Exclusive: Google PM says the Pixel Watch 5 is like an 'airbag on your wrist' thanks to features like Breathing Emergency Detection

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)

Google's on-wrist safety features go above and beyond your standard fall and crash detection. In fact, I'd argue that the new Pixel Watch 5 offers better safety tech than other brands on the market, especially with the introduction of Breathing Emergency Detection and Blood Pressure Trends, not to mention 2024's Loss of Pulse Detection (which no brand has yet replicated).But what's Google's end-game with this ever-growing list of just-in-case features? I wanted to find out. So, I sat down with Pramod Rudrapatna, a Google product manager, and Jake Sunshine, a Google researcher, both of whom worked closely on the latest Breathing Emergency Detection tool.Our conversation touched on how Google tests such a potentially lifesaving piece of tech to ensure true positives are logged, and false positives aren't. We also discussed Google's changing view on the benefits of wearable tech, and whether holding your breath might trigger Breathing Emergency Detection (it won't, but don't try).I additionally learned which other Google wearables will get these shiny new safety tools via future firmware (and it's not just older Pixel Watches).'Like an airbag on your wrist'