The Google Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3 come with a handy Safety Signal feature. It allows the watches to use safety features in an emergency, even without an active carrier plan or a connection to your phone. And it works completely free. However, Google is apparently preparing to drop it altogether from its older Pixel Watches.
Code strings spotted in the latest Pixel Watch app update by Android Authority point to Safety Signal being phased out soon.
The strings include “Safety signal is going away” and “This feature will no longer be available soon. To learn how this affects your watch and find other ways to stay safe, read the full article.” Together, they suggest Google is preparing to discontinue the service for good.
Google has not yet officially announced when it will shut down Safety Signal and whether it will offer a replacement. Since, for now, the warning comes from an app teardown, the timing and final implementation remain unknown. You probably still have a few weeks or months to enjoy Safety Signal before it is completely phased out.
Your phone-free safety net could disappear
Safety Signal was initially available as part of Fitbit Premium before being integrated into the Google Health Premium subscription. It is only available on the LTE variants of the Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3. It allows the watches to provide emergency safety features like emergency sharing, emergency SOS, and fall detection, even without an active carrier plan.
Essentially, this means you can leave your phone behind and still access supported safety features on your Pixel Watch, even without an active carrier plan.
It’s a useful feature, especially since it’s available for free to Pixel Watch users in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany. But now, Google seems to be getting ready to kill this option for good.
On newer Pixel Watch models, Google replaced Safety Signal with satellite SOS connectivity.
If you’ve relied on Safety Signal in the past, now is the time to consider alternatives. If you don’t currently have an active carrier plan on your Pixel Watch, you may need to activate one to keep using its safety features when your phone isn’t connected.
