Google unveils precise Bluetooth tracking for Pixel Watch 3
The new Pixel Watch 3 is one of the first Android devices to support Channel Sounding, a Bluetooth 6.0 feature that lets you find connected devices with almost pinpoint accuracy—down to centimeters—using just regular Bluetooth hardware.
This upgrade rolled out quietly in Wear OS 5.1, but for now, you'll need other gadgets to get Bluetooth 6.0 updates before this works everywhere.
How does channel sounding work?
Channel Sounding ditches the old signal strength guessing game and instead measures how long it takes signals to bounce between devices across different frequencies.
That means way more accurate tracking, similar to what Ultra-Wideband (UWB) offers—but without needing fancy or expensive hardware.
Competing with Apple's AirTags
Apple's AirTags use UWB for precise finding but require extra hardware built-in.
With Channel Sounding, the Pixel Watch 3 can pull off similar tricks using standard Bluetooth tech—making high-accuracy tracking more accessible if other brands jump on board with updates.