Tag Archives: Wear OS by Google

What’s new for Wear

Today, we’re sharing the biggest update to Wear ever – built with your preferences in mind. We’ve been hard at work in three areas: building a unified platform with Samsung, delivering a new consumer experience and providing updates to your favorite Google apps.

A unified platform

Samsung and Google have a long history of collaboration. Now, we’re bringing the best of Wear and Tizen into a single, unified platform. By working together we have been able to take strengths of each and combine them into an experience that has faster performance, longer battery life and more of the apps you love available for the watch.

For performance, our teams collaborated and made apps start up to 30% faster on the latest chipsets with smooth user interface animations and motion. To achieve longer battery life, we’ve worked to optimize the lower layers of the operating system – taking advantage of low-power hardware cores to enable better battery life. That includes handy optimizations like the ability to run the heart rate sensor continuously during the day, track your sleep overnight and still have battery for the next day. Finally, our unified platform will make it easier for developers to build great apps for the watch.

This isn’t just for Google and Samsung. All device makers will be able to add a customized user experience on top of the platform, and developers will be able to use the Android tools they already know and love to build for one platform and ecosystem. And because of these benefits, you will have more options than ever before, whether it’s choosing which device to buy or picking which apps and watch faces to display.

A whole new consumer experience

Animation shows how a double press on the watch’s side button enables switching to a recent app. — Managing tasks with your watch is easier than ever with new navigation capabilities.

We’ve made it faster than ever to get things done. From anywhere in the watch, you can access shortcuts to important functions, like switching to your previous app.

Animation demonstrates how to swipe to see new Tiles.

And there are more ways to customize your home screen carousel with Tiles from your favorite apps like Calm, Sleep Cycle and Flo. You can easily choose what information you want at a glance, and which actions you want to have just a swipe away.

The best of Google on your wrist

Google Maps and Google Assistant are being redesigned and improved. Google Pay will also be redesigned and add support for 26 new countries, beyond the 11 countries currently available. YouTube Music will also arrive on Wear later this year, equipped with features like smart downloads for subscribers to enjoy music while on the go.

Health and fitness tracking is essential for wearables. With the latest Wear update, we welcome Fitbit’s many years of health expertise to the experience. The best of Fitbit, including features like tracking your health progress throughout your day and on-wrist goal celebrations, will motivate you on your journey to better health.

More and better apps

New apps for Wear are arriving on Google Play.

We are also making it easier for our developer community to build great apps (including new Tiles!) for the platform, and reach millions of consumers all over the world through the Google Play Store.

New tools, like a Tiles API and a watch face design editor built by Samsung, make it a breeze to develop new experiences on wearables. New and rebuilt apps from developers like Strava, adidas Running, Bitmoji and many more are coming to the platform. Be sure to check out our developer keynote and technical session “Now is the time: what’s new with Wear” to learn more.

These updates will begin rolling out later this year. From a unified platform with Samsung, to a new consumer experience, and a world-class fitness service from Fitbit, this is a new era for the wearables ecosystem.

Source: The Official Google Blog

What’s new for Wear

A unified platform

A whole new consumer experience

We’ve made it faster than ever to get things done. From anywhere in the watch, you can access shortcuts to important functions, like switching to your previous app.

The best of Google on your wrist

More and better apps

New apps for Wear are arriving on Google Play.

We are also making it easier for our developer community to build great apps (including new Tiles!) for the platform, and reach millions of consumers all over the world through the Google Play Store.

Source: The Official Google Blog

The best of Google, now in new devices

Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, technology should work for you. This week during a virtual CES and Galaxy Unpacked, we were introduced to a lineup of new products that do exactly that, all with the best of Google built in.

Whether you're heading out or staying in, there's something new for you to get excited about.

When you’re on the go

The new Galaxy S21 series comes with a more cohesive Android experience and updates that make it easier to stay in touch with friends and family. From your phone, you can now mirror Google Duo to your Samsung TV, so video calls feel a little more like the real thing. With the Messages app, you can use Rich Communication Services (RCS) to chat over Wi-Fi, know when messages are read, share reactions as well as high resolution videos, and enjoy a more dynamic communication experience with features such as Smart Actions and spam protection (varies by carrier and market availability). A single swipe from your home screen will give you the option for personalized content with Discover, while our screen reader TalkBack has been revamped so that people with blindness or trouble seeing their displays can use spoken feedback and gestures to navigate their phone without having to look at the screen (varies by carrier and market availability).

We’re also working with Samsung to make it easier to manage smart home products from your device. You can control Nest devices, like Nest thermostats, cameras and doorbells, from the SmartThings app on Galaxy smartphones and tablets. See all your connected devices on one screen by tapping on "Devices" in the Quick Panel of the Galaxy S21. Starting next week, SmartThings will also be available in Android Auto, so you can do things like turn off your kitchen lights from your car’s display as you pull out of the driveway.

For parents who want a productive tablet that can easily be shared with their kids, the new Lenovo Tab P11 comes with Kids Space, our new kids mode that features recommended apps, books and videos to help kids under 9 learn and have fun.

And to get help from your wrist, new Wear OS by Google smartwatches keep you connected wherever you are. For Android phone users in the U.S., you can send texts and make calls on Fossil's Gen 5 LTE Touchscreen Smartwatch without your phone. And Michael Kors Access Gen 5E MKGO and Gen 5E Darci smartwatches are a fashionable option for keeping track of your health and wellness, staying in touch with friends and family and even making payments.

You’ll even be able to leave your phone in your pocket when you’re outside. New headphones, including the JBL Tour ONE and Tour Pro+ and Kenwood WS-A1G come with help from Google. Simply press the earbud to send a message, access your calendar or change songs.

Of course, for those times when you’re perfectly happy...

Hanging out at home

Google TV will be available on 2021 smart TVs from Sony and TCL. Google TV is a new entertainment experience that brings together movies, shows, live TV and more from across your apps and subscriptions and organizes them just for you. You can ask “Hey Google, find action movies” or “show me sci-fi adventure TV shows” and browse a wide selection of content with your voice. In fact your voice can be used in all sorts of ways: Your LG TV (from 2019 models) can now be controlled by a Google-enabled smart speaker in 15 countries and six languages. You will also soon be able to control your Verizon Fios set top box by voice when connected with a Google-enabled smart speaker or Smart Display. And to do more on your TV, you can stay connected with your loved ones with one-on-one or group video calls with the Duo app on Samsung TV (an optional USB-camera needed).

New connected lights from LIFX, Nanoleaf and Yeelight now work with Hey Google. These new devices support Seamless setup, which makes it possible to connect compatible smart home devices directly through the Google Home app and a Nest speaker or Smart Display without the need for an additional hub or bridge.

If you’re looking for an assist with cleaning up around the house, you can just say “Hey Google” to control the Smart MEDION’s vacuum cleaner MD 19601. To help more manufacturers bring voice capabilities like this to their smart home devices, we also recently launched the Authorized Solution Provider program. Our certified partners Tuya and CoolKit can now help manufacturers build smart home Actions for Google Assistant.

Whatever new device you pick out, Google will be there to help you get things done and get the most of your tech.

Source: Android

Tackle your health goals in 2021 with Google Fit

It’s the beginning of a new year, and for many of us, it’s also time for a renewed approach to our health. Maybe you want to figure out a new fitness routine that doesn’t require a gym or finally carve out time for meditation. Whatever your goals are, the most important thing is to get started and stay on course. But it can be hard to stay motivated in our busy lives. That’s why Google Fit is designed to address common challenges we all face in reaching our goals. Here are some simple tips for using Google Fit to set yourself up for success.

Measure what matters

Steps, miles, calories. Tracking so many different things can be overwhelming. A simpler, proven way is to follow the science. The American Heart Association® and the World Health Organization recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week to improve your chances of getting better sleep and having more energy, as well as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease. That’s why we designed Google Fit’s primary metric to be Heart Points, one simple way to measure what matters: You get one point for each minute of moderately intense activity, like walking briskly, and double points for more intense activities, like running.

Stay motivated

It's one thing to kick off a new routine, but it's quite another to stick with it. One way to commit to a new healthy habit is to make it social and fun. Sharing your workouts with friends and family helps keep you accountable to your goals, and the new Google Fit social sharing feature makes it easy to share your activity directly from your journal. Have fun with it and include a post-workout selfie or that beautiful snap from your hike.

Make every move count

No gym? No problem. Even brisk walking earns you Heart Points. If you want to be more adventurous or creative, Google Fit tracks more than 100 activities, from table tennis to sledding. You can also connect your favorite fitness tracking apps and devices with Google Fit so that you get credit—and gain Heart Points—for all of your activity, and it’s tracked in one place.

Invest in rest

If you aren’t well-rested, it’s hard to do anything else. Adequate sleep is a significant part of maintaining your health. A number of sleep apps and devices connect with Google Fit so you can collect your sleep data in one place. Check your weekly stats at a glance on the homescreen, and look at a deeper view for insight into your sleep patterns over time.

Adopting meditation and mindfulness practices can help you find balance. Wear OS by Google watches have guided breathing sessions to help you get started.

I hope these tips help you get started and stray on track to reach your health goals in the coming year. If you’re new to Google Fit, try the app out on your Android phone or iPhone. Here’s to a strong start and a healthy 2021!

Source: The Official Google Blog

New tools for a healthier, more active life

Health and fitness apps and device trackers can be incredibly motivating, but keeping track of all the information they provide can also get overwhelming. On your journey to improving your wellness, you might want to monitor your sleep, see if you’re meeting your workout goals and keep an eye on your heart rate. We wanted to make it easier to find all of this quickly, and more easily in one place. To do this, we’ve made a few new updates to Google Fit and Wear OS by Google that make tracking and understanding all of your wellness information easier.

A single hub for all your health and wellness information

We’ve revamped the Google Fit app on Android and iOS to bring all of this information across your different connected apps and devices into one easy-to-view hub. In addition to being able to view a summary of your metrics at a glance on the homescreen, you’ll be able to see if you’re meeting your daily and weekly goals for Heart Points and Steps, view your most recent workout and keep track of your heart rate, weight and blood pressure trends over time.

As part of our ongoing effort to provide you with bedtime tools, we’ve also brought more sleep information into Google Fit. If you have a connected device like the Fossil Gen 5E Smartwatch, Oura Ring or Withings sleep tracking mat, or use a sleep-tracking app like Sleep As Android or Sleep Cycle, you’ll be able to track your nightly activity, view sleep stages, set a goal for your bedtime schedule and more. Look out for more supported devices and apps as we expand this feature.

Tracking your favorite workouts just got easier

Staying active and achieving your weekly Heart Point goals can help you stay healthy through the holiday season. In the Google Fit Workouts Tile on Wear OS by Google smartwatches, we added shortcuts to take you to your most recent workouts so you can get moving faster. And while you're working out, you'll be able to see all your metrics in one view on your screen. You can set goals for your workouts and receive pace alerts to know if you’re staying on track.

The Google Fit app on Android or iOS lets you view a summary of your walk or run on a map, along with pace and mile markers. To celebrate your accomplishments and encourage friends and family to get active, you can now share stats, routes or photos from your favorite Google Fit journal entries to social media or by messaging apps.

A breath of fresh air

If you’re anything like me, you’re growing a little weary of indoor workouts (or just the inside of your home in general). Getting a little fresh air can be rejuvenating, and also give you more energy and mental focus. To help, we’re updating the weather experience on Wear OS by Google smartwatches with a bolder design that’s easier on the eyes and provides you with more relevant forecast details, including precipitation and weather alerts.

And whether you’re outside or indoors, the new Breathe Tile helps you decompress with easier access to guided breathing sessions. Once it’s finished, you can view a summary that includes how your heart rate changed between the beginning and end, and you can also see a recap of your breathing sessions for the week.

These updates will be rolling out over the next few days. We hope these tools give you everything you need to improve your wellbeing at home, or on the go.

Source: The Official Google Blog

How to be healthy at home

Right now, your home could be an office, a gym, a playground or even your own personal restaurant where all of your friends (virtually) hang out. While we’re all trying to figure out how to stay well and adjust to health routines at home, search interest in “exercise” and “handwashing” have reached an all-time high. Since health and wellness are top of mind right now, here are a few resources to help you be well.

Make the most of your time at home

YouTube is encouraging the world to Stay Home #WithMe by featuring videos from creators that help you promote mental and physical wellbeing while you’re at home. Check out topics ranging from “Meditate With Me” to “Work Out With Me” and “Dance With Me.”

Staying healthy can mean breaking a sweat while exercising or sitting still and calming your mind. Google Play has created a collection of special deals and free content for “Workout & wellness” and “Mindfulness & meditation.” Google Play also has feature roundups of apps by category for when you’re at home to help you “Sleep well & find balance” and “Stay healthy & work out.”

Google Play Offers (1).png — Google Play is featuring special offers on helpful apps while you’re at home.

Also on Android TV, Google Play is adding new collections to help you find useful apps for your smart TV quickly. Starting with the “Stay mindful & fit” collection in the U.S., you can easily find apps like Peloton, which offers workouts that can be done with or without equipment, to help you get moving right in your living room. “Stay mindful and fit” will be rolling out to Google Play on Android TV devices starting this week.

New app categories for Google Play on Android TV surface useful apps for your TV.

You can also kickstart a workout by asking Google Assistant, “Hey Google, show me workout videos” and follow a YouTube tutorial on your Smart Display, like Nest Hub Max, or on your phone.

Performance at a glance

Whether you're in the middle of your at-home workout, yoga session or taking a quick jog around the block, the latest Google Fit update on iOS and Android app bring bold text and bright visuals to the design, making it easier for quick check-ins on your activity goals. You’ll also start to see tips from WHO for reducing the risk of catching or spreading infections.

Fit update.png — Google Fit redesign makes it easier to check progress towards activity goals.

On Wear OS by Google smartwatches, we've made it easier to keep track of your at-home workouts and see how you’re doing throughout the day or week at a glance. The latest design includes visual updates to the Heart Points tile which now shows your progress toward the World Health Organization-recommended amount of physical activity. We’ve also added a new Workout tile to start tracking your go-to workouts with just one tap.

Wear OS by Google tiles bring quicker access to the best of Google Fit.

Help washing your hands

WHO recommends washing your hands for 40 seconds, which might be longer than you’re used to. Over the last month, search interest for "hand washing songs" spiked 850 percent in the U.S. To stick to 40 seconds, simply say, “Hey Google, help me wash my hands” and Google Assistant will play a song on your Smart Display, smart speaker, phone (Android and iOS) or Wear OS by Google smartwatch with speakers. If you want to skip the tunes, Google Assistant can set you up with a 40 second timer, or on Wear OS you can now add a hand-wash timer as a tile or as a shortcut on your watch face.

These new features are all currently available, or rolling out in the coming weeks. We’re also always adding more apps and content to our collections, so stay on the lookout for more ways to stay healthy.

Source: The Official Google Blog

Investing in the Wear OS ecosystem

When we introduced Wear OS by Google (then called Android Wear) five years ago, wearable tech was pretty nascent.

While it was early, we felt there was something really exciting about this next era of computing and we wanted to enable an ecosystem of partners by providing a flexible platform.

We’re really proud of the progress. We've also admired the amazing things others have done with wearables, and today we announced that Google has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fitbit. The Fitbit team has built a great health and fitness experience that is loved by people all over the world.

This agreement underscores our belief in how important wearable tech has become, and it’s also an exciting opportunity for Wear OS. We’re looking forward to collaborating with Fitbit to bring the best of our smartwatch platforms and health applications together, and enabling our partners to build the next generation of wearables.

We’re hard at work on the next evolution of Wear OS—and if you’d like to join us, we’d love to hear from you.

Source: The Official Google Blog

Swipe for more: Tiles on Wear OS by Google

Whether you’re at home or on the go, your time is valuable. Five years ago, we built Wear OS by Google to help you get information and get things done quickly, at a glance. Over the past few months, we’ve introduced a new design that provides swipeable access to health coaching from Google Fit and proactive help from the Google Assistant. Now, we’re debuting new Tiles that give you more swipeable access to the things you need to know and get done right from your wrist.

How Tiles work

Watch on wrist shows swipeable access to Tiles.

Meet all of the Tiles: Goals, Next event, Forecast (weather), Heart rate, Headlines and Timer. With a swipe left, you’ll be greeted by these Tiles and can check your progress towards your fitness goals or start a workout, know where you need to be next, plan ahead with the latest forecast, check your heart rate, follow the latest breaking headlines and set a timer.

Watch on wrist shows configurable Tiles.

Whether you're into headlines or heartbeats, you can tailor your watch to meet your needs. To arrange the Tiles in the order you wish to see them, touch and hold any Tile on your smartwatch, or touch and drag one in your Wear OS by Google app. You’ll be able to stay connected to what’s important to you, and still keep tabs on other information and actions. We’ll continue to add more Tiles over time to help you stay connected to what matters most.

These new Tiles will be rolling out to your Wear OS by Google smartwatch over the next month. Certain features will vary by phone OS, watch or country. If you’ll be joining us at I/O 2019, stop by the Android Sandbox to see and experience Tiles in person.

Source: The Official Google Blog

Google Fit is now on iOS

Being more physically active in your everyday life can help reduce the risk of heart disease, improve sleep and increase overall mental health. When we launched the new Google Fit last year, we translated the science behind physical activity into two simple and smart activity goals: Move Minutes and Heart Points. Now, we're bringing the Google Fit app to more people—starting today, it's available to download on iOS.

Track your Heart Points and Move Minutes earned

Move Minutes and Heart Points help you build smarter, healthier habits throughout your day. The more you move, the more Move Minutes you earn. The more intensely you move, the more Heart Points you earn. And the more Heart Points you earn, the closer you are to reaching AHA and WHO’s recommended amount of weekly physical activity to reap the health benefits. Whether you go biking or pick up your pace while walking to your next meeting to earn more Heart Points, you can check your journal to track progress on these two activity goals and see how small changes can make a big impact to your health.

Connect your apps and devices on Apple Health with Google Fit

Tracking your progress throughout the day should be simple and easy. Regardless of which apps or devices you use to monitor fitness, sleep and general wellbeing, Google Fit has you covered.

Apps you connect to Apple Health, such as Sleep Cycle, Nike Run Club and Headspace, sync with Google Fit to provide a holistic view of your health and show the Heart Points and Move Minutes you earn through other activities. And whether you own an Apple Watch or Wear OS by Google smartwatch, Google Fit keeps track of your workout sessions. With your journal, you’ll get a snapshot of the things that you do to help you get better sleep, be more mindful and get more active.

Visit the App Store and download the new Google Fit app today.

Source: The Official Google Blog

Kick-start your New Year’s resolutions with Google Fit

January is fast approaching—and that means it’s almost time for New Year's resolutions, even though most people seem to abandon them about a week into the new year. But if 2019 is the year you want to stick to your goals, you may want to get a head start. In fact, our New Year's resolution is to make it easier for you to get healthy, and have fun doing it. Here's how you can put health and wellness first in 2019, with a little help from Google.

Step 1: Get in the game.

Go to the Google Fit app to join a 30-day challenge designed to kick-start your journey to a healthier, more active life. The challenge begins on January 1, but you can sign up starting today (running shoes optional). You’ll earn Heart Points from activities that you log or actively track with Google Fit. Better yet, Google Fit will automatically detect and log walks, runs or bike rides for you. Your goal is to get as many points as possible—and we’ll be cheering you on along the way.

Step 2: Learn the ground rules.

You’ll score Heart Points for any activity that gets your heart pumping. Get one point for each minute of moderate activity, like picking up the pace while walking your dog, and double points for more intense activities like running or kickboxing. Hit 150 Heart Points per week to meet the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO)’s physical activity recommendations shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve sleep and increase overall mental well-being.

Step 3: Get moving.

We hear you: It’s tough to get motivated when it’s cold outside. Here are some ways you can earn Heart Points while you’re going about your winter routine:

Want to involve the whole family? Go sledding with your kids and earn double Heart Points.
Skip the snowblower and grab a shovel. Extra points if you do your neighbor’s yard, too.
You’ll probably make a hot cocoa run at some point. Park at the farther end of the lot and squeeze in a brisk walk.
If you find yourself on the mountain this winter, skiing and snowboarding are all intense activities that can earn you double Heart Points.
If the hot cocoa didn’t warm you up, catch a spin class and earn a Heart Point for every minute you’re on the bike.

Step 4: Find a buddy.

For more inspiration, we’ve teamed up with 36 influencers from nine countries around the globe to show us how they’re earning their Heart Points. Follow #GetFitWithGoogle on Instagram and YouTube to see how others are tackling the challenge, or share your own tips and tricks on how you #GetFitwithGoogle with your favorite Heart Points workout.

Are you up for the challenge? Sign-up today in the Google Fit app. If you’re new to Google Fit, try it here to start the year right with Fit.