The Emergency SOS feature on the Pixel Watch 3 works to connect users with emergency services or contacts even without a charged or nearby phone through a combination of LTE connectivity, built-in safety features, and optional services like Safety Signal.
On the Pixel Watch 3 LTE model, the watch itself has a cellular connection independent of the phone, which allows it to place calls or send messages to emergency services without relying on a paired or charged phone nearby. This LTE connection must be active for Emergency SOS to work fully when the phone is unavailable. When the watch has an active LTE connection, it can call emergency services directly and share location data, utilizing Emergency Location Service (ELS) automatically to help responders locate the watch wearer accurately.
If the user does not have an LTE connection or Safety Signal enabled, and the watch is Wi-Fi only or lacks service, Emergency SOS functionality is limited and depends on the presence of the phone nearby connected by Bluetooth to place calls or send messages to emergency services.
Safety Signal is a feature that Google offers as part of Fitbit Premium with Pixel Watch 2 and Pixel Watch 3, allowing phone-free connectivity via certain data channels in supported regions. This can extend Emergency SOS capabilities beyond LTE and Bluetooth reliance, enabling users to trigger emergency calls or notifications without the phone present, even in situations where cellular connectivity is otherwise unavailable on the watch itself.
To initiate Emergency SOS on the Pixel Watch 3, the user can press the watch crown five consecutive times. This brings up an Emergency SOS screen where the user must touch and hold the screen for three seconds to place the call to emergency services or emergency contacts. This two-step trigger helps prevent accidental calls. Users can also set Emergency SOS to trigger calls automatically after a five-second countdown following the crown press sequence.
Once the Emergency SOS call is initiated, the watch shares the user's location with emergency responders through Emergency Location Service, which is enabled by default on Pixel Watch LTE models. The watch vibrates and emits an alert to notify the user that help is being contacted, but if the user is unable to cancel or respond, the device continues the call and location sharing autonomously.
The Pixel Watch 3 Emergency SOS feature also allows adding multiple emergency contacts to be called or messaged in an emergency. If the watch detects certain emergencies like a fall or loss of pulseâfeatures available on Pixel Watch 3âit may automatically trigger Emergency SOS protocols, sending alerts and location details to emergency contacts even without a phone.
To summarize:
- Emergency SOS on Pixel Watch 3 LTE works independently of the phone because of the watch's own cellular LTE connection, allowing calls and location sharing even when the phone is off or not nearby.
- On Wi-Fi-only or non-LTE models, Emergency SOS requires the phone to be nearby and paired via Bluetooth to place emergency calls.
- Safety Signal extends emergency connectivity without needing a phone or LTE by providing alternative data pathways for emergency alerts.
- Emergency SOS activation requires pressing the crown five times and holding the screen for three seconds (or can be set to call automatically after a countdown), reducing accidental activation.
- The watch uses Emergency Location Service to send GPS location to emergency responders during calls.
- Emergency contacts can be pre-set on the watch to receive emergency alerts and location in crisis situations.
- Additional safety features on Pixel Watch 3, like Loss of Pulse Detection, integrate with Emergency SOS to automate emergency notifications when a serious health event is detected.
This combination of LTE cellular connection, emergency location sharing, Safety Signal data service, and multi-step activation enables Google Pixel Watch 3 to provide Emergency SOS functionality effectively without a charged or connected phone nearby in many scenarios. This helps ensure users can quickly get help even when their phone is off, out of battery, or not in immediate proximity.