If you own a Google Pixel Watch, you should know that it’s getting a January 2023 update. The new build focuses on bug fixes and includes the latest security patch.
The update also brings a fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes with always-on display (AOD) enabled. It also includes fall detection, which isn’t yet enabled by default.
1. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
One of the reasons Apple isn’t letting third party watch faces gracing its crown is battery life. While the iPhone X and its predecessors ate up a lot of juice over the course of a day, a power hog akin to the latest and greatest Android wearable will eat you alive in a pinch. It’s not all doom and gloom however. Fortunately, the fix isn’t too difficult to execute.
2. Fix to address Bluetooth connectivity issues
Google is among one of the fastest update-providing Android OEMs and its January 2023 update brings a few fixes to certain Pixel phones. Those include Bluetooth issues and low-energy device pairing.
According to a thread on Reddit, several users are reporting that the update is breaking their in-car Bluetooth connectivity. Fortunately, the problem appears to be fixable.
3. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
The Apple Watch has complications that allow third-party apps to display additional data on one of its watch faces. Most complications only run for a few seconds, several times an hour, to save battery life.
Because Apple engineers do a lot of testing to ensure the code driving the watch face is power-efficient, it wouldn’t make sense for them to open up watch-face development to third-party developers at this time.
4. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
The code that drives a watch face runs 24 hours a day, for months on end, so it’s critical that it uses as little power as possible. But third-party developers don’t have the resources to do this sort of testing. That’s where the Apple Watch comes in. It has its own test suite, and a large team of engineers that can run automated and manual tests on the watch’s software.
5. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
Apple wants third-party watch faces to work, but it’s not going to allow them unless they can be sure that the code driving each face is as bug-free as possible. That requires massive amounts of testing, which isn’t practical for developers who don’t have the resources to perform those tests. It also means a lot of third-party complications don’t display properly because they consume too much power.
6. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
It’s important that watch faces operate in a power-efficient manner. That’s why Apple does a lot of testing on the code that drives watch faces. Third-party developers may not have the same resources available to test their code. Hopefully, they’ll fix this bug soon. It’s a bug that can be annoying if you’re using an app-based complication that runs for 15 minutes at a time.
7. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
The problem with third-party watch faces is that they aren’t tested to the same level of quality as Apple’s. For instance, they are often designed to save battery life by using a complication with static data that only runs a few times a minute. Hopefully the update comes with some fixes to address this.
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8. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
Apple has very specific requirements for how watch face code is written and how it consumes power. Those demands are simply too much for smaller developers to meet, even if they were to be as diligent as Apple’s watch engineers. That’s why Apple doesn’t allow third-party watch faces in the App Store. But that could change soon. We’ll keep you updated. Thanks!
9. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
Apple is aware of this issue and is working on a fix. The problem occurs when using a watch face that hasn’t been updated for the new always-on display.
Those old faces have to be modified to stay on in a power-saving mode with a lower frame rate. This requires the removal of animations.
10. Fix to address 3rd party watch faces turning off after 15 minutes
For a start, this update is pretty big, but Google has managed to squeeze in an extra two or so minutes of battery life on the go. They’re also kicking the fanny when it comes to preventing your cherished watch from going the way of the dodo. The best part? It’s totally free. Hopefully this is the first of many updates to come.