Pixel Watch 2 and 3 might be losing a crucial safety feature
Google could be looking to strip a safety feature away from two of its older smartwatches.
Starting with the launch of the Pixel Watch 2 and continuing with the Pixel Watch 3 the following year, the Safety Signal feature has enabled those with LTE models to contact emergency services without a mobile data plan.
However, that handy provision looks set to be cut in the near future.
Mattias Inghe
Android Authority has been delving into the code for the new Google Pixel Watch app update (that’s 5.1.0.990450614, release number fans) and has spotted something interesting.
Tucked away in the code is an explicit reference to the suggestion that “Safety signal is going away”.
“This feature will no longer be available soon,” the text continues. “To learn how this affects your watch and find other ways to stay safe, read the full article”.
When and where will Safety Signal be cut?
As Google notes, those with a mobile data plan on their Pixel Watch don’t even require this Safety Signal feature, as it is already included.
Also, the feature has only ever been available in the US, Canada, the UK, and Germany. If you live elsewhere, you can safely click off this article.
Even so, the removal of such a potentially powerful and tightly integrated safety feature is undoubtedly a downgrade. Whether or not Google has plans to replace it with something similar remains to be seen.
There’s no indication of when this Safety Signal feature is being cut, but if the code’s already in the official app, then you can be assured that its days are numbered.
Chris Martin / Foundy
Google’s most recent smartwatch is the Google Pixel Watch 5, which we found to be “another stylish and feature-packed smartwatch” in our four-star review.
However, we did note that a lack of major upgrades meant that “it’s another 2026 device where you are probably better off getting the almost identical Pixel Watch 4 for a lot less.”
See how it compares to rivals in our full guide to the best smartwatches.
