What it’s worthwhile to know
- Google is actively encouraging watch face builders to embrace Watch Face Format, as failure to take action could restrict their watch faces to primary options.
- The brand new format permits Put on OS to deal with processing, enabling builders to concentrate on aesthetics with out the necessity for in depth code optimizations.
- Google’s push for WFF is intently tied to the hybrid Put on OS interface unveiled at MWC 2024.
Google needs builders to get on board with the brand new Watch Face Format (WFF) for creating watch faces on Put on OS to take advantage of out of your battery life.
Again at I/O 2023, Google and Samsung joined forces to create WFF for Put on OS 4. This recent format shouldn’t be solely simpler to deal with but in addition packs a power-saving trick, giving your smartwatch an extended battery life.
For the time being, builders nonetheless cling to the older Jetpack or Wearable Assist libraries, although they’re lacking out on harnessing the total potential of the brand new format.
However Google is now encouraging watch face builders to embrace WFF. In any other case, their watch faces will solely deal with the fundamentals like battery, app shortcuts, unread notification depend, date, time and date, day of the week, day and date, and world clock (by way of 9to5Google).
The brand new format is declarative XML, which mainly means no logic or executable code. Put on OS does the heavy lifting, leaving builders free to craft watch faces with out getting slowed down by code optimizations. In keeping with Google, this new format is low-maintenance, requiring fewer updates.
Nevertheless, WFF shouldn’t be with out its limitations. Many have complained on Reddit about the way it would not play good with complicated options or animations. It looks like Google is nudging everybody in direction of less complicated designs with this one.
Though Watch Face Format shouldn’t be as loaded with options because the Jetpack or Wearable libraries, Google’s push is tied to the brand new hybrid Put on OS interface revealed at MWC 2024. In Put on OS 4, watch faces can easily run on the lower-powered co-processor with out drawing energy from the primary processor in dual-chip smartwatches.
Making WFF essential in upcoming Put on OS releases is a strategic transfer to ensure top-notch battery life on hybrid Put on OS watches just like the OnePlus Watch 2, irrespective of which watch face you select.
