Does the Google Pixel Watch 2 have a temperature sensor?

Google Pixel Watch 2 review
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)

Does the Google Pixel Watch 2 have a temperature sensor?

Best Answer: The Pixel Watch 2 has a temperature sensor, which is one of the newest additions to Google's smartwatch. With it, users can monitor their body temperature while they sleep in order to keep track of their health and wellness. It can also aid the Pixel Watch 2 in monitoring a user's stress when used in conjunction with the on-device continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor.

Google's health enhancements look good on the Pixel Watch 2

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The Google Pixel Watch 2 may not seem like a major upgrade over its predecessor at first glance, but the watch includes a number of internal upgrades, such as a new chipset and a series of new and upgraded sensors. Among these is a temperature sensor, a feature found on many smartwatches as of late.

According to Google, the temperature sensor on the Pixel Watch 2 has a couple of uses, which focus on health and wellness. The first is in relation to the new Body Response feature, which is borrowed from the Fitbit Sense 2. This feature is used to detect when you're physically stressed using a continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) sensor, which takes into account your heart rate, heart rate variability, and skin temperature.

Google explains that when your heart rate increases and your skin temperature decreases, the watch will send you a notification prompting you to "Check in" and input your current mood. "Over the first month of being on your wrist, the algorithm uses more and more of your data to determine your baseline activity to more accurately detect acute changes from that baseline."

Google Pixel Watch 2 hands-on

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The second use for the skin temperature sensor happens when you sleep. The watch will track your temperature "to reveal insights into your sleep and monitor for changes in your overall wellness." Since bedtime is when your body is most stable, this can help provide a better look at your overall health based on fluctuations in your body temperature.

Unfortunately, Google has not indicated that the skin temperature sensor can be used for menstrual cycle tracking, something that's found on the Oura Ring and even some other Android smartwatches, such as the Galaxy Watch 6. Hopefully, this is a feature Google is considering adding to the Pixel Watch 2, and it could potentially come in a future update.

Derrek Lee
Managing Editor

Derrek is the managing editor of Android Central, helping to guide the site's editorial content and direction to reach and resonate with readers, old and new, who are just as passionate about tech as we are. He's been obsessed with mobile technology since he was 12, when he discovered the Nokia N90, and his love of flip phones and new form factors continues to this day. As a fitness enthusiast, he has always been curious about the intersection of tech and fitness. When he's not working, he's probably working out.