Google’s rolling out a mini drop that brings two new features to the tech giant’s latest Pixel Watch 4 and one new feature to last year’s Pixel Watch 3.

pixel-watch-4-pocket

A significant software update is not just bringing smarter ‘Smart Replies’ to both the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Watch 4, it’s also bringing new one-handed gestures to the latest Pixel wearable.

Double Pinch

A person’s wrist wearing a Google Pixel Watch 4, with a large green gear shape behind it and smaller gear icons floating around.

Google wants all Pixel Watch 4 users to be able to take quick actions like answering/ending calls, pausing timers, snoozing alarms, and more with a simple pinching gesture.

If this sounds similar to functionality offered by Apple and Samsung, that’s because it is. “If your hands are full wrapping gifts, a double pinch of your fingers can answer an incoming call,” wrote the tech giant, adding that it will soon begin offering helpful context hints right on the Pixel Watch 4’s screen to inform users when to use the feature.

Wrist Turn

Similar to double pinch, Pixel Watch 4 users are also gaining a wrist turn gesture that can quickly dismiss incoming calls, turn off alarms, or timers, silence notifications, and more. Think of it as a way to quickly flick a notification away to discreetly dismiss it.

Smarter ‘Smart replies’

Side view of a smartwatch with the Wear OS logo above it, surrounded by circular icons representing different features

Although the new Double Pinch and Wrist Turn gestures are exclusive to the Pixel Watch 4, enhanced Smart Replies are coming to both the Pixel Watch 3 and Watch 4. It’s worth noting that Smart Replies isn’t a new feature. Google is simply enhancing the feature’s quality.

The two wearables, leveraging an on-watch AI model that’s reportedly “twice as fast and uses half the battery to ensure you stay connected” (when compared to its predecessor), will now deliver a noticeable bump in reply suggestion quality. “In a blind study, 97% of users found the quality equal to or better than before,” wrote the tech giant.

Smarter smart replies and the two new gestures are rolling out now and should be widely available in the coming days!


  • Google Pixel Watch 3 on a white background

    Source: Google


    Google Pixel Watch 3

    Case Material

    Aluminum

    Case size

    41mm; 45mm

    CPU

    Qualcomm Snapdragon W5 with Cortex M33 co-processor

    RAM

    2GB

    Storage

    32GB

    Battery

    306mAh (41mm); 420mAh (45mm)

    The Pixel Watch 3 is bigger, brighter, smarter, and more full-featured.



    $350 at Best Buy
    $350 at Google Store


  • Pixel Watch 4-1

    Google Pixel Watch 4

    Case Material

    Aluminum

    Case size

    41mm / 45mm

    Display

    AMOLED

    CPU

    Snapdragon W5 Gen 2

    RAM

    2GB

    Storage

    32GB

    The newest Pixel Watch sports an eye-catching new look, up to 40 hours of battery life, and 6 months of Fitbit Premium for free.



    $350 at Amazon
    $350 at Best Buy