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Google Pixel Watch receives new features and improvements with latest software update

RWDA.230114.008 is the most substantial update for the Pixel Watch in the last few months. (Image source: NotebookCheck)
RWDA.230114.008 is the most substantial update for the Pixel Watch in the last few months. (Image source: NotebookCheck)
Google has started rolling out a new update to the Pixel Watch. Rolling out as RWDA.230114.008, the update brings numerous changes to Google's first smartwatch, some of which the company teased last month.

Google has issued a significant update for the Pixel Watch, arguably the first that adds any few features since its December 2022 update. According to Google, the March 2023 update will arrive as RWDA.230114.008. While the rollout started yesterday, it will 'continue over the next week in phases'. As such, we could not trigger the update to download manually.

Regardless, Google describes RWDA.230114.008 as including 'numerous bug fixes and improvements', with user-facing changes focusing on Alarms, Display, Fall Detection, Settings, Touch and Watch Faces. In a support document, Google outlines the following changes:

  • Watch Faces

    • Digital Clock is now available with button press when the device is powered down. The time will now appear upon crown push, alongside the red low battery indicator.

  • Display

    • In addition to tap, tilt, button press to wake the watch, you can now rotate the Crown to wake.

  • Touch

    • Optimizations have been added to improve sensitivity of touchscreen behavior.

  • Settings

    • Battery saver enable/disable single tap support in QSS has been fully enabled in this release.

  • Alarms

    • In the coming weeks, a fix will be rolled out via PlayStore to update the Clock app that addresses some alarms which have been having a delayed or false start. 
    • Ensure Auto-update apps is selected in Play Store > Settings on your watch and you will get this update once it's available when your watch is on charger and connected to Wi-Fi. 

  • Settings

    • Mono-audio which limits the disorientation of split-audio
    • New colour-correction and greyscale modes that better optimize the display for a wider range of vision preferences.

  • Fall Detection

    • Your Pixel Watch now has fall detection which can detect if you've taken a hard fall and connect you to emergency services. Once connected to emergency services, your Pixel Watch will play an automated message to request help to wherever you are.

Potentially, this update could be the last before Google presents a new version of Wear OS at I/O 2023 in May. Last month, 9to5Google discovered Wear OS references in Android 14 Developer Preview 1 (DP1), which it has now replaced with Developer Preview 2. As we discussed at the time, Android 14 DP1 implied that Google plans to overhaul Wear OS with its Material You design language, although this is already available in certain first-party apps. Please see Google's support document for more details.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2023 03 > Google Pixel Watch receives new features and improvements with latest software update
Alex Alderson, 2023-03-21 (Update: 2023-04-11)