Google smartphones are popular among enthusiasts and those who like to “dig deeper” into the firmware, as it is easy to unlock the bootloader in them, which gives full control over the device.
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It turned out that the same distinctive feature was preserved in the debut smart watch Pixel Watch .
this requires a little engineering skills.
apparently fastboot can be entered with ye olde `adb reboot bootloader`, might try and see if the secret USB pins are active. https://t.co/8O0EmTlLjY pic.twitter.com/DQ1Y9XVX4i
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— Shiny Quagsire (@ShinyQuagsire) October 20, 2022
Google has officially confirmed that the bootloader can be unlocked on the Pixel Watch. The only problem is that this requires a special cable connected to the connector at the strap attachment point.
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There are no such cables on the open market yet, since they are used exclusively within the company and, probably, by authorized service centers.
But this did not stop the developer under the nickname Shiny Quagsire .
After figuring out what each of the four pins in the watch connector is responsible for, he simply cut off one end of the USB cable to properly place the wires in it, as shown in the photos above.
According to the developer, after connecting the cable, he was able to unlock the clock loader without any problems, which is clearly demonstrated in the presented photos.
As in the case of smartphones, with an unlocked bootloader on the Pixel Watch, every time you turn it on, the user sees a warning about a potential danger due to the inability to verify the authenticity of the software being installed.
True, the enthusiast notes that his homemade cable does not yet allow you to download custom firmware, since it is not attached to the watch in any way, and any slightest shift can lead to an installation error.
