Wear OS 6 Could Outsmart Apple Watch with This Killer Feature
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The always-on display (AOD) mode in Android smartwatches hasn't always been the smoothest feature, primarily due to limitations in its true "always-on" functionality. Wear OS 6 appears to bring a proper solution to this, which would enable expanded usability even when the watch's display is off.
The always-on display mode in Wear OS has seen little evolution. Currently, only apps like Spotify and Maps fully adapt to the mode, while most other apps simply display the time. This represents a significant productivity downgrade, especially in scenarios where you want to control or adjust something on your watch without fully waking the display.
Control Your Watch Even When the Screen Is Off
Google is already working on a feature called "Force Global AOD" in Wear OS 5.1, which, as its name suggests, aims to force active app screens to enter an always-on display mode. It is currently under developer testing, but we can now expect this to arrive with Wear OS 6, as the company has begun sharing developments about the feature.
As part of Wear OS 6, Google states that it is providing a comprehensive solution, seamlessly integrating this functionality across different devices. Google provided an example of the current music control interface, which, when using the Material 3 Expressive design, will morph into a black and white user interface in AOD mode. Crucially, this AOD version will retain the rich and playful shapes of various elements, such as navigational buttons and text.
It's currently unclear how this will display with other apps that will eventually use the "glanceable UI" of Google's Material 3 Expressive. However, there could be a default screen for apps that do not natively support always-on display.
This enhanced always-on display will be a significant upgrade for Wear OS user usability, with Google Pixel Watches and Samsung Galaxy Watches being the major beneficiaries. This improvement could even position Wear OS smartwatches ahead of Apple's watchOS, which also currently lacks a true always-on display mode.
Wear OS 6 is expected to be released later this year to eligible Android smartwatches. Beyond the true AOD, some of the upgrades in the next major Android smartwatch OS include optimized performance and better battery life. Gemini will also gain deeper integration into the system, all part of Google's long-term plan.
What do you think of the new AOD mode coming to Android smartwatches? Is this something you've been looking forward to? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Via: 9to5Google Source: Android Developers
