Google is finally delivering on its promise of better media controls for the Pixel Watch, with a much-anticipated update rolling out as part of the March 2025 Feature Drop—though the real improvements are landing through an April firmware update and a Wear OS Play Store patch.
Enhanced Media Playback Experience
Since launch, the Pixel Watch has only offered minimal playback controls like play/pause, skip, and volume. Now, users get advanced controls in supported apps, especially YouTube Music, where you can:
- View and manage the “Up Next” queue
- Shuffle tracks
- Adjust playback speed
- Toggle repeat
- For podcasts: enjoy 10-second rewind and 30-second skip
Find My Phone Gets Smarter
The update also introduces a subtle yet useful tweak to the Find My Phone feature. Instead of instantly ringing your phone when tapped, the watch now asks, “Ring Phone?”, requiring a quick confirmation tap. This prevents accidental triggers and is now standard across all Pixel Watch generations.
Update Details
These new features are not part of the core April firmware but are being rolled out through the Wear OS Play Store and possibly via Google Play services. If you’re not seeing the update yet, check for app updates within the Play Store on your watch.
