What you need to know
- Google today announced the December 2024 Pixel Feature Drop, and the Pixel Watch is getting a few key upgrades.
- Notably, the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 can now be used to peek into Nest doorbells and cameras with Live View.
- Loss of Pulse detection and Cardio/Target Load are coming to more devices and region for select Pixel Watch and Fitbit models.
If you own a Pixel Watch or Fitbit wearable, the holiday season's gifts just came early. Google today announced the December 2024 Pixel Feature Drop, which includes a few key upgrades for the company's wearables. Notably, Pixel Watch users in the Google smart home ecosystem are gaining a convenient Live View feature that will let them peek at their Nest cameras.
Android and Nest cameras are highly integrated, and that means you can view live previews of smart doorbells and cameras from your flagship Android phone. Now, similar functionality is coming to the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3. When users get a notification from a Nest Cam or Nest Doorbell, they can now see a live view from their wrist. Additionally, Pixel Watch wearers can talk with the person at their door directly in the Live View.
This functionality should make it easier to catch who's out your door before they walk away. If your hands are full, viewing the notification and opening up your Android phone can take too much time — that's where the Pixel Watch comes in handy with Live View. However, it's unfortunate that the original Pixel Watch does not support this new feature.
Live View is the only new feature coming to Google wearables as part of this month's feature drop. With that being said, a few crucial health and fitness tools are coming to more devices and regions. For example, Loss of Pulse detection — which can detect a cardiac event, such as a heart attack — is now available for the first time on Pixel Watch 3 in Germany and Portugal.
Cardio Load and Target Load, initially launched as Pixel Watch 3 exclusives, are now coming to most Google wearables. The feature is now available for Pixel Watch 1, Pixel Watch 2, Pixel Watch 3, Sense, Sense 2, Versa 2, Versa 3, Versa 4, Charge 5, Charge 6, Inspire 2, Inspire 3, and Luxe. Google says these tools will "help you know your body better and balance activity with recovery so you can optimize your workouts and rest to prevent overtraining."
While the December 2024 Pixel Feature Drop only brought one new feature, it's still a significant update. Fitbit and Pixel Watch owners will appreciate getting two former Pixel Watch 3 exclusives, and Live View will be a life-changer for people deep into the Google ecosystem.
