Google just announced the rollout of a slew of software updates for the Pixel Watch and Fitbit. There are so many that it’s a bit confusing and all over the place, although the main highlights are overnight blood oxygen levels (SpO2) and abnormally high and low heart rate alerts for the PixelWatch.
The blood oxygen tracking feature won’t consist of spot checks like on the Apple Watch or Samsung’s Galaxy Watch. Instead of that, the Pixel Watch will passively monitor your SpO2 while you sleepas Fitbit does with its smart watches. This is actually a good thing, as it allows you to see longer-term trends rather than a single, random reading.
Furthermore, the high or low heart rate notifications are an essential part of wearables modern. Unlike the electrocardiograms for detecting atrial fibrillation – which the Pixel Watch was already equipped with – these notifications trigger alerts when the watch detects a sudden drop or spike in heart rate above normal resting levels.
In addition to alerts for blood oxygen and heart rhythm abnormalities, Google adds an automatic pause function for running, walking and cycling workouts. So if you get stuck at a corner waiting for the green light during your run, the Pixel Watch should be able to automatically pause and restart without you having to do anything.
This isn’t the first time Google has looked into this bizarre health feature gap since the launch of the Pixel Watch. Last November, for example, it rolled out an update that added Fitbit’s Sleep Profile feature to the Pixel Watch.
Other novelties
If that was all, it would be a pretty straightforward update. However, there are even more seemingly random updates for Pixels and Fitbit. Google expands Assistant on the Pixel Watch to more countries, adds three new Spotify tiles. As for accessories, Google will launch new brushed silver or matte black metallic link bracelets on June 16 at the exorbitant price of 199 euros.
Google also seems to want to clean up the feature clutter for Fitbit owners. If you own a Charge 5, Luxe, Inspire 3, Versa 4, or Sense 2, you can also expect some new UI changes this week. All of the aforementioned devices will get better support for global characters and right-to-left text. You’ll also be able to view your daily readiness score from the wrist on all Fitbit devices. Versa 4 and Sense 2 users will also have access to period health tiles.
