- Google is expanding the always-on functionality in Wear OS 6 watches
- Media controls will now be visible on the AOD.
- This will let users control music even when the screen is turned off.
Google recently hosted its annual I/O event, where it announced the next version of Android and Wear OS. Material 3 Expressive is the common design language on both platforms. With Wear OS 6, Google is revamping the user interface for smartwatches. The new update also lets you control music directly from the Always On screen. Here’s everything you need to know about Wear OS 6.
Wear OS 6 Brings Media Controls To Always-On Screen
Wear OS 6 lets you finally control music playback right from the always-on screen of your watch. Currently, these Always On screens lack a definitive purpose as they only show the time.
Except for Google Maps, most apps don’t utilize the AOD properly on smartwatches. Rather, the screen becomes dim and blurry to show the time.
Google rolled out Wear OS 5.1 based on Android 15 with a new developer option. Called “Force Global AOD Experience”, it turns on Always On display across the UI.
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Now, a report by 9to5Google claims that Google plans to fix it with the upcoming Wear OS. It will unify everything with the upcoming software by keeping the last used app active on the Always On Screen.
According to Google, “Wear OS 6 consolidates existing solutions to offer a consistent always-on display experience across devices.”. This means when you are listening to songs on Spotify, the current song and media controls will remain visible even when the song stops playing.
The only difference will be that these buttons will go black with the respective background color. It’s a small yet noticeable change for WearOS users.
