Huge updates could be a combined bag. Generally, you will get an important new characteristic that turns into an indispensable a part of your on a regular basis life. Different occasions, your favourite characteristic would possibly get eliminated, by no means to see the sunshine of day till 10 years later when one thing outdated turns into new once more.
Working example is widgets, a serious characteristic of Android 1.0 that noticed a big decline in reputation after Google removed lock display widgets in Android 5. However, as anticipated, what’s outdated is new once more. With the discharge of Samsung’s One UI 7, lock display widgets have gotten cool once more. A lot so, in actual fact, that Google’s newest Android Builders weblog publish focuses on how essential widgets are for consumer engagement. Think about that.
We first noticed the groundwork being laid for lock display widgets in a beta construct of Android 14, adopted by a full rollout of the characteristic on the Google Pixel Pill final September. Extra telephones will likely be getting the characteristic with a quarterly replace of Android 16, however Samsung is thrashing everybody else to the punch by together with it on each system that has entry to One UI 7 this yr.
Sooner, higher, prettier
Google’s renewed curiosity in widgets actually began to pop on the Pixel 9 final yr when it launched a redesigned Pixel Climate app, which prominently featured widgets of every kind. These widgets weren’t simply beautiful wanting; additionally they made it simple to see and perceive a plethora of information at a look.
When you cannot break these widgets out of the app and place them individually on your house display or lock display (basic Google), many different apps are beginning to take widgets extra severely, and Google Play is adapting. Builders can now present their app widgets proper on the Play Retailer itemizing, and customers can search particularly for apps that embrace widgets by utilizing a helpful filter.
I exploit widgets each single day to shortly take notes or entry particular person notes, management media playback with a devoted YouTube Music widget, search Google with textual content or visually with the Google widget, examine my weekly meal plan with Our Groceries, shortly begin by Roborock robotic vacuum routines with a faucet, and scroll by my calendar with out having to search out the app first.
However what I am actually thinking about now’s relearning the way to use lock display widgets once more. These died within the Android 5 days when biometrics have been changing into extra commonplace as folks stopped utilizing their lock screens in favor of unlocking straight to the house display. Issues have modified, although, and we have discovered to love our lock screens once more.
Having separate widgets on the lock display provides us another floor to custom-tailor our day, and I do know precisely what is going on to be on there. That devoted YouTube Music widget will all the time be on the lock display, so I haven’t got to surprise if the OS is wise sufficient to know what I need.
A devoted flashlight button alongside a handful of good dwelling toggles will await a single press from my thumb for activation, and a fast look on the Strava well being knowledge from my OnePlus Watch 3 will maintain me motivated to get shifting. Oh, and do not forget the short voice memo button in Google Preserve that makes it helpful to take a notice at any time.
In the meantime, my dwelling display will likely be reserved for extra delicate knowledge like precise, scrollable notes, a fast look on the newest emails and messages that simply got here in, in addition to somewhat photograph body crammed with my favourite reminiscences. Widgets are fantastic, and I am past delighted to see Google begin caring about them once more, particularly in a day in age when Good Lock makes it simple to totally customise the residing crap out of my dwelling and lock screens!
