Android ar has undergone some drastic transformations since its launch one year ago, the next update will reportedly continue that trend.
Citing unconfirmed documentation, roid reports that Android ar will gain interactive watch faces in an update next month, allowing for custom actions when users tap on the screen. For instance, users might be able to toggle between temperature precipitation views on a weather watch face, or launch an exercise mode when tapping on a fitness-focused watch face. Basic clock faces could simply let users switch between colors patterns by tapping.
If roid’s report is accurate, this is marks another big change in how users navigate the Android ar interface. Originally, tapping on any watch face brought up a voice comm prompt. th ’s previous update, tapping or swiping left brought users to a new menu, with faster access to the app launcher contacts. The next update will reportedly associate tapping with the custom watch face actions, while requiring a sideways swipe to bring up the launcher.
In theory, this new approach could restore faster access to voice comms, but only for users that wanted it. Users who miss tapping once for voice comms could potentially download a watch face that offered a voice shortcut as its custom action.
According to roid’s report, is also working on watch-to-watch communications, letting users share their heart rates or sketches. It sounds very similar to the Apple tch’s Digital Touch feature, but may require a specific watch face. roid also cautions that its documentation is “quite old,” so take all of these rumored features with a grain of salt.
y this matters: has made a lot of tweaks to its software formula as Android ar has struggled to gain traction. One of the big themes has been speeding up the interaction process, whether it’s through gesture-based scrolling, quick access to contacts, or glanceable information on the always-on display. Custom watch faces would be another step in that direction, giving users quick access to the information apps they care about the most.
