Some of the Wear OS-related announcements made at the recent Google I/O 2023 event now appear to be ready as the search giant just announced that it would be adding new features to its smartwatch platform, which will soon be upgraded to Wear OS 4. Google has announced that the Spotify and Keep apps on Wear OS will be getting new tiles along with additional functionality for its Google Wallet app, for users in the US. The updates for the same will be available via their respective apps for users in the coming weeks.
Among several other features coming to Android, Google in its latest feature drop announced that the Spotify app for Wear OS will be getting three new tiles. The three tiles are for podcasts, tracks on heavy rotation, and an AI-enabled DJ feature. The DJ feature will automatically generate a lineup of songs, stream episodes and podcasts, which will be personalised for the user.
Google's Keep note taking app on Wear OS also gets a much-needed update letting users add multiple tiles. These tiles are customisable in the sense that they can be pinned notes or even to-do lists. Adding notes or lists as tiles obviously makes it easier to glance through them with a single swipe from the watch face.
Also added for US users (primarily in Washington DC and the San Francisco Bay Area) is the ability to tap and ride. Commuters with a Wear OS smartwatch can simply scan the watch to pay using their SmartTrip and Clipper cards via Google Wallet.
The above updates are expected to work on all Wear OS-powered devices and not just Google's Pixel Watch, which is only available in select markets globally.
Google at its recent I/O 2023 developer event announced several new features that will be coming to the latest version of smartwatch operating system called Wear OS 4. The big update that is expected to roll out in the coming months to Pixel Watch users will bring a lot more functionality to such smartwatches by adding services like Gmail, Calendar, and Google Home as well. The update is also said to bring features like WhatsApp call support once the platform successfully brings its native app to Wear OS. The app is currently available in a beta state only.
Also expected with Wear OS 4 are battery life improvements and the ability to create backups and restore them to other watches. There's also a new Watch Face Format, which has been developed in partnership with Samsung, which will help developers create more uniform watch faces for the platform with ease and a level of consistency.
Google I/O 2023 saw the search giant repeatedly tell us that it cares about AI, alongside the launch of its first foldable phone and Pixel-branded tablet. This year, the company is going to supercharge its apps, services, and Android operating system with AI technology. We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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