Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Wearables
  3. Mobile
  4. News

Have a Pixel Watch? You need to stop using one of its most important features

Add as a preferred source on Google

The Pixel Watch is a relatively solid smartwatch, albeit a little pricey. Still, several user reports are claiming that there’s a major issue with one of its most important features: the alarm.

According to several posts by Pixel Watch owners on the subreddit r/PixelWatch, the alarm app is malfunctioning in several different ways — ranging from alarms going off at unscheduled times to the alarm not sounding at all.

The Google Pixel Watch's Pilot Bold watch face.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

For obvious reasons, an issue like this is a pretty big deal since missing your alarm can be problematic for all sorts of reasons, and it’s not helpful to have alarms randomly going off when they’re not scheduled. What’s more, many of the posts and comments are reporting that these issues aren’t one-off problems, but reoccurring bugs that have affected their Pixel Watch multiple times.

Recommended Videos

Currently, there’s no official word from Google addressing the issue or giving a timeline for a potential fix. There also doesn’t seem to be any unofficial fixes being shared either. The best advice for anyone having problems with their alarm app would be to restart their device. However, there’s not much to suggest that a quick restart will totally fix the problem.

It doesn’t seem like all Pixel Watches are affected, but as mentioned above, those who have experienced a problem with their alarm app seem to be experiencing issues on multiple occasions. If you’re a Pixel Watch owner, it might be a good idea to stop using it as your primary alarm until the issue is addressed and resolved since the watch may be sounding off late or not at all.

If you’re waiting on the fix, make sure to have auto-updates turned on for your Pixel Watch so that you can get the patch as soon as it’s pushed — that is, assuming an update is coming at all. Since the Pixel Watch is so new (not to mention Google’s first smartwatch), issues like this aren’t totally surprising. Hopefully, the alarm issue is fixed soon. Google sometimes lets issues with its hardware go unaddressed for extended periods of time, but because the Pixel Watch is still in its infancy, we have our fingers crossed this is something that’s tackled sooner rather than later.

Peter Hunt Szpytek
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
This smart ring makes a blood pressure promise Apple and Oura still won’t
The $399 Signal Ring provides actual systolic and diastolic readings, but it’s launching as a wellness device without FDA clearance
Oura Ring 4, Galaxy Ring and RingConn Gen 2 in the palm of a hand

Vital Signals has unveiled a $399 smart ring that goes further than Apple and Oura currently dare. The Signal Ring displays numerical blood pressure readings without requiring an arm cuff for initial or recurring calibration.

Bloomberg reports that preorders open July 16, with shipping scheduled to begin in October. The ring can collect readings during the day and overnight, then display the results through an iOS or Android app.

Read more
HTC’s smart glasses are apparently coming to the US, but HTC hasn’t said so
Amazon briefly listed the VIVE Eagle for a September 1 launch, while HTC still says the $499 glasses are only available in Taiwan
A woman wearing the HTC Vive Eagle smart glasses

HTC’s VIVE Eagle smart glasses could finally be heading to the US. Apparently, Amazon got the memo before HTC was ready to share it.

Notebookcheck spotted six versions available for preorder at $499, each carrying a September 1 release date. Amazon has since pulled the pages, so new orders are closed and anyone who already placed one is left wondering whether it still counts.

Read more
Don’t expect smartwatches and fitness bands with replaceable batteries anytime soon
Turns out even the EU thinks your smartwatch is too small for a battery swap.
Wristwatch, Arm, Body Part

The EU has a habit of pushing tech companies to adopt meaningful changes in their product. It's the reason your iPhone finally has a USB-C port, and it's also why companies now have to offer spare parts and repair support for electronics for several years after launch. So naturally, many of us assumed wearables were next in line for mandatory swappable batteries. Turns out, the EU just went the other way.

So what did the EU announce?

Read more