Ever wanted to leave your phone at home when you head out on a run? You can — and there are plenty of things your Google Pixel Watch can do offline, even when your phone is left behind. From navigation to safety, there are several features that will still work on your smartwatch, without relying on your mobile. Here are a few things you may not know your Pixel Watch can do all on its own.
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- Heart Rate Monitor
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- Color Screen
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Never get lost again with offline maps
Whether you’ve got your phone or not
Perfect for when you’re planning a run or heading on a drive to a new area, the Pixel Watch can download maps and navigation assistance that can be used offline, so you never have to take a wrong turn again.
This is a super handy feature for those who enjoy outdoor exercise and adventures that some users report they use “extensively”. The offline mapping feature, which some users may not have known they could do, is designed to work when your phone isn’t nearby or for areas with little to no signal. This makes it ideal if you regularly go for runs and don’t fancy taking your phone with you, or for traveling in areas where you may not have cell reception.
It’s worth noting you’ll need Wi-Fi to set this up, so you will have to make sure you download the maps and directions you need before you leave the house. Downloading Maps has to be done from your phone, but you can manually sync them to your Pixel Watch by opening Google Maps and scrolling down to “Offline Maps.”
In case of emergency…
Your watch can call for help when you can’t
Much like with Samsung Galaxy Watches, the Google Pixel Watch also comes with a crucial feature that doesn’t just save you from getting lost – it could save your life. It’s become the standard for popular smartwatch brands to incorporate emergency safeguards like fall detection, crash detection, etc., which could come in clutch for users with health conditions or who are often doing outdoor activities (i.e., climbing, hiking).
Both Samsung and Apple watches come equipped with fall detection and crash detection as well, but both the Pixel Watch 3 and 4 come with a Loss of Pulse Detection safety setting, which you can enable in the Personal Safety settings.
You can also set up the SOS feature to call an emergency contact (and/or emergency services), even if you don’t have a signal. Using satellite SOS or Safety Signal means you don’t have to have an active cell phone nearby to contact help. This could be especially useful for those who travel frequently or partake in outdoor activities that could put them in danger. You can also still use Find My Phone from your watch, without the need for Wi-Fi.
Count every single step
It isn’t just maps that your watch can store
Much like Garmin watches, Google Pixel Watches are excellent for tracking all aspects of your fitness. Whether you’re counting steps, monitoring sleep, or checking your heart rate, your watch can do it every minute of every day — even when it’s offline.
Your Pixel Watch comes armed with a built-in standalone GPS, which can accurately track distance, pace, and location even when you’re not in range of a mobile. So anytime you forget your phone at home or don’t fancy taking it with you, know that your workout isn’t for nothing. Once your watch reconnects to your phone’s network, all the data will download and be stored as normal.
Beyond that, you can initiate and record exercises offline and still accumulate data. All the metrics your watch natively tracks can be synced with the Google Health apps (formerly Fitbit) when you’re next in range of Wi-Fi or connected to your mobile. Plus, your heart rate, general activity levels, sleep data, and more will also be compiled, even when your watch isn’t connected to Wi-Fi or your phone.
And a bit extra
Say goodbye to the silence
Other handy features your watch can do when your phone isn’t nearby include contactless payments and all of your average utilities (timers, alarms, reminders etc.). But that’s not all — you can also enjoy offline playback of all your favorite tracks with Spotify and YouTube Music.
You can download your go-to work-out playlists straight to your smartwatch, and listen to them without needing your phone in your pocket. Perfect if you like listening to a podcast on your daily commute or love jamming out to upbeat songs on your morning run, your watch can store all of your audio preferences without needing Wi-Fi or signal.
Is there anything your smartwatch can’t do?
Put plainly, the capabilities of your watch, even when you’re not near your phone, are huge. The only things you can’t do without a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection to your smartphone are make calls and receive texts. You can still compile all the fitness data you could possibly want, track your jogging routes, monitor your sleep schedule, get directions from Google Maps, listen to music, and contact emergency services if you have an accident. Is there anything else you could possibly want from your smartwatch? Personally, I think not.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
