Pixel phones can automatically record and download videos in an emergency

One of the features that Google offers exclusively through its Pixel Android phones is the Personal Safety app. Over the years it has added features like a safety recording that automatically alerts your emergency contacts if you don’t respond as expected and the ability to automatically dial 911 if it detects you’ve been in an accident. car. Now XDA-Developers and Android Police report a new feature that can automatically record video if you activate the built-in Emergency SOS.

We installed the Google Play update on a Pixel device. It informs users that it can continuously record for up to 45 minutes once activated, assuming your phone has enough storage. If there is an internet connection, the video will be automatically saved to your Google account, where it will be stored for seven days. If you tell the app to share automatically, it will send a link for this video file to all emergency contacts you selected.

Image: Cameron Faulkner

If you have a Pixel phone, you can find the feature in the settings of the Personal Security app. To activate Emergency SOS, users press the phone’s power button five times. When active, the phone is always available so you can use it with a minimized viewfinder and a notification icon to indicate that a recording is in progress. SOS can do other things depending on your settings, including calling 911, choosing to play (or not play) an alarm sound when activated, or share information with your emergency contacts. .

For other phones, Google tested a version of Emergency SOS in the early beta versions of Android 12, but for now that app and feature set is only for the Pixel lineup.