Google could flip Watch Unlock around with a new Pixel feature - Android Authority

What the report says

Android Authority reported on July 27, 2026, that Google appears to be developing a Pixel feature called “Phone to Watch Unlock,” based on code found in the company’s Connected Phone & Watch services app. The feature would work as a reverse version of the existing Watch Unlock capability: instead of a Pixel Watch helping unlock a phone, an authenticated Pixel phone could automatically unlock a paired Pixel Watch.

The article, citing findings from an app teardown, said the discovered strings refer to prompts such as unlocking a watch with a phone, skipping a PIN or pattern, and status messages indicating the watch is being unlocked. Other strings suggest users would need to complete an initial setup by entering the current PIN or pattern on the watch before enabling the phone-based unlock option.

Android Authority said the feature appears tied to Google’s Connected Phone & Watch services app, which supports Pixel-specific watch and phone features such as left-behind alerts. On that basis, the outlet assessed that Phone to Watch Unlock is more likely to be limited to Pixel phones and Pixel Watches than released as a general Wear OS feature.

The feature is not currently available, and the report does not establish when or whether Google will launch it publicly. If released, it could reduce the need to enter a PIN or pattern on a smartwatch after taking it off, using the paired phone’s authentication as a shortcut. As with all APK teardown findings, the code points to work in progress and may change or never reach users.