The Pixel Watch 3: Android's First Device with Precise Bluetooth Tracking
I've always been fascinated by how technology evolves, and the latest news about the Google Pixel Watch 3 has me particularly excited. It seems it's the first Android device to support Bluetooth 6.0's Channel Sounding, a feature that allows for incredibly precise distance calculation between devices. Think about it: pinpoint accuracy for your item trackers!
Remember the frustration of trying to find your keys using those old Bluetooth trackers? They relied on signal strength, which was notoriously unreliable. Channel Sounding, however, measures the time it takes for a signal to travel, achieving centimeter-level accuracy. That's a game-changer.
While UWB (Ultra-wideband) offered similar precision, it also added complexity and cost. Not every Android phone supports it, you know? But almost every mobile device uses Bluetooth. It is everywhere! This makes Channel Sounding a great alternative, even if it's not quite as precise as UWB.
It's important to note that most existing devices won't get this feature because it requires a Bluetooth firmware update. But the Pixel Watch 3, after its Wear OS 5.1 update, now supports this feature. The update confirms the device supports FEATURE_BLUETOOTH_LE_CHANNEL_SOUNDING, the specific Android feature flag that confirms Channel Sounding is supported. It's a big step forward!
Google may be planning a broader implementation with Android 16. It may include generic ranging APIs to simplify how apps use this tracking technology. One thing is guaranteed: This would ensure more consistent and reliable tracking across different devices in the future.
The future looks bright for precise tracking, and I can't wait to see how Google leverages this technology! If all goes according to the plan, this is one big step to improve the Android user experience.
Source: AndroidAuthority