Pixel Watch Wear OS 4 update lacks new faces, Do Not Disturb sync

Google rolled out the Wear OS 4 update to last year’s Pixel Watch much sooner than expected, but it is lacking some notable features that aren’t particularly hardware-dependent.

For starters, the new watch faces Google introduced with this year’s model are not available on the original wearable. This includes Adventure, Analog Arcs, Analog Bold, Large Scale, Digital Bold, and Rotation.

Pixel Watch vs. Pixel Watch 2

There should be no technical reason — same screen size — for why these faces aren’t available on last year’s watch. The precedent would be how Google restricts wallpaper collection availability on Pixel by generation/year. It’s unfortunate and hopefully will be addressed by a simple update to the “Google Pixel Watch Faces” app. 

The more annoying oversight is how the ability to sync Do No Disturb and Bedtime mode status between wearable and phone is not available on the original Pixel Watch. 

More broadly, there are some minor Wear OS 4 UI differences between the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 after the update. For example, the “Clear all” button on the latter is black text on a white background, while it’s reversed on the former. We’ve noticed difference in a handful of other places 

Big features that did come over include Google One backup and restore, watch transfer, and Personal Safety features like Safety Check, Emergency Sharing, and Emergency Info. 

The Wear OS 4 changelog also pointed out how “notifications come with smart link recognition of phone numbers and addresses,” just like Android System Intelligence does on phones and tablets. It lets you quickly call, message, and get directions. Also of now is how notifications can show images and GIF previews. 

On the accessibility front there’s: “New text-to-speech engine supporting a faster, a more reliable TalkBack experience on your watch, bold text, new and improved magnification, and audio balance.”