Google has apparently been working on a proximity-based unlock system for Android that would let a Wear OS watch open a paired phone without needing a PIN or biometric scan. Now, new findings not only confirm the feature’s development but also shed light on how it’s expected to function in real use.
Google’s Identity Check, available on Android 15 and newer, helps secure your phone against theft when you’re away from trusted locations. Now, Google appears to be enhancing it by letting your smartwatch step in to help confirm your identity.
Mishaal Rahman, writing for Android Authority, has spotted new code in the Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1 that points to an upcoming promo card in Settings > Security & privacy. The text explains how Identity Check could work with a Pixel Watch to boost security while maintaining convenience and flexibility for users.
Additional details reveal that when a Pixel Watch is nearby and connected, it can handle identity protection for any supported app that uses biometrics. This means security won’t be limited to trusted locations, so you’ll stay protected anywhere, as long as your watch is within range.
A smarter kind of security
Credit: Source: Android Authority
The findings highlight two major updates to Identity Check, with smartwatch support front and center. Once a Pixel Watch is paired with your Android phone, you’ll be able to confirm sensitive actions or access locked apps using biometrics or a PIN, pattern, or password even if you’re far from a trusted location. The logic is straightforward: swiping both your phone and the watch on your wrist is unlikely. Your watch’s proximity signals the device is still in your possession, enabling a more flexible yet secure authentication process wherever you are.
Another change expands Identity Check’s reach. It will require biometric authentication for every app that uses the biometric prompt API, dropping the option to fall back on your screen lock PIN or password.
The feature has surfaced in Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1, but Google hasn’t confirmed a release date. It’s likely to go live alongside the stable Android 16 QPR2 update later this year, as per Rahman Still, support won’t be universal, as code references in the “IdentityCheckCaimito” overlay hint that only the Pixel Watch 3 and newer models will get the functionality.
