Put on OS Weekly
This new weekly column will give attention to the state of Put on OS, from new developments and updates to the most recent apps and options we wish to spotlight.
You might not have heard of Google’s XML Watch Face Format and even seen the improve should you solely use the default watch faces that include your Galaxy or Pixel Watch. Nevertheless it’s one of the vital vital Put on OS upgrades lately, utilizing minimal reminiscence to stretch out your watch’s battery life.
It is also taken plenty of enjoyable out of Android watch faces, killing one among my favourite Put on OS apps (Facer) on my Galaxy Watch Extremely and Pixel Watch 3.
I perceive why Google made this transfer, however it’s a inventive and financial black gap for Put on devs, and Google’s present Play Retailer resolution is not nice.
The Watch Face Format (WFF) replaces the outdated AndroidX and Wearable Help watch faces. XML watch faces do not use any logic or executable code, with whole reminiscence restricted to 10MB in ambient mode or 100MB in interactive mode. These WFF faces run off your watch’s coprocessor, with hardly a dent within the battery life.
Obligatory WFF faces, together with the Put on OS Hybrid Interface, make the Pixel Watch 3 extra useable to me than the Pixel Watch 2 was, just by stretching out its capability to final two days as an alternative of simply over in the future. However they’re additionally boring. XML precludes any complicated animations or options; it additionally discourages innovation by blocking the primary third-party marketplace for watch faces.
The Facer app syncs with Android watches and has a whole lot of 1000’s of watch faces, together with ones with actually inventive animations and recognizable manufacturers. One of the best faces price cash, however individuals discovered it value it to maintain their watches contemporary, and you may even create your personal faces or subscribe to check out all the assortment.
Facer features like a Play Retailer for watch faces organized by classes, free/paid, and basic vibes. Due to discoverability, it’s totally simple to browse and discover creators and faces you will like, build up a cute library that might carry over to future watches.
It is a decade outdated, current about so long as Put on watches have. And now Put on OS 5 is placing Facer’s future in jeopardy, in addition to the entire thought of “enjoyable” watch faces.
New Galaxy Watch 7 or Pixel Watch 3 house owners have misplaced their faces for good. You may both use the default on-watch faces and their primary “flavors” or go into the Play Retailer, search by gadget, faucet “Watch Faces,” scroll by an extended checklist of WFF choices, and purchase whichever strikes your fancy.
There is no group and little or no probability for builders to make their watch faces stand out and become profitable — that means there is no incentive to make new XML watch faces. That is a problem for Google and (extra importantly) for us.
Google wants to repair this and work with Facer
Facer created a assist web page explaining its ideas on the WFF developments. It says it is “working arduous with Google to deliver the Facer service” to Put on OS 5 watches, however whereas it has been “actively discussing a decision with Google because the Watch Face Format was introduced” in 2023, the “change was sadly rolled out earlier than an answer might be reached.”
With the present WFF system, Facer would wish to transform every of its 500,000 faces to XML, eradicating any elements that the “restricted” format could not help, after which add them one after the other to the Play Retailer. They are not allowed to credit score customers with watch faces they purchased earlier than, so that you’d should pay once more for belongings you “personal,” and so they may not cost a subscription mannequin.
Google has each proper to strengthen its arduous XML requirement for Put on OS, even when this restricts probably the most inventive watch faces. It makes Android watches look unhealthy when the battery dies shortly over an aesthetic alternative. However the Play Retailer requirement appears useless and unrelated, reducing out a intermediary with out an satisfactory substitute in place.
The decision appears apparent to me: let individuals proceed to put in WFF faces from third-party platforms (like Facer) in order that artists and builders have a spot to promote them and an incentive to make them. Both that or Google may purchase Facer and make the app a first-party platform for Put on OS customers to find watch faces extra simply.
Whichever path Google takes, it will be higher than guaranteeing that the most recent Put on OS watches are caught with boring, primary watch faces for the foreseeable future. And even when Facer struggles to transform its full library to WFF, it will have a better time of it if it will probably maintain earning profits by its retailer within the meantime.
Google must prioritize fixing the damaged Put on OS 5 replace on last-gen Pixel Watches earlier than it worries about watch faces. However this is not just a few frivolous situation; it is an opportunity for Google to show it cares about long-time Put on builders and indie creators after steamrolling over their ecosystem for a battery increase.
A brand new Put on OS Weekly column
As Android Central’s wearables editor, I’ve written lots about Put on OS watches in my Sunday Runday weekly column. However I take advantage of that house to deep-dive into Android watches’ {hardware} high quality (i.e., HR and GPS accuracy assessments) and health software program; it isn’t the precise house for discussing watches in a extra basic context.
That is why I am beginning this new Put on OS Weekly column, which you’ll be able to look out for each Wednesday!
My preliminary focus was on health watches as a result of I felt I had extra information and authority to cowl them. Whereas I’ve used Put on OS watches for the previous couple of years, beginning with the Galaxy Watch 5 Professional, I am not a native Android person, and I wish to guarantee I match our readers’ requirements when protecting this matter.
Now that I’ve had extra time with Put on OS, I felt the time was proper to begin this sequence. I plan to do deep dives on software program updates, discuss in regards to the watch apps the Android Central workers loves (or thinks ought to be higher), and customarily attempt to enhance the location’s smartwatch protection past easy information.
You probably have areas you need me to give attention to, be happy to touch upon this or future columns or e mail me along with your questions and ideas!