Overview
- Researchers found code strings for a “Phone to Watch Unlock” feature in Google’s Connected Phone & Watch Services app, a discovery reported across multiple outlets on July 27.
- If implemented, the feature would reverse the existing flow so that unlocking a Pixel phone also unlocks its paired Pixel Watch, removing the need to type a PIN on the watch each time.
- App text in the teardown describes a one-time setup that requires entering the watch’s PIN or pattern on the phone and support for transferring the trusted relationship to a replacement Pixel Watch.
- The code suggests the function will be limited to Pixel phones and Pixel Watches through Google’s Connected Services, and it may show proactive prompts like “Automatically unlock your watch?” when available.
- Google has not announced a release date and outlets say the rollout is unconfirmed but could arrive soon, with speculation tying it to Android 17 feature drops or the Pixel Watch 5 event on August 12.