One key Pixel Watch feature may soon require a sign-in | Image by PhoneArena
Fall detection is a key feature in most modern smartwatches and can save lives in the most extreme cases. Apple implemented this feature in its Apple Watch 4 back in 2018, and many other brands followed suite.
Google is one such company, and fall detection is an integral part of the Pixel Watch features. The interesting part is that it doesn't require you to log into your Google account. At least not yet!
Pixel Watch safety features may soon require Google sign-in
Lines of code inside the Pixel Watch app | Image by Android Authority
Our good friends at Android Authority have dissected the latest version 4.4.0.897056328 of the Pixel Watch app and found something strange. The Fall Detection feature will most likely require a Google sign-in to be activated.
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The strings of code inside the app clearly show this, but there will also be a grace period during which people will be able to use Fall Detection without being signed in to their Google account.
Fall Detection currently works without an account
The Fall Detection feature still works without the need for a sign in | Image by Android Authority
Don't fret; your anonymity is safe — for now. Currently, you can activate fall detection without the need to be singned in, and we can't tell when exactly these strings of code will be brought to the stable app as a mandatory requirement.
Nevertheless, this change seems inevitable and just a matter of time. Eventually, you will have to be logged in to use this, and other Pixel Watch features. But there are other benefits to this.
What do you think about features locked behind a sign-in wall?
Sync benefits for logged-in users
Once you log in and connect your Pixel Watch to a Google account, there are several benefits waiting. First, all the date from the watch tracking your vitals, exercises, sleep and other activities will be automatically synced across your devices, given you're using the same Google Account.
The second and less obvious one is that Fall Detection settings will automatically sync with other devices without the need to do it manually.
Requiring a sign-in for specific features — is it right?
There's a moral question here about requiring your data in order to use a certain feature. On one hand, you paid for the watch and all its features. Google shouldn't lock one behind a sign-in wall. On the other hand, it's not such a big deal, as most people are constantly signed in and use Gmail and other Google services on a daily basis.
What do you think about it?
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Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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