Latest news with #AOD
Phone Arena
3 days ago
- General
- Phone Arena
This long-overdue change could make your Wear OS smartwatch way more useful
Wear OS 6 is introducing a key upgrade that many users have been waiting for. With the new version, Google is improving how the always-on display (AOD) works by allowing more parts of the interface, like media controls, to stay visible even when the screen dims. In the past, most Wear OS apps would hide their content when the screen entered ambient mode. Unless you were using apps like Google Maps, Keep, or Spotify, you would only see the time and a blurred screen when your wrist was down. This made it harder to quickly glance at useful information without waking the watch. Wear OS 5.1 always on display with media controls. | Image credit — 9to5Google Google is now changing that. With Wear OS 6, the interface will keep showing the last screen you were using in a low-power state. According to the company, the update combines different solutions into a consistent AOD experience across devices. For example, if you are playing music, you will still see the current track and playback buttons, even when the screen is in ambient mode. Wear OS 6 always on display with media controls. | Image credit — 9to5Google Media controls are also getting a visual update. The buttons are now styled using the Material 3 Expressive design. While in active use, the buttons appear bold and filled in. When the AOD is on, the same buttons become thin outlines, but they still show up clearly and remain usable. You can still see the song name and take action without tapping to wake the feature builds on what Google started with the Pixel Watch in Wear OS 5.1. That version had a hidden developer setting called Force Global AOD Experience, which kept the current screen visible in a dimmed state. Wear OS 6 is turning that idea into a standard are other improvements in Wear OS 6 as well. All tiles will now use the same font, making it easier to move through the tile carousel. Health permissions are also being updated, giving users more control over what data each app can access. Wear OS 6 is based on Android 16 and is expected to arrive later this year. While there is no confirmed rollout date yet, the changes could lead to a more consistent and helpful experience for smartwatch users.
Android Authority
20-05-2025
- Android Authority
Android 16 may blur your lock screen wallpaper for a new 'ambient AOD' look
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR Google is developing a new 'ambient AOD' feature for Android, which will display a blurred version of the lock screen wallpaper on the always-on display. This feature, showcased briefly by Google during The Android Show: I/O Edition, is an evolution of previous AOD wallpaper support and aims to show the entire wallpaper. Currently buggy and causing screen flickering on test devices like the Pixel 8 Pro, its successful implementation may depend on specific display capabilities, potentially limiting it to future devices like the Pixel 10 series and arriving in an Android 16 quarterly release. One of the most notable aspects of Google's new Material 3 Expressive design is its generous use of background blur. The Material 3 Expressive redesign in Android adds background blur to the notification and Quick Settings panels, the recents menu, and the app drawer. Soon, Google may also blur the lock screen wallpaper to show it on the always-on display; this feature could arrive in an upcoming quarterly release of Android 16. You're reading an Authority Insights story. Discover Authority Insights for more exclusive reports, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech coverage you won't find anywhere else. Displaying the lock screen wallpaper on the always-on display isn't actually new to Android phones, let alone Pixel devices. In fact, Google introduced AOD wallpaper support back in 2018 with Android 9 Pie and briefly implemented it on the Pixel 3 series before removing it from future models. Over the past few months, the company has been developing a new AOD wallpaper implementation that shows the entire wallpaper on the AOD, rather than just a portion. This new AOD wallpaper implementation is called 'ambient AOD.' Google briefly showcased it during The Android Show: I/O Edition last week. Although the company didn't explicitly mention the feature during the event, one of the shared videos clearly displays a blurred version of the lock screen wallpaper on the AOD. Following the event, we managed to get an early version of this 'ambient AOD' feature working on our Pixel 8 Pro, and it functions as expected. Here's a gallery showing four different sets of lock screen wallpapers and their corresponding ambient AOD counterparts: What you can't see from these images is that the feature is currently quite buggy on the Pixel 8 Pro. When 'ambient AOD' is enabled, the screen periodically flickers. This flickering might occur because the Pixel 8 Pro's screen isn't capable of supporting this feature. An internal code change related to the ambient AOD feature states that it 'will only be supported by particular displays,' which could exclude current Pixel devices. If that's the case, then it's possible the ambient AOD feature will only be available on upcoming devices, such as the Google Pixel 10 series. Since the ambient AOD feature is still in development, the exact display characteristics required for it to function correctly remain unknown. Android phones, including Pixel devices, utilize a special low-power display state when AOD is active. It's possible that certain aspects of this state, such as refresh rate or color reproduction capabilities, might prevent the 'ambient AOD' feature from working on current devices. Hopefully, we won't have to wait long to learn more, as we anticipate this 'ambient AOD' feature will launch in an Android 16 Quarterly Platform Release (QPR). Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Amazon shoppers call Galaxy Watch 7 deal 'no-brainer' thanks to £75 voucher
Amazon has cut a big chunk off the Galaxy Watch 7 for a limited time Shoppers have been clamouring to try and grab a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 deal on Amazon thanks to a pretty hefty price drop. The Galaxy Watch 7 is one of Samsung's best watches on the market - and perfect for Samsung users who want to track steps, answer calls and track their health. At the moment, Amazon is selling the device for £319, but there's a good voucher attached to it - you can save £75 when you get to checkout, making the price £244, which is a cracking deal for the watch. But it might not be around forever, so make sure you act fast. The Galaxy Watch 7 comes with a new and improved Dual GPS system. Location tracking is super accurate—even in dense environments, like woodlands or city centres. It allows shoppers to lift the lid on the different stages of every evening's sleep, get to know what makes them tick, and learn about how you can improve your overall wellbeing. Shoppers can also get closer to how their body responds to exercise, rest and sleep. It comes with a next-gen BioActiveSensor, subtle changes in heart rate are detected to make sure every activity and sleep cycle is logged accurately. And if you're looking for some alternatives, Currys has the Apple Watch Series 10 for £409. Or if you want a budget option, the Galaxy Fit3 for £43 on Amazon. Shoppers have also been raving over the device. One shopper said: "I am liking it so far. Other than GPS features in exercises, i have tried everything I think. "With AOD on, Bluetooth on, Location on, 7 apps notifications allowed, Gestures on, Adaptive brightness on, Sleep tracking on, Heart sensor measures continuously: Getting about 2.2 days of battery life. "From the battery usage screen, after using the whole battery, it shows AOD used about 50-60% of it. I haven't tried it with AOD off yet, but hopefully, that will put it to 3 days. Value for money, it's a no-brainer, especially if you find it at a discounted price." However, some shoppers complained about the battery life. One shopper added: "It's a decent smart watch in the sense it does everything you could want and more. It's like having my Samsung phone on my wrist, but that's where the problem starts. "Just like my phone I have to charge this every single day. The battery life is so poor. How can a watch for £12 on Tiktok last for over a week yet a watch for over £200 isn't even lasting a day? Come on Samsung".
