Along with new features like play mode and digital car key sharing for Android phones and tablets, Google also unveiled new and improved features for Wear OS-based smartwatches. The company is bringing new Tiles and improved proprietary apps to handheld devices. These new features will come to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 5 series.
Google has announced that it’s bringing three new tiles to Wear OS smartwatches: Favorite Contacts, Sunrise Time, and Sunset Time. While the first tile is useful for almost everyone, tiles that show sunrise and sunset can be useful for photographers, athletes, and those who enjoy outdoor activities. There’s also a new tile that shows quick access to home and work locations on Google Maps.
Google Keep is also getting a new update that brings the ability to display tags, collaborators, photos, custom backgrounds, and even designs. These features were missing in the Wear OS version of the app, but Google is finally bringing them in to make Google Keep more useful as a standalone app on smartwatches.
Just in time for the new year and new resolutions, Google Assistant integrates the Adidas Running app. So you can use your Galaxy Watch to ask Google Assistant to start a run through the Adidas Running app. However, you need an active internet connection for this feature to work. With all these new features, it looks like Google is finally serious about wearables and wants to succeed in the segment.