Smartwatches have become essential gadgets for many people, especially those who want to track their fitness, receive notifications, or make phone calls without reaching for their smartphone. The Apple Watch was one of the first smartwatches to introduce fall detection, a key feature that provides an added layer of safety for the wearers. Now, the fall detection feature is rolling out to the Pixel Watch, Google’s latest smartwatch in the market. With this feature activated, motion sensors and machine learning algorithms can determine if you’ve experienced a hard fall and call emergency services if you don’t move or respond within a certain timeframe.
What sets Pixel Watch’s fall detection apart is its ability to distinguish between accidental falls and vigorous physical activity, like burpees or skiing, which could trigger a false emergency call. The feature has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it works accurately and reliably, and it even allows wearers to speak to the emergency operator themselves if possible. This seems to address the problem Apple Watch users were facing with their devices, where emergency operators were receiving distress calls from users who were simply skiing or indulging in intensive physical activity.
For those who are interested in using fall detection, they can simply turn it on in the ‘Updates’ page of the Watch Companion app or directly on the Pixel Watch in the Personal Safety app. The watch will vibrate, sound an alarm, and display an on-screen notification if you take a hard fall and aren’t moving for about 30 seconds. You can dismiss the notification by tapping ‘I’m OK’ on your watch face or tap ‘I fell & need help’ to be connected to emergency services immediately.
Google states that user privacy is a top priority, so Pixel Watch offers an option to turn off fall detection or toggle on a setting called “Help improve fall detection,” which allows the collection of motion sensor data to enhance the feature in the future. For more safety features, users can also check out the Personal Safety app on their Pixel phones, which includes car crash detection and emergency broadcast notifications. They can also use Emergency SOS on Pixel Watch to alert emergency responders or trusted contacts when they are in an emergency or feeling unsafe.
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