These Google Pixel Watch 3’s health and wellness features could save your life

I’ve been excited about the Pixel Watch 3 since I saw it at the launch event a few weeks ago. Google’s latest smartwatch finally comes in a larger 45mm size, has a few nifty tricks when paired with a Pixel phone (like the Pixel 9 Pro XL), and is the culmination of a smart approach to health.

It also has health and wellness features that will help improve your life. I had a heart attack at the age of 33, and these features would have aided my recovery. One could have possibly saved my life and is great for those who live away from loved ones with chronic medical conditions. I talked to Google representatives at the launch of the Pixel Watch 3 and tried the watch myself. Here are the features that will improve lives and save others.

Loss of Pulse Detection

Save lives when the worst happens.

If you think someone has stopped breathing, what’s the first thing you do? Most people will check for a pulse, then react accordingly. Emotions can also slow reaction times, and trust me, when you’re having a medical emergency, every second counts.

The Pixel Watch 3 is the first smartwatch to feature loss-of-pulse detection. Essentially, this uses readings from the sensors on the Pixel Watch 3 to alert emergency services when it detects that you have stopped breathing. Rather than waiting for a human to notice, react, and act, the Pixel Watch 3’s Loss of Pulse Detection feature takes charge.

The Pixel Watch 3 is always checking for a heartbeat; when it detects that you’ve switched from a pulsatile to a non-pulsatile state — i.e., you’ve stopped breathing — it undertakes further checks to confirm it. These include maximizing the brightness of the sensors to get the best reading, then audibly prompting you to move. This process takes around one minute, and afterwards, the Pixel Watch 3 alerts emergency services and provides them with your location.

Crucially, it also works when you’re alone. This is an ideal way to ensure that loved ones who live alone still have medical help. Many smartwatches can detect a fall, but the Pixel Watch 3 can help even when the worst strikes and no one is nearby. This feature is a blessing if you have loved ones who live thousands of miles away.

Millions of people have heart attacks overnight and don’t get the help they need in time. If you have Sleep Apnea, sleeping can be dangerous; the same applies to people with cardiac conditions or undiagnosed heart problems. Thankfully, the Pixel Watch 3 can reassure you that help is always available.

I’m fortunate that I woke up while having my heart attack, but if I hadn’t, and this feature existed four years ago, it would have saved my life.

Morning Briefing and Cardio Load

A daily reminder to keep you on track

When you have diabetes, heart problems, or are predisposed to these conditions, staying active and keeping fit is incredibly important. It’s a large part of the recovery after a heart attack, and it’s one of the best ways of keeping blood sugar in check.

Morning Briefing and Cardio Load are delightful features that can significantly improve my life.

Many smartwatches offer basic heart rate tracking, and in some cases, go further with a numerical score that signifies your readiness for the day ahead. The Pixel Watch 3 offers this and many other wellness features that keep you on track.

The Morning Briefing is a multi-panel way to start your day. It gives you a quick peek at your calendar ahead, highlights how you slept, and displays your current Cardio Load and Target Load. Those two features are designed to provide some form of quantifiable way to track your load levels and ensure you’re not pushing too hard.

When you’re recovering from a heart attack, this is crucial. It’s easy to damage yourself by pushing too much or not pushing hard enough, and these two features will keep you on track. Cardio Load highlights your Cardio Load yesterday and recent trends, while Target Load provides a goal for the day ahead. Think of it as a readiness score, but it’s focused on your cardiovascular health.

New fitness features to help you get fit

Perfect if you want to be a better runner

The Pixel Watch 3 offers something for everyone, from saving lives and aiding recovery to helping you get fit. It’s taken a few years, but Google has finally fixed some of my key faults with Fitbit Premium and has launched several new features to help you get stronger, leaner, and faster.

The Pixel Watch 3 sees the launch of new tools to give you more data while you’re running. Google says the heart rate sensor is the most accurate yet, and even though the Pixel Watch has traditionally had a strong heart rate sensor, this year’s model has algorithms specially tuned for tracking your runs.

Some new capabilities include counting arm movements and tracking ground contact while running. The Fitbit app now offers more advanced insights into each run, including stride length, height of stride, step cadence, and more; you can set up daily routines and workouts in the app and get audio and haptic cues at each step. The Pixel Watch 3 also uses AI to provide daily running ideas based on your readiness and recent performance.

Beyond these health and wellness features, the Pixel Watch 3 offers cool features when paired with a Pixel phone like the Pixel 9 Pro, including controlling your phone’s camera, viewing and interacting with your Nest Cam feeds, or controlling your Google TV.

If you’re serious about your health and fitness, the Pixel Watch 3 offers useful and life-saving features. Its ability to potentially save my life has earned it a spot on my wrist.

Nirave is a creator, evangelist, and founder of House of Tech. A heart attack at 33 inspired him to publish the Impact of Tech newsletter, which covers the best technology and its impact on mental, physical, and emotional health. For more, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.