Earlier this fall, Google finally launched the Pixel Watch. It wasn’t a perfect smartwatch, but it was a respectable first attempt in a category that Google had neglected for years.
Still, it’s hard to shake the idea that Google might prematurely give up on its wearable ambitions if it doesn’t do “well enough.” This is why the company has been quietly walking away from background Wear OS improvements. The latest is a round of “holiday” Android updates that bring New tilesAnd the Google Keep optimization app, and Google Assistant integration for adidas running.
For Tiles — Google’s nickname for smartwatch widgets — Wear OS 3 users will be able to display their favorite contacts as well as sunrise and sunset times. The latter is often built into smartwatches, in part so that athletes can plan their trips outdoors.
Meanwhile, Google Keep will be updated later this month to look even more attractive on the wrist (and the shiny new Pixel Watch display). This includes the ability to display custom stickers, collaborators, backgrounds, images, and graphics. Finally, Adidas Running app integration with Google Assistant is rolling out over the next week so that you can use the digital assistant to start tracking your workout. That is, provided you have a Wear OS 3 watch with Google Assistant installed, an internet connection, and a compatible Android phone with the app installed.
While the holiday connection is weak, the most important thing is that Google continues to work with Wear OS updates, both small and large. Google may have been the first in the smartwatch world with Android Wear in 2014, but the platform stagnated until it bought Fitbit and partnered with Samsung to create Wear OS 3. Since then, the transition has been a bit messy, with features arriving in Sometimes months later than promised. See: The year it took Google Assistant to come to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. Naturally, we look at the transition steps, but it says a lot about Google continuing to make small improvements. Previously, it was not uncommon for months or even years to pass without significance or Minor Wear OS updates.
Google continues to make small improvements that say a lot
Right before the launch of the Pixel Watch, Rick Osterloh, Google’s Vice President of Devices said: the edge In an interview that the company has been committed to wearable devices for the long term. Given Google’s history, it’s hard to take that at face value. Tacky launches are easy, and you just need to take a look at it Google Cemetery to see that.
But big moves aren’t what turns big dreams — like ambient computing — into reality. Ask any marathon runner: It’s the small sustained efforts that matter most. These holiday updates may not be the cool stuff after all, but that could be a good sign. If Google cares enough about small, “insignificant” updates, perhaps its vision of wearable ambient computing isn’t so far-fetched after all.
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