Google Adds New Swipeable Wear OS Widget Called Tiles

In the next month, Google will be rolling out a new element that would improve the Wear OS’ overall experience as well as implementing a more simple and easy access of information in the gadget.

The new feature which was announced last Wednesday, is a swipeable widget that Google is naming Tiles. This is following the introduction of swipeable health coaching via Google Fit to Wear OS.

With this pretty helpful feature, it seems like Google’s Wear OS has come a long way since its initial release back in 2014.

Google Introduces New Widget: Tiles

Months ago, a new Wear OS design was introduced that offers users swipeable access to a variety of things in the gadget. Swiping from different directions corresponds to a couple of commands.

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A swipe from the bottom of the screen will show notifications and quick reply suggestions. Meanwhile, when you swipe from the top of the screen will display a variety of Quick Toggles.

And if you want to access Google Assistant, you will just have to swipe over the left side, while Google Fit is over on the right side.

Since its launch, this feature has received a largely positive feedback. Now, Google is building up from that with a new feature that the company is calling Tiles.

Tiles is a widget with tile-like cards integrated into the user-interface that users can easily swipe through to see various information that might interest the user.

In a blog post published by Google, explains that Tiles are grouped under the following categories: Goals, Next event, Forecast (for the weather), Heart rate, Headlines and Timer.

So, checking in on events on your calendar, checking in at your heart rate, and even catching up on the latest news can easily be accessed by just swiping left on the Wear OS watch face.

These tiles are accessed by swiping left and if users are not satisfied with the default order, they can always rearranged it by long-pressing them and dragging them individually in the order they deemed fit.

And in another way, the order can be switched around inside the Wear OS using a Google app on their smartphones.

Tiles Will Be Rolling Out Soon

The new Tiles widget will start to roll out to Wear OS smartwatches across the globe throughout next month. There has not been an exact date of the rollout though.

But Google is planning on showing the feature off at Google I/O next week where is expected to announce the company’s first mid-range smartphones – Google Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL.