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Google began rolling out its June 2024 Pixel Watch update on June 11, 2024. The phased release targeted supported first-generation Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 devices running Wear OS 4, with global build TWD9.240605.001.A1.
This was more than a security patch: it improved wrist detection for tattooed users, enhanced bicycle-fall detection, and added Car Crash Detection to the Pixel Watch 2. It is now a historical release rather than the current Pixel Watch software version.
Which watches received the June 2024 update?
Google listed both the original Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 among the supported devices, provided they were running Wear OS 4. The update was not exclusive to the second-generation watch, although Car Crash Detection was specifically introduced for Pixel Watch 2.
The global build was TWD9.240605.001.A1. Some reports omit the “.A1” suffix, but Google’s support announcement used the complete designation. The rollout began on June 11 and continued in phases over approximately the following week, so availability varied by device, carrier and region.
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- The Pixel Watch 2 comes with three new advanced sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management[1,2]; 100% recycled light aluminum housing makes it comfortable to wear[3]
- The all-new heart rate sensor and Google AI combine for Fitbit’s most spot-on heart rate tracking yet[4], so you can get more precise health and fitness info[5]
- Go even longer with the enhanced 24-hour battery and always-on display[6,7]; charge for 75 minutes to get a full day of battery life[8]
- Identify potential signs of stress with Fitbit’s body-response feature, so you can manage it in the moment[5]; and track variations in your skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep to help you spot possible changes[5,9,10]
- Get help with Emergency SOS and Fall Detection if you’re feeling unsafe or if you’ve had a hard fall[11,12]; and Safety Check alerts your close contacts if you don’t respond to a set check-in timer[13]
Google’s rollout announcement contains the original build and eligibility details.
What changed?
- Improved on-wrist and off-wrist detection: Google improved detection reliability, particularly for people with wrist tattoos.
- Car Crash Detection on Pixel Watch 2: The second-generation watch gained the feature through the updated Personal Safety app.
- Better bicycle-fall detection: The fall-detection algorithm was updated to better recognize falls from bicycles on both supported Pixel Watch generations.
- Security, bug and performance fixes: The release included the June 2024 security maintenance updates, along with general improvements.
It was not a full Wear OS version upgrade. The release combined firmware, security and feature changes, while some related Pixel Feature Drop functions depended on separate app or service updates.
Car Crash Detection on Pixel Watch 2
When the watch detects a potentially severe crash, Car Crash Detection can check whether the wearer is responsive and, if necessary, help call emergency services. Google also described integration with Emergency Sharing, allowing emergency contacts to receive the wearer’s location in supported circumstances. Details appear in Google’s June 2024 Pixel Feature Drop announcement.
This is a safety aid, not a guaranteed emergency-communications system. It may fail to detect a crash, can be triggered by high-impact activities, and depends on factors including connectivity, location services, supported countries and languages, and emergency-service availability.
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- The Pixel Watch 2 comes with three new advanced sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management[1,2]; 100% recycled light aluminum housing makes it comfortable to wear[3]
- The all-new heart rate sensor and Google AI combine for Fitbit’s most spot-on heart rate tracking yet[4], so you can get more precise health and fitness info[5]
- Go even longer with the enhanced 24-hour battery and always-on display[6,7]; charge for 75 minutes to get a full day of battery life[8]
- Identify potential signs of stress with Fitbit’s body-response feature, so you can manage it in the moment[5]; and track variations in your skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep to help you spot possible changes[5,9,10]
- Get help with Emergency SOS and Fall Detection if you’re feeling unsafe or if you’ve had a hard fall[11,12]; and Safety Check alerts your close contacts if you don’t respond to a set check-in timer[13]
An LTE watch can provide more independence when a paired phone is not nearby, but LTE coverage and service conditions still matter. A non-LTE watch will generally need its paired phone nearby to call emergency services. Emergency Sharing also depends on an internet connection or cellular connectivity and regional support.
Fall Detection has similar limitations: it may miss some falls or produce false positives. Do not rely on either feature as a substitute for contacting emergency services directly when you can do so.
PayPal and Google Home were related feature-drop additions
Google’s June announcement also covered PayPal support in Google Wallet and an improved Google Home experience on Wear OS. These should not be treated as firmware-only features delivered identically to every watch.
PayPal in Google Wallet
PayPal required a PayPal account and was limited to the United States and Germany at the time of Google’s announcement. Availability depended on the Wallet app, account region and Google’s service rollout, not just the watch’s system image.
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- The Pixel Watch 2 comes with three new advanced sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management[1,2]; 100% recycled light aluminum housing makes it comfortable to wear[3]
- The all-new heart rate sensor and Google AI combine for Fitbit’s most spot-on heart rate tracking yet[4], so you can get more precise health and fitness info[5]
- Go even longer with the enhanced 24-hour battery and always-on display[6,7]; charge for 75 minutes to get a full day of battery life[8]
- Identify potential signs of stress with Fitbit’s body-response feature, so you can manage it in the moment[5]; and track variations in your skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep to help you spot possible changes[5,9,10]
- Get help with Emergency SOS and Fall Detection if you’re feeling unsafe or if you’ve had a hard fall[11,12]; and Safety Check alerts your close contacts if you don’t respond to a set check-in timer[13]
Google Home
The enhanced Google Home experience required Wear OS 3 or newer, a Google Account, the latest Google Home app on both the watch and phone, working internet and Wi-Fi, and compatible smart-home devices. Individual features could therefore appear at different times on different watches or in different regions.
How to install the update
On the watch:
- Swipe down from the watch face.
- Tap Settings.
- Tap System.
- Tap System updates.
- Allow the watch to check for the update.
- Install it and wait for the watch to reboot.
Google recommends placing the watch on its charger, charging it to at least 50%, and connecting it to Wi-Fi. The watch cannot be used during installation, which typically takes less than an hour.
Afterward, verify the build at Settings → System → About → Versions → Build number. The expected global build is TWD9.240605.001.A1. See Google’s Pixel Watch update instructions for the official procedure.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If the update does not appear
A missing notification did not necessarily mean the watch was incompatible. Google used a phased rollout, and carrier or device differences could delay the OTA.
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- The Pixel Watch 2 comes with three new advanced sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management[1,2]; 100% recycled light aluminum housing makes it comfortable to wear[3]
- The all-new heart rate sensor and Google AI combine for Fitbit’s most spot-on heart rate tracking yet[4], so you can get more precise health and fitness info[5]
- Go even longer with the enhanced 24-hour battery and always-on display[6,7]; charge for 75 minutes to get a full day of battery life[8]
- Identify potential signs of stress with Fitbit’s body-response feature, so you can manage it in the moment[5]; and track variations in your skin temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep to help you spot possible changes[5,9,10]
- Get help with Emergency SOS and Fall Detection if you’re feeling unsafe or if you’ve had a hard fall[11,12]; and Safety Check alerts your close contacts if you don’t respond to a set check-in timer[13]
- Put the watch on its charger.
- Connect it to Wi-Fi.
- Confirm that it has more than 50% battery.
- Check Settings → System → System updates again.
- Update the Google Pixel Watch app on the paired phone.
- Update Personal Safety, Google Wallet and Google Home where relevant.
Repeatedly checking the update screen was reported by some users as a way to trigger a pending OTA, but it was not an official guaranteed sideload method.
If installation fails
Google’s recommended recovery sequence is:
- Press and hold the crown and side button for about 20 seconds.
- Wait for the watch to reboot fully.
- Open Settings → Connectivity → Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth off.
- Open Settings → Connectivity → Wi-Fi and turn Wi-Fi on.
- Return to Settings → System → System updates and try again.
This is not a guarantee of success, but it should be attempted before considering a factory reset. Resetting can cause data loss and require the watch to be paired again.
What about battery drain and reboots?
Some users reported increased battery drain or reboot problems after installing the update. Those community reports do not establish that the June release caused the issues, and Google’s official changelog did not confirm widespread battery problems.
If a watch behaves unusually, reboot it, install pending watch-app updates, check its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, and monitor it after normal use. Contact Google support if the problem continues. A factory reset should generally be a later troubleshooting step, not the first response.
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For owners who had the OTA pending in June 2024, the update was significant because it combined security maintenance with practical detection improvements and, on Pixel Watch 2, Car Crash Detection. The main trade-offs were the installation downtime, phased availability, separate app requirements and the limitations that apply to all automated safety features.
The release should be understood as a June 2024 update, not as the current software release for Pixel Watch devices. Exact feature availability has always depended on the watch model, Wear OS version, region, connectivity, account and installed app versions.
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