Pixel Watch 5 gets its first major upgrade since launch You Should Know
Google’s latest flagship smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 5, went on sale 20 August, missing some key new features. Fortunately, it hasn’t been too long to wait for them to arrive, as the firm has now announced.
Blood pressure trends along with insulin resistance trends are “rolling out to Pixel Watch this week”. They are part of the Health Guardian suite of features which includes Breathing Emergency Detection – available on Pixel Watch 5 and 4 in select European markets.
Google said users will start seeing the new blood pressure and insulin metrics populate starting today, with the first trend reports available in early October after enough data has been gathered and analysed.
Blood pressure trends
Google says six in 10 people don’t notice a rise in blood pressure, but it can lead to poor heart and kidney health. While the Pixel Watch can’t take a proper pressure reading like the Huawei Watch D3, it uses your pulse and motion patterns to estimate.
“This helps you spot persistent higher cardiovascular trends early so you can make lifestyle changes, confirm patterns with a home blood pressure monitor, or consult a healthcare professional.”
Chris Martin / Foundy
Insulin resistance trends
While it doesn’t require a drop of blood, diabetics shouldn’t get too excited as this feature can’t measure blood sugar levels.
Instead, it “analyzes multi-week physiological data to track shifts in your metabolic health” in order to work out how well you absorb energy from food. Shifts that happen quietly over time can have a negative effect on your health, so spotting them early can be key, allowing you to take action to avoid it getting worse.
Other Pixel Watches and Fitbit Air included
You might be surprised to hear that Google hasn’t kept these new Health Guardian features exclusive to the Pixel Watch 5.
Chris Martin / Foundy
In fact, it’s quite the opposite and anyone with the Pixel Watch 3 or Pixel Watch 4 will also get them for free.
The recently launched Fitbit Air is also on the eligible list, but you’ll have to be a paid Google Health Premium subscriber to access them.
