Google Pixel Watch users just got a nifty free software upgrade

While attention may be focused on news of a potential successor, the Google Pixel Watch is still a fan favourite. The device is fast approaching one year since it launched, and marked the first generation of a Pixel-branded smartwatch.

It's so popular, in fact, that when we tested it, our reviewer called it a superb Apple Watch alternative for Android phone users. And now, it's received a nifty little upgrade, which brings a handful of new features to the device.

The Pixel Watch 1.4 update is now live. Chiefly, it includes a couple of updates designed to make linking your watch up with your Google account more seamless.

When you enable the update, you'll be prompted to pair any unlinked watches with your Google account. That happens even if you've already linked the account with the device before, according to 9to5Google who have tested it.

So what functionality does that bring to devices? Well, nothing just yet. There is expected to be a feature called Watch Transfer coming in WatchOS 4, but that isn't live just yet. However, this is likely to be a pre-cursor to that functionality.

When that goes live, it should enable people to switch between devices linked to their watch without having to reset the watch. That could be incredibly handy if you use more than one phone – say for example a work device and a personal device – and need both to link to the same watch.

Elsewhere, a couple of syncing updates have arrived too. Do Not Disturb and Bedtime modes will now automatically sync between the watch and the linked handset. That's a feature which has been requested for a while, and should please users who have been miffed by the lack of cross-compatibility in the past.

As mentioned above, it's not the only exciting news in the Pixel Watch camp. With the next Google Pixel event officially scheduled for the 4th of October, many are expecting to see a redesigned Google Pixel Watch 2 make an appearance.

Rumours suggest that's getting one substantial upgrade over the current model, too – the processor. It's said to utilise a Snapdragon W5 series chip, which should make a massive difference to the way the watch runs. It will hopefully offer a decent battery life boost, too, thanks to the smaller architecture of that chip.