Pixel Watch 3 quietly adds advanced location tracking
Google has seemingly equipped the Pixel Watch 3 with a sophisticated new feature for precisely locating other devices: Channel Sounding. This capability, enabled through a recent Wear OS update, promises significantly improved accuracy for finding nearby Bluetooth-connected gadgets.
The feature arrived as part of the Wear OS 5.1 update rolled out in March 2025. Channel Sounding is a core component of the latest Bluetooth 6.0 standard, which was announced by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) in September 2024.
What is Channel Sounding and How Does it Work?
Traditional Bluetooth device tracking relies heavily on measuring signal strength (RSSI – Received Signal Strength Indication). However, this method is notoriously unreliable because obstacles like walls and interference can easily distort signals, leading to inaccurate distance estimates.
Channel Sounding takes a different, more precise approach. Instead of just signal strength, it measures the time it takes for multiple radio signals sent at various frequencies to travel between two connected devices. According to the Bluetooth SIG, this time-based measurement method enables “centimeter-level accuracy” and can even provide directional awareness, making it much easier to pinpoint a device’s exact location.
Channel Sounding vs. Ultra-Wideband (UWB)
For highly accurate device tracking and directional guidance, technologies like Ultra-Wideband (UWB) are currently the standard, famously used in devices like Apple AirTags and iPhones. UWB provides excellent spatial awareness, allowing apps to show precise distance and directional arrows to a tracker.
However, UWB requires dedicated radio and antenna hardware, which can add to a device’s manufacturing cost. A key advantage of Channel Sounding is its potential to achieve similar high precision using existing Bluetooth hardware, which is ubiquitous in modern smartphones, smartwatches, and headphones.
Interestingly, while Channel Sounding offers a Bluetooth-based precise tracking solution, the Pixel Watch 3 itself is reported to also include Ultra-Wideband support. This suggests Google may be exploring multiple avenues for highly accurate proximity sensing and device location on its flagship wearable.
The Path to Widespread Precise Tracking
Despite the Pixel Watch 3 now supporting Channel Sounding via the Wear OS 5.1 update, the feature isn’t yet functional for users. This is because Channel Sounding requires multiple devices supporting the Bluetooth 6.0 protocol for the tracking to work effectively. The Pixel Watch 3 is one of the first Android devices confirmed to implement this new standard.
While many modern devices may have compatible Bluetooth hardware (the Pixel Watch 3, for instance, features the newer Bluetooth 5.3), widespread adoption of precise Channel Sounding tracking depends on other manufacturers releasing software updates to add Bluetooth 6.0 support to their devices.
The Pixel Watch 3 serves as Google’s primary smartwatch offering, leveraging its Wear OS 5 operating system and integrating advanced Fitbit health features. As more devices receive the necessary updates, the Pixel Watch 3’s new Channel Sounding capability could unlock a future where precise Bluetooth tracking is a common and reliable feature across a wide range of consumer electronics.
