car crash detection, emergency broadcast notifications, and Emergency SOS.
When a Pixel Watch detects a hard fall, it will wait 30 seconds to see if it detects the wearer’s movement afterward. If no movement is detected, it will vibrate, sound an alarm, and notify the wearer. Users can either tap the ‘I’m OK’ option to dismiss the notification or tap the ‘I fell and need help’ option to contact emergency services. If the user doesn’t respond for about a minute, the Pixel Watch will send an automated message to emergency services that shares the user’s current location and asks for help.
Fall Detection is another peace-of-mind feature that helps reassure users they can get help in an emergency with the Pixel Watch.
More: Does The Pixel Watch Support Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications?
