Leaked image shows how to unlock an Android phone with a smartwatch

A few months ago, at CES 2022, Google has revealed that it plans to introduce a feature that will allow you to unlock your Android phone with your Wear OS watch. This new option was later found hidden in a recent beta version of Google Play Services, called Smart Unlock. There was also a settings page with information about the new feature. And now a tweet from Esper’s Senior Technical Editor, Mishaal Rahman, sheds more light on this upcoming feature. Within Google Play Services, Rahman discovered that Smart Unlock is now called Near Unlock. He also discovered additional information on how to use the new feature and an animation showing how the new unlock option will work.

As we can see, to use Close Unlock, you must first make sure that your watch is unlocked and that it is on your wrist. After that, all you need to do is bring your wearable closer to your phone and your handset will unlock itself. When your mobile device is unlocked, you will receive a notification on your smartwatch which, when tapped, will lock your phone again. Of course you can enable or disable Close Unlock through the settings on your smartphone.

Near Unlock is likely to debut with the Pixel Watch this fall and is expected to be available only on eligible Wear OS 3 devices.