Kseniia Shumelchyk, Android Developer Relations Engineer, and Garan Jenkin, Android Developer Relations Engineer
Put on OS has seen unbelievable progress and developments over the previous 12 months. With watch launches from Pixel, Samsung and extra, Put on OS grew its consumer base by 40% in 2023 and has customers in over 160 nations and areas. And Put on OS has expanded to extra manufacturers together with OnePlus, OPPO and Xiaomi. This progress has been accompanied by heavy investments in efficiency and energy optimization.
On this weblog submit, we’ll be highlighting among the key updates we introduced at Google I/O this 12 months, so let’s dive in and discover the newest developments in Put on OS and how one can profit from the platform.
Put on OS 5 Developer Preview
We’re excited to be releasing the Developer Preview of Put on OS 5, the subsequent model of Google’s smartwatch platform arriving later this 12 months, primarily based on Android 14. Central to our launch of Put on OS 5 is continuous to boost battery life.
Put on OS 5 brings efficiency enhancements over Put on OS 4. Monitoring your exercise is now extra environment friendly; for instance, operating a marathon consumes as much as 20% much less energy on Put on OS 5 than on Put on OS 4.
That will help you develop power-efficient apps on Put on OS, we’ve launched a new information to preserve energy and battery. Ensure to have a look!
Put on OS 5 relies on Android 14, which brings with it plenty of developer-facing modifications. Try what’s modified and take a look at the brand new Put on OS 5 emulator to check your app for compatibility with the brand new platform model.
Adjustments in Watch Faces improvement
Final 12 months we launched the Watch Face Format as a part of Put on OS 4, and we’ve had a implausible response, with 30% of watch faces in Google Play already utilizing the format. It’s been nice to see what you’ve all been capable of create to date utilizing the Watch Face Format!
We’re excited to deliver you the subsequent iteration of the Watch Face Format with Put on OS 5.
Moreover, we’re asserting some modifications to present watch face improvement utilizing Jetpack Watch Face APIs. Ranging from Put on OS 5, we’re introducing restrictions to issues for watch faces constructed with AndroidX or the Wearable Assist Library that can apply to some information sources, in addition to Google Play publishing limitations to new watch faces constructed with these libraries.
Try the Watch Faces weblog submit for full particulars on the brand new options in Watch Face Format and modifications to look at faces improvement choices.
Tooling and library updates
Jetpack Compose for Put on OS
Adoption of Compose on Put on OS has grown 200% prior to now 12 months, highlighting the benefit with which Compose permits builders to construct for the watch type issue. Not too long ago we’ve seen prime apps corresponding to WhatsApp, Gmail and Google Calendar constructed fully utilizing Compose for Put on OS, and it’s the beneficial manner for constructing consumer interfaces for Put on OS apps.
With the 1.3 launch of Jetpack Compose for Put on OS, we’ve graduated plenty of visible enhancements and fixes from beta to secure.
Up to now 12 months, we’ve added options corresponding to SwipeToReveal, to provide customers further means for finishing actions, an expandable merchandise, to boost using the smaller display screen and present further info the place wanted, and a spread of WearPreview supporting annotations, for making certain your app works optimally throughout the vary of system sizes and font scales.
And at Google I/O 2024, we introduced lots of new updates with Jetpack Compose that enable you construct throughout type components, together with Put on OS, learn extra in this weblog and take a look at how SoundCloud supported extra screens utilizing 45% much less code with Jetpack Compose.
Tiles and ProtoLayout
Put on OS tiles give customers quick, predictable entry to the knowledge and actions they depend on most. Model 1.4 of the Jetpack Tiles library, presently in alpha, introduces preview help for Android Studio that can assist you shortly iterate in your Tile improvement whereas additionally serving to you create optimal-looking tiles on a spread of show sizes.
Previews may be seen beginning in Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop (Canary), with the next dependencies:
- androidx.put on.tiles:tiles-tooling-preview:1.4.0-alpha02+
- androidx.put on.tiles:tiles-tooling:1.4.0-alpha02+
- androidx.put on:wear-tooling-preview:1.0.0+
@Preview(system = WearDevices.SMALL_ROUND)
enjoyable smallPreview(context: Context) = TilePreviewData(
onTileRequest = { request ->
TilePreviewHelper.singleTimelineEntryTileBuilder(
buildMyTileLayout()
).construct()
}
)
We’ve additionally launched higher means on your app to find out whether or not your tiles are in use, via the getActiveTilesAsync() methodology.
Inside ProtoLayout’s secure model 1.1, as utilized by Tiles, we’ve launched plenty of modifications, corresponding to the next:
And from 1.2.0-alpha02, we’ve made it simpler on your layouts to regulate appropriately for various show sizes by including the setResponsiveContentInsetEnabled() methodology to PrimaryLayout, in addition to updating it for EdgeContentLayout. To make use of this setter, replace your code as follows:
PrimaryLayout.Builder(deviceParameters)
.setResponsiveContentInsetEnabled(true)
.setContent(
// ...
)
.construct()
Simpler testing for health apps
Android Studio Koala Characteristic Drop (Canary) brings a brand new sensor panel to make it simpler to check use of Well being Companies in your Put on OS app. The panel means that you can configure capabilities of the system, set values of particular information varieties and stimulate occasions corresponding to auto-pause and resume of workouts.
Try this weblog to study extra about tooling updates.
Bigger Shows
With the momentum surrounding Put on OS, we’re seeing a greater variety of spherical display screen sizes and resolutions, which gives extra selections for the consumer.
We’re releasing new pointers on tips on how to construct responsive UIs for various watch show sizes, in addition to updates to present libraries to introduce adaptive layouts, and parts.
Try the ComposeStarter pattern for Put on OS on Github to see tips on how to make the most of these updates in your app. Moreover, we’ve up to date the pattern to offer examples of utilizing instruments to judge your layouts, together with :
- Previews – demonstrating use of WearPreviewDevices to visualise your layouts on a full vary of system sizes and font scaling settings.
- Screenshot testing – serving to you detect points and regressions in your layouts on completely different sized gadgets, with completely different font scales and locales, consultant of real-world gadgets.
Begin constructing for Put on OS now
There has by no means been a greater time to start out constructing for Put on OS! Remember to try Constructing for the way forward for Put on OS technical session to study extra about all the newest updates for Put on OS!
To get began:
We’re wanting ahead to seeing the experiences that you simply construct on Put on OS!