Latest news with #WearOS
Phone Arena
2 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.
GSM Arena
2 days ago
- Business
- GSM Arena
HMD Skyline 2, Skyline 2 GT, Rubber 1, and Rubber 1S all have their specs outed
It's going to be a pretty busy period for HMD, as it turns out. Today two of its upcoming smartphones have had their specs leaked, along with its first ever smartwatches. So let's dive right in. The image you can see below purportedly depicts either the HMD Skyline 2 or the Skyline 2 GT. The Skyline 2 is said to come with a 6.55-inch pOLED screen with FHD+ resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, and 1,200-nit peak brightness, the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC at the helm, and a 5,000 mAh battery with support for 33W wired charging as well as Qi 2.0 wireless charging. It will have a triple rear camera (108 MP main with OIS and two additional shooters - 13 MP and 50 MP), a 50 MP selfie camera, an IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance, stereo speakers, magnetic wireless charging support, and it will run Android 15 with three major OS upgrades promised. The Skyline GT, on the other hand, will sport the same display but it will be brighter (2,000-nit peak), the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, a rear camera system with a 108 MP main with OIS, and two additional 50 MP sensors plus a 3D ToF sensor, a 50 MP selfie camera, 12GB of RAM, and the same size battery but with 45W wired charging. Qi 2.0 with magnets is also built-in, and this one is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance, plus it has a dedicated camera button as well as a customizable button. The HMD Rubber 1 smartwatch will run Wear OS (though it's unclear which version), and it has a 1.85-inch OLED screen, a 2 MP camera (yes, really), Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, NFC, an accelerometer, heart rate sensor, SpO2 tracking, and a 400 mAh battery with support for Qi wireless charging. It will be 5ATM rated for water resistance. Finally, the HMD Rubber 1S also runs Wear OS, is also 5ATM rated, has Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, an accelerometer, heart rate monitor, and SpO2 tracking, but a much smaller 1.07" OLED display and a 290 mAh battery with support for Qi wireless charging. Source
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business Standard
Google might redesign Phone app with new call answering options: Details
Google might be planning to redesign the Phone app. According to a report by 9To5Google, the US technology company might replace the 'Swipe up to answer' (vertical) gesture with two options, the first being 'Swipe right to answer' and the second being 'Tap to accept/deny.' As per 9To5Google, earlier last year, Google experimented with simplified 'Decline' and 'Answer' buttons for certain users, featuring red and green circular icons similar to those on Wear OS. More recently, Google's Phone app began developing a pill-shaped interface that lets users swipe left to decline and right to answer calls. As per the report, it was introduced in March with version 166, but has not yet been officially launched. Users who came across these under-testing features assumed that the tap to decline or answer buttons would get replaced with the horizontal pill-shaped interface. However, as per a report by Android Police, Google might just keep both options in the Phone app. In related news, Google is introducing an AI-powered feature to Drive that can analyse video files to provide summaries and answer questions about their content. Previously, this capability helped users by summarising documents and PDFs within Google Drive, removing the need to manually review these files. Now, it extends to video content, allowing users to avoid watching long meeting recordings or classes by receiving concise summaries instead.
Digital Trends
4 days ago
- Business
- Digital Trends
The Apple Watch 10 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra are both on sale
Recently, another writer here detailed how much they love the OnePlus Watch 3's battery life, and it got me thinking about the watch line and what it has to offer. One thing I discovered that it was currently offering was this deal on the OnePlus Watch 2, where you can get it for $210 instead of $300, saving you $90. The OnePlus Watch 2 is a smartwatch that also has a decent battery life, but there's a lot more to it than that. So, tap the button below to see the deal for yourself or keep reading to see more about the OnePlus Watch 2's battery life, what other features it has, and why we think this is one of the best smartwatch deals out there right now. Why you should buy the OnePlus Watch 2 If, like Mark Jansen, you find that the "batteries tend to suck" on even the best smartwatches, you're probably still going to love the battery life of the OnePlus Watch 2. In our review of the OnePlus Watch 3, the watch that killed other smartwatches for Jansen, we found that it gave about "four full days of use on a single charge." The OnePlus Watch 2 has a "100 hours" battery life claim, but what did we really find when using it? Our OnePlus Watch 2 review find that in-the-field usage didn't quite reach 100 hours, but still said you can "easily expect three (or more) days of use per charge" and highlights the Power Save mode which extends the watch's battery life by literal days in exchange for not having an always-on display, Wear OS apps, or Google Assistant. If the battery life of the OnePlus Watch 3 is what excites you the most about it, use this deal as a chance to reexplore the OnePlus Watch 2.
Phone Arena
7 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
Amazon knocks Google's Pixel Watch 2 with 4G LTE down to a new record low price
Originally priced at $350 and up, the 2023-released Pixel Watch 2 has naturally become cheaper and cheaper after its sequel's official announcement back in August 2024. But although Black Friday and Amazon's Prime Day 2025 event are not exactly around the corner, the Wear OS-powered timepiece is more affordable than ever before in a 4G LTE-enabled version right now. This totally unprecedented Amazon deal is unlikely to last long, mind you, so if you want to save a whopping $150 on a black-coated Google Pixel Watch 2 with standalone cellular connectivity, you should probably hurry. 41mm, Wear OS, GPS, Bluetooth, 4G LTE, Matte Black Aluminum Case, Obsidian Active Band, Circular AMOLED Display with Up to 1000 Nits Brightness, Heart Rate Monitor, ECG, Blood Oxygen Sensor, Fall Detection, Emergency SOS, Safety Check, Skin Temperature, Stress Management, Compass, Altimeter, Built-in Microphone and Speaker, Enhanced 24-Hour Battery Life Buy at Amazon That's $150 slashed off a $299.99 "regular" price that was already permanently marked down from the $399.99 major US retailers like Amazon used to charge for a cellular-capable Pixel Watch 2 back at launch. And yes, only one color option is sold at this lower-than-ever price, strongly suggesting you have very little time to act and maximize your Memorial Day savings. Believe it or not, this LTE-equipped Pixel Watch 2 model with a matte black aluminum case and obsidian active band is currently just as cheap as all Wi-Fi-only units, so there's clearly no reason to give up the always handy cellular support... if you hurry. Naturally, the newer Pixel Watch 3 is the better Google-made wearable, which is why it's also a lot costlier. At this 50 percent discount, the Pixel Watch 2 is the objectively superior value proposition, serving up a beautiful circular display, ultra-comfortable all-day wearing experience, accurate heart rate tracking technology, and excellent overall performance. Are you looking at the best smartwatch money can buy in 2025? Absolutely not. But again, everything needs to be put in perspective, and the Pixel Watch 2 with 4G LTE has to be pitted against similarly affordable devices like the modest Apple Watch SE 2 (sans LTE) or Samsung Galaxy Watch FE (also limited to GPS and Bluetooth connectivity).
