September 25, 2026, 4:51 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Google is rolling out three new health features for the Pixel Watch this week. Owners of models 3, 4, and 5 can now monitor their blood pressure trends, insulin resistance tendencies, and sleep breathing. The features are under the name Health Guardian and are part of the Google Health App. Users can set up the features now, with the first monthly trend reports appearing in early October.
What the New Features Can Do
Google announced the launch of Health Guardian on its own blog. The blood pressure trend feature analyzes pulse and movement patterns over a month. This aims to detect persistently elevated cardiovascular values earlier. The watch requires at least five consecutive days of data within a week for analysis.
The insulin resistance analysis evaluates physical data over several weeks and indicates metabolic changes without needing a blood sample. At least seven days of data per month are required for this. The sleep breathing function measures nightly breathing patterns and shows each morning how much time was spent in optimal breathing phases. Once a month, the app generates a comprehensive report.
How the Measurement Works
Google has trained its AI models with over a trillion minutes of sensor data from five million users. The blood pressure estimation uses the WavesFM model, based on billions of minutes of heart and movement data. Unlike the Galaxy Watch, no monthly calibration with a blood pressure monitor is needed. However, the watch does not provide real-time values and cannot measure blood pressure on demand. The trend reports appear on the first day of each month in the Google Health App.
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Important Limitations
Google explicitly emphasizes that the features do not replace medical diagnosis. They are not intended for the early detection of diabetes, high blood pressure, or sleep apnea. Users should not adjust their medication based on the trends. In case of persistent abnormalities, Google advises consulting a doctor or checking the values with a conventional blood pressure monitor.
Emergency Function Only in the EU
For owners of the Pixel Watch 4 and 5 in selected EU countries, an emergency detection for breathing problems is also available. The function detects a critical drop in blood oxygen levels. If the wearer does not respond to a warning, the watch automatically dials emergency services after a 30-second countdown and plays a message with the location. However, the function is not available if the user sleeps for more than 30 minutes. It is not suitable for people with COPD, heart failure, chronically low oxygen levels, as well as for pregnant women and minors.
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All three Health Guardian features are free for Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5. Owners of the Fitbit Air fitness tracker will receive the blood pressure and insulin resistance analyses later in the year, but will need a Google Health Premium subscription for 9 euros per month. Alternatively, the subscription is included with Google AI Pro for around 22 euros monthly.