Latest news with #WearOS
Android Authority
15 hours ago
- Android Authority
Love your new Galaxy Watch 8? Here's one setting you need to fix immediately
Joe Maring / Android Authority Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8 series officially hit store shelves last Friday, and from what we've seen so far, Samsung's newest wearables are likely among the best Wear OS watches you can buy this year. I've been wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic for the last few days, and while I'm nowhere near ready to review it, my first impressions have been positive. I've long been a fan of Samsung smartwatches, particularly those with rotating bezels. As such, going back to that with the Watch 8 Classic has been an absolute treat. However, as much as I've enjoyed my time with the Watch 8 Classic so far, there's one issue that almost ruined my first day with it. If you have a Galaxy Watch 8 (either the regular model or the Classic one), there's a notification setting you'll want to fix immediately. What do you think about Samsung's default notification setting on the Galaxy Watch 8? 0 votes I like it. The fewer notifications, the better. NaN % I hate it! I want to see all my notifications by default. NaN % I don't care, it's an easy thing to change. NaN % Other (let us know in the comments). NaN % Where did all my notifications go? Joe Maring / Android Authority When I strapped on the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic last Friday, things were off to a great start. The watch was comfortable, the bezel was as satisfying as I had hoped it would be, and having six tiles on a single page felt like a cheat code. But after a couple of hours, I noticed something odd: I wasn't getting any notifications on the watch. I hadn't received a single Gmail notification or anything from Telegram — despite one of my group chats being particularly chatty. What did I do wrong? Then it hit me. For years now, Samsung has taken an infuriating approach to smartwatch notifications. By default, on the Galaxy Watch 8 (and other Samsung smartwatches), only a select few apps — such as Samsung Calendar, Google Messages, Reminder, and Assistant/Gemini — have notifications enabled. Meanwhile, notifications for all of your other applications are disabled. As such, when your phone receives notifications from WhatsApp, Slack, Threads, Google Tasks, or any other applications, your Galaxy Watch doesn't show you any of them. If you rely on your smartwatch to receive important notifications throughout the day, that can lead to a lot of missed messages, emails, etc. How to fix your Galaxy Watch 8 notifications Joe Maring / Android Authority Once I remembered this, I dug through the Samsung Wearable app on my Galaxy Z Flip 7 and found the settings I needed to enable these notifications on the Galaxy Watch 8. Thankfully, once you know where to look, getting it configured requires just a few taps: Open the Samsung Wearable app. Tap Watch settings. Tap Notifications. Tap App notifications. Scroll down to Phone apps. Tap Allow all or tap the toggles next to the apps you want to receive notifications from. All in all, it took about 30 seconds to do this, and my Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has since delivered all of my notifications as expected. But it really shouldn't be this way. Nowhere in the setup process for the Galaxy Watch 8 does Samsung let you know that the majority of your app notifications are disabled. At the very least, there should be a screen alerting you to this. But more importantly, Samsung needs to provide an option during setup that allows folks to choose which route they want to go: keep most of their notifications turned off, or allow all of them. It took me a while to remember this, and that's coming from someone who has reviewed Samsung wearables for over a decade. I know for a fact that my mom, or any other 'normal' user, would just assume something was broken when they noticed their watch wasn't showing all their notifications. I get the argument of notification overload and only wanting to allow a select few app notifications on your smartwatch. That said, blanket disabling almost everything right out of the gate is absolutely not the correct approach. C. Scott Brown / Android Authority For all the things Samsung is getting right with the Galaxy Watch 8 series, it's frustrating that something as simple as notifications continues to be bungled year after year. This doesn't have to be an issue, and the more it persists with Samsung's smartwatches, the more annoying it gets. Follow
Phone Arena
a day ago
- Phone Arena
Google Messages is getting a bold new look on smartwatches
Google is continuing its slow rollout of the Material 3 Expressive design language across its apps, and its latest stop is Wear OS. The Google Messages app on smartwatches is now showing signs of a visual refresh, first spotted by a Telegram user on a Pixel Watch 3. The update brings visual elements that align closely with Material 3 Expressive: message bubbles now have subtle tints, buttons are filled with color, and interface shapes suggest more fluid interactions. Some list options now feature buttons with both icons and text, while others are shaped to hint at their scrollable behavior. It's not clear yet how widely the redesign is being distributed. While some users on the latest version of Google Messages are already seeing the changes, others are not, which points to a server-side rollout. It may also be limited to specific hardware like the Pixel Watch 3 or newer Wear OS devices. Material 3 Expressive in the Google Messages Wear OS app. | Images credit — Android Authority Material 3 Expressive has also been expanding across Android phones and tablets. On smartphones, Google Messages is testing the same redesign, but only for beta users. The Google Keep app was recently updated with a thicker search bar and slightly larger icons. Google Phone also received a refresh, featuring rounded cards, a new dialer, and updated gesture controls. Google's Material 3 Expressive rollout mirrors Apple's own shift with its Liquid Glass UI in iOS 26 and watchOS 26. While Apple is focusing on fluid transitions and the transparent aesthetic to give its software a more futuristic feel, Google's approach leans more into customizable shapes and vibrant color accents. Both companies are clearly trying to break out of flat design—but Google's rollout has been slower, staggered across platforms and devices, whereas Apple's updates throughout this beta period has been more unified across iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches. Staggered rollouts, such as how Google usually does them, can be frustrating. Users running the latest software may not see the redesign immediately, which raises questions about the consistency of Google's software updates across Wear OS. That said, these types of server-side experiments often serve as final validation before a broader release. That said, this is a step forward for Wear OS. While not a game-changer, the update reflects Google's continued investment in wearable software design, even as competition from Samsung's One UI Watch and Apple's watchOS remains strong. For users already in Google's ecosystem, the growing presence of Material 3 Expressive is bringing a more cohesive visual experience across platforms.
Phone Arena
2 days ago
- Phone Arena
Google wants your smartwatch to prove you're still you
Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 7. | Image credit – PhoneArena Google's been steadily tightening the connection between Android phones and Wear OS smartwatches – and the latest hint suggests that bond is about to get a whole lot smarter. To keep things convenient, Identity Check only kicks in when your phone is outside trusted locations like your home or office. That way, you are not constantly battling security prompts in places you've already marked as safe. The goal is to add an extra layer of protection when you are out and about, making it harder for thieves to get into your phone if it's stolen. Now, though, it looks like Google is quietly working on a new upgrade that could take things even further – by using your smartwatch as a signal that you're still the one holding the phone. New code strings found in version 25.29.31 of the Google Play Services beta point to this possible upgrade. They suggest that if your watch is nearby and connected, your phone might take that as a green light – a trust signal that you're still in control – and ease up on the constant biometric checks. Now, this wouldn't get rid of the need for a fingerprint or PIN entirely. But if your smartwatch is already strapped to your wrist and unlocked with a PIN of its own, it could help cut down on all the extra steps. Less friction, same security – that's the goal. With Identity Check you can set up your own trusted places. | Image credit – Google Of course, since this is still in development, there's no guarantee it'll roll out exactly like this – or at all. But as Android's theft protection tools keep evolving, letting a smartwatch act as a trust signal makes a lot of sense… as long as a thief doesn't grab both your phone and your watch. In short, if Google nails this, Android users could get a smoother, smarter way to keep their phones secure without feeling like security slows them down. That's a win for anyone who's ever been frustrated typing in a PIN just to do something simple on their phone. When you switch to Total Wireless, keep your number & grab 3 mo. of 5G We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
Google Messages gets Material 3 Expressive on Wear OS before Android
Joe Maring / Android Authority TL;DR Google Messages is the latest Wear OS app to receive Google's Material 3 Expressive redesign. The update brings more consistent coloring, slight changes to shapes, and new icons to complement text. Google may be testing the update with a small set of users, since it has yet to reach a wider audience. Google has already begun transitioning many of its apps to the new, more fluid and vivid Material 3 Expressive design philosophy. These changes haven't been limited to Android phones or tablets and have also extended to other Google platforms, including Wear OS, where Google now appears to be rolling out the updated design theme to another app. Google Messages is the latest Wear OS app to be updated with Material 3 Expressive elements. Among the chief changes we see here are more integrated UI elements, mainly including color-filled buttons and slightly tinted message blobs. Some buttons, including those for options in a list, are also shaped more dynamically to suggest a scrollable nature. Meanwhile, blobs for messages and conversations also assume a less rounded shape. Additionally, we now see text on some buttons accompanied by icons. Here's a look at the Material 3 Expressive theme on Google Messages: Buttons grouped together also have an outline under them, suggesting that they may have similar or complementary functions. You can see that on buttons for quick replies, including separate buttons for emoji, voice typing, and a full-sized keyboard, which appear unified with an outline below them. Meanwhile, the older design simply puts these buttons in a single row. We were notified of these changes by Telegram user jolivekoffi, who found them on their Pixel Watch 3. The interface changes to the Messages app on Wear OS were also corroborated by my colleague, Rita El Khoury. However, some others at Android Authority, including my colleague AssembleDebug and myself, haven't received the updates despite running the latest version of the app, suggesting that this could be either a server-side rollout or intended for specific watch models. Google Messages is the latest to join the roster of Wear OS apps to have received the new, but also polarizing, design. Calendar, Keep, Gmail, and the recently released Gemini app for Wear OS are other Google apps that have already been updated with fresher visuals on smartwatches. Meanwhile, Google is also testing the redesign for Messages on Android, but these changes are currently limited to beta users. Follow
Android Authority
2 days ago
- Android Authority
After Facer, Pujie and WatchMaker announce Wear OS 6 support
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority TL;DR After Facer, watch face distribution apps Pujie and WatchMaker are extending support for Wear OS 6. The updated versions comply with Google's mandate to switch to the new Watch Face Format. While Pujie is separating development into two apps (for new and old watches), WatchMaker is likely to continue using just one. With Wear OS 5, Google introduced a new standard to make watch faces more power-efficient. And, to ensure watch face designers and developers running distribution apps like Facer, Pujie, or WatchMaker make the switch to Watch Face Format (or WFF), it effectively blocked support for legacy watch faces on newer Wear OS versions. Starting 2026, legacy watch faces cannot co-exist with WFF ones on these distribution apps, which is why Facer recently announced an updated phone app that works with Wear OS 6 watches. That will include support for the Watch Ultra and the newly launched Galaxy Watch 8 — with many more to follow. Now, other apps, Pujie and WatchMaker, are also making the switch, bringing similar solutions with Wear OS in mind. Pujie is bifurcating its efforts into two apps: one to apply watch faces to smartwatches running Wear OS 6 and future versions, and another to support watches running Wear OS 4 or older versions. This separation ensures that the older app continues to support legacy watch faces while the newer version works only with WFF. Pujie's approach differs from Facer's, which does not require you to download two separate apps if you have two different smartwatches. However, you need to select the smartwatch within Facer's Android app where you wish to apply a new watch face, and the app dynamically refreshes to support only one of the two kinds — legacy or WFF — faces. To put it simply, Facer is running two versions of the apps in a broader environment. In contrast, Pujie's approach might make sense for its use case, since it allows extensive customization of watch faces, including a system where you can create your own watch faces using different building blocks. Among other changes to the new app, it introduces a real-time simulator to reflect changes immediately and supports animation preview and will also let you transfer watch faces between two versions of the app. Meanwhile, WatchMaker did not clarify in its blog post which approach it is taking, although it appears to be proceeding in the same manner as Facer. This approach is suggested by a single app listing on the Google Play Store by WatchMaker's publisher, 'androidslide.' Additionally, WatchMaker's blog post notes that more than 130,000 watch faces have already been adapted to support WFF, and all you need to do to use those is sync them to the new watch again. What's with Google's Watch Face Format? Google's Watch Face Format takes a modular approach, where designers and developers only need to work on the front end and upload the details in a lightweight XML file, while the Wear OS system automatically handles the execution. Although this allows for lighter watch faces that are quicker to sync and consume less battery, it also limits visual effects such as depth or shadow, rendering very artificial-looking visuals. This approach can be especially detrimental to watch faces that simulate analog watches, and has also resulted in enthusiasts, including my colleague Rita El Khoury, lamenting these limitations. Follow
