Google versus Samsung is becoming becoming more of a thing, The Android-maker’s Pixel phones are first to everything, as Samsung seems to struggle to keep up with new versions of the Android OS, Play System updates and even monthly security fixes. And now Pixel is about to take on Samsung in another area, per the latest Android leak.
Android Authoritty reports that “Google is working on a feature for the Pixel Watch that alerts you when your phone is left behind.” Not only that, but critically “the feature will also automatically lock the connected Android device when it’s left behind.”
This is really a game of catch-up, given that Apple Watch already warns you if you leave your other Apple devices behind and Galaxy Watch does the same for Samsung phones. But the add-on to lock devices separated from their owner’s watch is a major plus point, especially as the smartphone theft pandemic plagues users worldwide.
This leak follows earlier reports that automatic phone locking was coming to Pixel. But now it seems imminent. “Based on newer strings discovered, you should be able to disable the alerts on your Pixel Watch, especially when you’re in a trusted location, such as your home. Additionally, the alerts will go off and automatically lock the phone when you turn on Airplane Mode on the phone, thereby turning off Bluetooth.”
As ever with pre-release code discovered in an APK teardown, there are no guarantees. But it’s logical to assume this really is coming to Pixel given today’s Apple and Samsung functionality. And it can’t come soon enough.
But for now, this is one area where Samsung has still the edge over its Android rival. With Pixel on a growth tear — albeit from a low base, the hidden tension between the two brands looks set to intensify in 2026. The oddity of Samsung relying on an OS from one of its main rivals, a rival first to latest upgrades, will get ever more awkward.