Now, Google has something similar to Apple’s iPhone with Smart Lock, but now at CES 2023, it is introducing an improvement to the feature.
This new function is called Watch Unlock and as the name implies, this means you can use your smartwatch to unlock your Android phone. The idea is that this will act as a backup authentication method if your biometric authentication fails or if the fingerprint scanner doesn’t work.
The downside is that it will only provide users access to tier 1 safety, meaning that other features in the phone that are restricted to biometric security will not operate, as well as contactless payments.
In a way, it is similar to how it works on the Apple Watch, where your phone is paired with a watch and assumes you are the wearer and can access your phone. It’s a very cool function if you have purchased into Android’s ecosystem and was looking for something similar to what Apple offers.
Here are some Google Pixel phones which are worth considering:
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