Google aware Pixel Watch (LTE) SMS stops working when phone & watch are out of physical proximity for a while

Powered by Wear OS, the Pixel Watch is designed and developed by Google as a part of its official lineup of smartwatches. The Pixel Watch has deep integration with Fitbit and features a round, dome-shaped display.

The watch is compatible with LTE and UMTS network bands. It has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage capacity.

But like any other smart wearable, the Google Pixel Watch also experiences some occasional bugs and issues. If you are facing connectivity issues with your Pixel Watch, then you are not alone.

According to reports (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8), Pixel Watch owners with the LTE variant are facing issues related to the SMS functionality.

Several users report that they can make phone calls from their Pixel Watch without their smartphone being online, but the same is not the case when communicating via SMS.

When attempting to send a message, some receive an error message that says, ‘Your Phone is Currently Offline’.

People took to social media to express their frustration with the product and asked what the point of LTE connectivity in their smartwatches was.

I’m on TMobile US and have a watch plan for the pixel Watch. I was under the impression I could send and receive messages without being connected to my phone, just on LTE. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen.
Source

What’s the point of having LTE if the Google messages app keeps saying “phone is offline” when I try to send messages? Is there a work around?
Source

Reportedly, this issue is said to occur when a user’s smartphone and Pixel Watch have been out of physical proximity for a while.

Fortunately, Google has acknowledged the issue and is currently investigating it. Also, a Google Community Specialist has asked affected users to send in feedback via the Google Pixel Watch app.

However, it must be noted that an official ETA for the same has not been provided yet.

We did come across a potential workaround that may help fix the issue for some users. A Redditor suggested trying to toggle the network settings from automatic to manual.

For another user, the issue with LTE seemingly resolved when the Pixel Watch was kept away from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity range.

That said, we will keep an eye out for the latest developments regarding the SMS issue with the Google Pixel Watch and update this story as and when anything noteworthy comes up.

Note: You can also check out our Google Pixel Watch updates and bugs/issues tracker for more related coverage.

Featured image source: Google

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