Google (GOOG, GOOGL) unveiled its latest smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 3, during its Made by Google event at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters on Tuesday.
Among other things, it may be a lifesaver.
Like other smartwatches, the Watch 3, which goes on sale Sept. 10, incorporates a number of health and fitness features. But this time around the watch gets a unique feature designed to notify authorities in the event that it can no longer detect your pulse.
The feature, aptly named Loss of Pulse Detection, will notify your emergency contacts and the appropriate authorities when a user's pulse stops as the result of, say, cardiac arrest, circulatory failure, overdose, or poisoning. The idea is to provide wearers with a kind of last resort to reach out for help.
When the Watch 3 detects a loss of pulse, it will provide the user with a warning telling them that it can no longer read their pulse and ask if it’s an emergency. If the user doesn’t respond, the watch will contact emergency services.
In addition to calling emergency personnel, the watch will blare an alarm and display text letting people around you know that you’re in danger. Google says that Loss of Pulse Detection is certified for use in certain European countries and that it’s working to bring it to other locations.
This is a new kind of capability for smartwatches that could prove to be incredibly helpful. But it remains to be seen how well it works in the wild and if it results in any accidental activations or other problems for Google.
Google says it has tested the Watch 3’s Loss of Pulse Detection to prevent it from accidentally activating when you do things like take off your watch or other normal movements that might disrupt its ability to monitor your heart rate.
Loss of Pulse Detection is one of a handful of features that will automatically reach out to emergency services when you can’t. The Watch 3 can also call for help if you’re involved in a car accident or if you’ve fallen.
Beyond its safety features, Google has made other changes to the Pixel Watch 3. The company has added a new $399 45-millimeter size to go along with the current $349 41mm flavor — and shrank the watches' bezels to improve screen real estate, so it’s easier to see and get the info you need.
I got to check out the watches ahead of Google's event but haven't tested their features just yet.
Google says those displays are also brighter this time around and can dim more so they won’t be distracting in places like movie theaters. The watch can also slow its screen refresh rate to 1 frame per second, which helps save on battery life, Google says the Pixel Watch 3 will last 24 hours. Turn on Battery Saver mode, and you’ll get up to 36 hours.
On the software front, Google continues to incorporate Fitbit’s exercise-tracking software into the Pixel Watch 3. Now, however, the company is adding some of the service’s premium features for free, such as Readiness score, which tracks things like your heart rate and workouts to determine if you should hit the gym or take a rest day. It’s a great way to feel better about vegging on the couch instead of pumping iron when you’re especially tired.
There are also new features to use while running, including the ability to plan routines, set different splits, and more. You’ll also get a morning brief each day that provides you with information on how you slept the night before and your overall health metrics, as well as the weather forecast the moment the watch detects you’re awake.
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the Pixel Watch 3's battery life on battery saver mode was 35 hours. In fact, it's 36 hours. We regret the error.
Email Daniel Howley at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
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