The next Apple Watch may have a two-inch display, according to CAD renders posted by 91mobiles, which said they were “sourced from industry insiders.” They supposedly depict either the Apple Watch Series 10 or a rumored special anniversary edition. If true, that means the wearable will feature the largest display ever on an Apple Watch.
The Siri face no longer exists, at least in the watchOS 11 developer beta, according to AppleInsider. If it’s gone in the release version this fall, that may be the first watchface ever retired, the story notes.
The Siri face debuted with the Apple Watch series 3. Its big idea was that it would surface info as you need it, but new Smart Stack features may make it redundant.
You do need a Music Premium account, but you can download playlists for offline playback. We love to see Garmin add to the ConnectIQ store, which... let’s face it, doesn’t have the largest selection as far as third-party smartwatch app stores go. Previously, you could choose between Spotify, Amazon Music, and Deezer. (But I’ve yet to meet anyone who used the latter two with the Garmin.)
And it looks a lot like the Pixel Watch 3 leaks we saw the other day. Just bigger. How much bigger? Apparently the case will be 45mm, which as far as chonky smartwatches go isn’t that big. Even so, we love to see a bigger size option for folks with larger wrists — especially if that means a larger battery too.
Mostly because he got his mitts on this rad KDDI Infobar Apple Watch case. Turning the KDDI Infobar’s iconic design into a nostalgic Apple Watch accessory? Chef’s kiss. I miss that era of Japanese feature phones so friggin’ much.
You can read more about it in Sam’s review, but how’s that for ‘replacing’ your phone with a smartwatch?
Starting June 10th, a Google support page says the digital wallet app will start requiring Android 9 or higher and Wear OS 2 or higher to work, as earlier versions no longer get security updates.
As 9to5Google notes, it only required Android 5.2 when it fully rolled out in 2022.
Its limitations made it fall short in daily life but ended up being a plus while trying to disconnect from the world.
The company says it stopped accepting new sign-ups for API access and that developers will have until June 30th, 2025 to migrate from Google Fit to Android Health.
For now, the Google Fit app still works as it always has; just know that it seems bound for the Google graveyard next year.
[Android Developers Blog]
Underneath your Home and Work address shortcuts, the Google Maps widget now has a shortcut that lets you launch a map of your current location. This is neat, considering that, unlike Garmins, most Wear OS watches don’t have native compasses or maps preloaded.
***If you fill out a questionnaire beforehand that includes a non-disclosure agreement and get accepted into the beta test program. Enrollment will last through April 30th, and lucky users will get notified about a week later.
So, not exactly the Wear OS 4 rollout Mobvoi fans have probably been hoping for, but a sign of progress!
That’s because rumor has it the thing will pack a 600mAh battery. On the one hand, that probably means multiday battery life. We love that! But it also means the Pro will likely be a behemoth. Don’t love that. I get the design challenge, but on behalf of petite-wristed folks, smartwatches can’t keep getting bigger to solve the battery issue.
The change log for the beta version 17.10 for Garmin watches (including the Fenix 7s Pro, Epix and Epix Pro, and Enduro 2) adds phone-finding “during an activity with GPS.”
If you aren’t part of Garmin’s public beta program, here are the sign-up instructions. (The company notes that public beta testers can’t get this update on the Marq Aviator Gen 2, unfortunately.)
The tradeoffs are well worth the savings over the slightly more advanced Forerunner 265.
First adopters are ambassadors for the future. Glassholes need not apply.
