Google has started rolling out the first major Wear OS 7 update for the Pixel Watch 5. The September update focuses largely on Gemini, while also bringing improvements to fitness tracking and several new ways to control the smartwatch without touching the screen.
The rollout will take several weeks to reach all Pixel Watch 5 users. Google says the watch will show a notification when the update becomes available.
The biggest change is to Gemini. Following the update, Google’s AI assistant can perform some tasks without an internet connection. This includes basic actions such as starting a timer or beginning a workout.
Google is also improving how Gemini is activated. The assistant should now respond more reliably when users bring the watch close to their mouth.
More importantly, Gemini can access personal information such as calendar events and emails to provide more relevant answers. It can also use that information proactively.
For example, if someone receives a message asking what time a planned meal is happening, Gemini can check the calendar and surface the relevant information instead of requiring the user to manually search for it.
This is a more meaningful update than simply adding another AI feature to the watch. A smartwatch has a much smaller screen than a phone, so being able to retrieve information without opening multiple apps can actually make AI useful on the device.
There is still an obvious privacy consideration, though. Giving an AI assistant deeper access to emails and calendar information means users need to be comfortable with how that personal data is handled.
Google is also expanding the double pinch gesture introduced for hands-free control. After the update, users can use the gesture to open notifications, move through Gemini responses, change weather map views, scroll through workout results, and switch views in Google Maps.
The company is also adding a new wrist gesture. Turning the wrist outward can now work as a universal back action.
These additions should make one-handed operation easier, particularly when the other hand is occupied. They also make more sense on a smartwatch than trying to reproduce phone-style touch controls on a much smaller display.
Google Health is getting a smaller but useful improvement as well. Routes recorded using GPS during running and cycling should now be displayed more accurately after the activity is completed.
This will not change the underlying workout itself, but better route visualisation can make the fitness data more useful when reviewing an activity.
The September Wear OS 7 update is being released in stages, so Pixel Watch 5 owners may not receive it immediately.
