Google may bring a new 'forgotten device' feature to its Pixel Watch ecosystem in its quiet quest to catch up with Apple

• Your phone may soon alert you if you've left your Google Pixel Watch behind, according to an Android Authority teardown
• This mirrors another rumored feature, which would have your Pixel Watch alert you in the opposite scenario
• Apple has provided this sort of feature for years, but Google is quietly catching up

I liked the Google Pixel Watch 4 when I reviewed it. It's got a lovely design and some innovative features in addition to the usual smartwatch stuff, like replaceable batteries, a domed display and satellite connectivity.

However, it's lacking in a few features that the best Apple Watches and best Samsung watches already have, with 'forgotten device' notifications being one of them.

These notifications alert your device if it's been separated from another device in its ecosystem. For example, if you leave your phone behind in a restaurant, your smartwatch will alert you when the connection is lost, and vice versa. Currently, the Pixel Watch doesn't do this, but Android Authority has spotted lines of code in its companion app that indicates such a feature could be on the way.

The code found stipulates that your phone will alert you if your Pixel Watch is left behind, although a separate teardown last June, again by Android Authority, indicated that this also worked in the reverse scenario.

It looks like only certain models of Pixel Watch will be compatible with this feature, and both devices require Bluetooth turned on for it to work. The feature would also automatically lock the left-behind device, a useful addition to prevent security breaches.

Right now, it's unclear when the feature will make its way to Pixel Watch owners. However, considering that this appears to have been in the works for a few months now, there's every chance we'll have to wait for a Google Pixel Watch 5 to see it, with the feature advertised as an incentive to upgrade.

Google's quietly catching up to Apple

Useful additions like 'left behind' notifications, and other background features that make smartwatches eminently usable, are exactly what Google needs in order to tempt people over to the Android ecosystem.

While much of Google's noise is around Gemini these days, it seems its smartwatch has been all but forgotten. That's a shame, because Google's flagship smartwatch has slowly getting better every year, and it's now at the point where I'd genuinely recommend most Android users get a Pixel Watch to meet their smartwatch needs.

They offer different sizes, longer battery life, great fitness features via Fitbit, some fun design choices, repairability – and add on an ecosystem that works just as well as Apple's, and the Pixel Watch is a true Apple Watch rival in terms of quality.

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