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ZDNET Highlights
- The Google Pixel Watch 4 is the most intelligent smartwatch available today.
- Some of these features are available for previous generation Pixel Watch models.
- Instead of accepting the default settings, find out what your watch can do for you.
I spend a lot of time testing smartwatches and trying out the latest and greatest features and functions. The Pixel Watch didn’t appeal to me beyond the testing period until Google launched a larger model.
With this year’s Pixel Watch 4 supporting longer battery life, Satellite SOS connectivity, and the new Fitbit Premium AI Coach, I’m ready to commit to a watch for the long term.
Also: I found a smartwatch that’s just as reliable as my Garmin (but much cheaper)
After a few weeks of using the watch, exploring default apps, settings, and other functions, I believe there are several features everyone should be aware of to enjoy the optimal Pixel Watch 4 experience.
Let’s take a closer look at some worthy features – and if you have other features to add to the list, please share them here for our enjoyment.
1. Generative AI in Messages
Despite my long history of using mobile technology, I have been slow to adopt AI because I have been too busy fully investigating its usefulness and potential to help improve my efficiency. I also like to create original content and rely on my experiences.
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However, there is one amazing feature that I use all the time on the Pixel Watch 4 – Generative AI responses in Google Messages. LLM-powered messages are created on the device, so they appear immediately and can be sent immediately.
When a message notification appears on your Pixel Watch, swipe up on the notification to see the reply option. You will then see some smart reply options. You can tap on one to send a reply. So far, I’ve found replies to be more useful than generic smart replies, like yes, no, I can’t answer, call you later, and others.
2. Customize Notifications
Speaking of notifications, smartwatches are excellent for helping you organize your communications. However, let’s say that every application on your smartphone has notifications sent to your watch. In that case, you may spend a lot of time interacting with your watch, reducing battery life for more important tasks.
Also: One of the lowest-rated smartwatches I tested hits a record 55 hours of battery life
Unfortunately, all notifications are enabled by default after you set up your Pixel Watch. Make sure you go to the Watch smartphone application and then manually select the notifications you want in the app settings.
3. Keep an eye on faces and complications
One of the first things I do with every smartwatch is customize and optimize the watch faces and complications to give me the best user experience. Google’s Pixel Watch 4 has some of the best looking and best animated watch faces available on any smartwatch.
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The sleek animations of the Concentric watch face, combined with its half-dial layout, have made it my current default watch face. The larger domed display of the Pixel Watch 4 makes the experience even better.
I highly recommend tapping the edit option in the watch face selector to choose your favorite watch face color, select a great layout, and choose the complications that provide the information you need. Complications are available for default Google apps and third-party apps. On my Pixel Watch 4, there are currently over 60 complications to choose from, which is a much larger number than most other smartwatches.
4. Content Expressive Tiles
In addition to watch faces, tiles are a key component of the Pixel Watch experience. Swiping left or right from the watch face takes you to all the tiles you’ve selected to appear on your watch.
With the Pixel Watch 4 — and the latest version of Wear OS, Material 3 with its expressive appearance — Tiles are more capable and beautiful. Some tiles now have multiple panels with important information on the tile itself, making them more useful and informative even without having to tap on the tile’s details. Actions, like creating notes, making lists, recording voice notes, setting alarms, and more, are front and center in the tile.
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With the apps I have loaded, there are 39 tile options on my Pixel Watch 4. Unlike previous Pixel Watch models, there’s no limit to the number of tiles you can have. However, keep in mind that you’ll have to swipe left and right from the watch face to see the tiles.
5. Press the Digital Crown twice
The rotating Digital Crown on the Pixel Watch 4 is extremely useful for scrolling through lists and making selections, but the double-press action has become one of my most-used actions for a number of reasons.
I enjoy Starbucks drinks, especially during the fall, with cool mornings that make me want to grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte. I’m disappointed that there isn’t a Starbucks app for WearOS. However, you can easily add your Starbucks card to Google Wallet, making it a quick way to pay for your coffee with a double press of the crown button.
Similarly, the Orca Transit card used in Puget Sound doesn’t work with Apple Pay, but it can be added to Google Wallet, allowing you to quickly and easily pay for your bus, train or ferry ride with your Pixel Watch 4. The wallet currently supports payment cards, transit passes, loyalty cards, gift cards, and even your driver’s license in 10 states.
6. Turn your Pixel phone into a bike computer
The Pixel Watch 4 has dual-band, multi-frequency GPS and an accurate heart rate sensor, making it a capable fitness tracker. Riding a bike while looking at your wrist isn’t the safest way to do it, but Google tackled that problem with the Pixel Watch 4.
Start a Bike activity on your Pixel Watch and then tap to share the measurement with your phone. Key metrics will appear in larger font on your Pixel phone, so you don’t need to look at your watch anymore if you’ve got it securely mounted on your handlebar.
One area Google needs to focus on is adding mapping output to Pixel phones, so you can navigate safely on your travels, not just track your health metrics.
7. Torch
Regular readers know I love using watches with LED flashlights. While the Pixel Watch 4 doesn’t have this hardware element, a simple swipe down from the top of the watch face provides access to a flashlight button that launches a white watch face for a significantly brighter AMOLED experience.
I personally use a red light at night to maintain my night vision and avoid waking my wife. Once you launch the flashlight, quickly tap the display to turn the screen red. Tap once more to turn off the lights. I would like to see an available setting to choose the color you want as the default, and also a setting to increase the brightness when you need more light.
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There are several other advanced features and settings to look at on the Pixel Watch 4. As I posted earlier, the Pixel Watch 4 offers the best security features of any other smartwatch, so take advantage of them. My ZDNET colleague, Nina Raymont, also mentioned new Fitbit Premium AI-coaching functions coming soon. I can’t wait for the watch to help motivate me to train and provide practical guidance and coaching.
