What you need to know
- Google’s first Pixel Watch update of 2024 is starting to roll out to first and second-generation Pixel Watch users.
- There are no major features or changes included in the update, but it does bring new security patches.
- The update comes a week after Google issued its January 2024 update to Pixel phones.
Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 users are starting to get the January 2024 software update, but they won’t notice any major changes. The update’s release notes only mention security patches, and we won’t know what issues those patches fix for a while.
The update applies to all four Pixel Watch models: the Pixel Watch (GPS), Pixel Watch (GPS + LTE), Pixel Watch 2 (GPS), and Pixel Watch 2 (GPS + LTE). This is significant because only the Pixel Watch 2 (LTE) received the November update in 2023. All models got the December 2023 update, so the latest January 2024 push represents some stability in Pixel Watch monthly updates.
To check if your Pixel Watch has gotten the update, open the Settings app on your watch. Then, tap the System tab and go to the Software updates page. If your Pixel Watch has gotten the over-the-air update, it’ll begin downloading. Otherwise, you’ll see a Your watch is up to date page in the meantime.
We’ve got a full guide on installing Pixel Watch updates, but there’s a clever way to force the January 2024 update to download that you should know about. If you find yourself on the Your watch is up to date page, tapping the watch icon at the top of the screen will force the page to refresh. After that, the update will begin to download, provided it’s available.
Google is issuing the TWD9.240105.004.A1 software version for all four Pixel Watches, and the update is based on Wear OS 4. If you aren’t seeing the update on your Pixel Watch immediately, you can download and install the OTA images from Google Play Services.
The only significant additions coming with the January 2024 update for Pixel Watch devices are security fixes, and the details will be shared in a future Pixel Watch Security Bulletin. However, Google doesn’t announce these details immediately. This gives Pixel Watch users time to apply the security patches before the flaws are publicly announced.
Although the January 2024 update didn’t include any new features, the Pixel Watch just got a bunch of new ones — like Call Screen, Watch Unlock, and new faces — in the December 2023 Pixel Feature Drop.
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The Pixel Watch 2 may look identical to its predecessor, but thanks to a beefier chipset and other internal improvements, this Wear OS watch may be the perfect Fitbit smartwatch for anyone looking to get ahead of their fitness goals.
