Google Pixel Watch 4 Brings Back Gesture Controls
▼ Summary
– The Pixel Watch 4 is receiving a software update that reintroduces hands-free navigation gestures, including a new double-pinch gesture similar to Apple Watch’s.
– The double-pinch gesture allows users to perform actions like answering calls or pausing timers by tapping their thumb and forefinger together.
– A quick wrist turn gesture, which previously scrolled lists, now dismisses on-screen items like notifications or incoming calls.
– The Pixel Watch 3 will not receive this gesture support update, despite having similar hardware capabilities like the chip and sensors.
– The key hardware difference is the Pixel Watch 4’s redesigned case enabling repairability, a feature absent from the Pixel Watch 3.
A significant software update is rolling out to the Google Pixel Watch 4, reintroducing a suite of hands-free gesture controls that had been absent from Google’s wearables for years. This move brings the smartwatch more in line with competitors, offering users new ways to interact without touching the screen. The update includes a familiar double-pinch gesture, similar to one popularized by the Apple Watch, allowing wearers to answer calls, pause timers, or dismiss alerts simply by tapping their thumb and forefinger together. The watch will even provide on-screen prompts to suggest when this gesture can be used effectively.
Beyond the pinch, the update revives another classic motion but with a new function. Where older Android Wear devices used a quick wrist turn to scroll, the new gesture system repurposes this movement to dismiss on-screen content. A simple flick of the wrist can now clear a notification or reject an incoming call, providing a quick and intuitive way to manage interruptions. This focus on convenient, glanceable interactions aims to make the wearable experience more fluid and less reliant on constant screen taps.
Notably, this gesture support appears to be exclusive to the latest model. Owners of the Pixel Watch 3 will not receive these new navigation features, a decision that has sparked some discussion given the hardware similarities between the two generations. Both watches utilize comparable Arm processors and identical orientation sensors, which are the core components required to detect these motions. The primary distinction with the Pixel Watch 4 is its redesigned case, engineered to support easier repairability, a feature not available on its predecessor. This suggests the gesture exclusion may be a strategic software differentiation rather than a hardware limitation, potentially encouraging upgrades to the newest model.
(Source: Ars Technica)
