Google to tweak Pixel Watch emergency calls as it tries to fix a problem Apple has had for years

(Image credit: Future)

Google is planning to tweak its Emergency SOS feature on Pixel Watch
Code suggests it plans to introduce an extra gesture to the process
This appears to be aimed at reducing the frequency of accidental emergency calls.

New code spotted in the latest Pixel Watch app appears to suggest that Google is working on a tweak to its Emergency SOS feature that will make pocket-dialing emergency services less likely in the future.

While the Emergency SOS features on the best iPhones, smartwatches, and devices like the Google Pixel Watch 3 can be indispensable in life-or-death situations, adding easy access to emergency calling from a smart device inevitably leads to some accidental calls. A quick glance at Reddit will show you both Pixel Watch and Apple Watch users struggling with the problem.

To that end, Android Authority reports that Google is preparing a new 'Touch & hold to call' option that should reduce those accidental calls. Specifically, strings (lines of code) reveal the feature's name and how it works: "On your watch, quickly press the crown 5 times, then touch & hold the screen for 3 seconds to call for help."

It seems this new feature will be one of two options for emergency call settings because there's also an "automatic call" option listed that will still dial 911, 999, or the emergency number wherever you are, after you press the crown five times.

Combatting rogue emergency calls

Apple Watch Series 10 — Apple Watch models are also vulnerable to pocket dials (Image credit: Future)

As mentioned, pocket-dialing the emergency services from your smartphone or smartwatch isn't a new phenomenon.

When Apple first introduced Crash Detection to the iPhone 14 back in 2022, the company quickly found itself dealing with complaints of calls being triggered in non-emergency situations. Notably, a 911 dispatch center near a Cincinnati amusement park received six such calls from iPhone owners riding rollercoasters.

Later that year, a Colorado ski town dispatch center fielded 71 automated calls from iPhones and Apple Watches in a single weekend.

As you can imagine, the problem is a massive drain on emergency resources. The calls take up the airwaves for dispatch centers, and emergency responders are usually sent to accidental calls to check the location. “We are not in the practice of disregarding calls," a dispatch director told The Colorado Sun in 2022.

In 2021, a Wisconsin county sheriff's office revealed it had taken more than 700 accidental 911 calls triggered by iPhones in a single year, revealing in the process the one thing you should never do if you accidentally call 911.

Next time you accidentally dial 911, stay on the line and let the dispatcher know you're alright – don't hang up the phone.

There's no timeframe for the release of this leaked feature, but with code present in the latest Pixel Watch app beta, it's unlikely to be far away.

Stephen Warwick is TechRadar's Fitness & Wearables writer with nearly a decade of experience covering technology, including five years as the News Editor of iMore. He's a keen fitness enthusiast and is never far from the local gym, Apple Watch at the ready, to record his latest workout. Stephen has experience writing about every facet of technology including products, services, hardware, and software. He's covered breaking news and developing stories regarding supply chains, patents and litigation, competition, politics and lobbying, the environment, and more. He's conducted interviews with industry experts in a range of fields including finance, litigation, security, and more. Outside of work, he's a massive tech and history buff with a passion for Rome Total War, reading, and music.