Google is bringing Wear OS 5, a new version of its smartwatch operating system, to developer preview. This latest release is one of many announcements from the Google I/O 2024 developer conference, focusing on improved battery life and other performance improvements like more efficient workout tracking. . Developers will also get updated tools for creating watch faces, as well as new versions of his Wear OS tiles and Jetpack Compose for building watch apps.
A key upgrade that consumers appreciate is battery life, which is driven by improvements in the way some software works. For example, Google says that workout tracking updates reduce power consumption when running a marathon by 20% compared to the previous version of Wear OS 4.
The company also plans to release guides for developers to help them create more efficient apps.
Following the release of the Watch Face format as part of Wear OS 4 last year, Google is now updating the face designer that powers 30% of watch faces on Google Play. To encourage this format to more developers, Google is restricting some data sources for complications built with his AndroidX or wearable support libraries and exposing them to watch faces built with these libraries. It says it will implement restrictions.
Image credit: Google
Additionally, we are releasing Jetpack Compose for Wear OS version 1.3, which focuses on updates that enable developers to build on a variety of form factors, including Wear OS.
Image credit: Google
Meanwhile, version 1.4 of the Jetplack Tiles library, currently in alpha, adds preview support for Android Studio, allowing developers to create Wear OS tiles (swipeable tiles that provide information and access actions in WearOS apps). screen). Other improvements help with the layout of text and other data on tiles, and help developer apps determine which tiles are being used.
Image credit: Google
Other updates include a new sensor panel for testing your app's use of Google Health Services and new guidelines for building responsive Wear OS apps across different screen sizes.
Some of the new tools will be rolled out in the Android Studio Koala Feature Drop (Canary).
