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What you need to know
The latest update to Pixel Watches, coinciding with Wear OS 5.1, introduces a minor quality of life enhancement for the device’s tiles. Users will now notice a brief display of a small circular app icon at the top of the tiles, designed to enhance app recognition and usability. The rollout of the Wear OS 5.1 update began with the March feature drop, which preceded its availability on LTE models by two weeks, although this update has generated notable user concerns.
Further insights into this update indicate that it enhances user awareness regarding applications on the Pixel Watch. According to reports from 9to5Google, the Wear OS 5.1 update extends a new refinement of app icons across Pixel Watches, particularly benefiting those who navigate through their tiles on the watch face. Each tile now briefly illustrates the corresponding app’s icon.
For instance, users can see the icon of the Recorder app displayed at the top of the recorder tile momentarily. This icon is designed to be minimally intrusive, vanishing shortly after appearing. Interestingly, while this feature has reportedly existed for years, its integration appears more pronounced and effective in the recent update.
Google’s Wear OS 5.1 marks a significant evolution in the company’s approach to wearable technology. This update, built on Android 15, initially targeted Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled Pixel Watches during the March feature drop. The update brought various enhancements, including the FDA-approved Loss of Pulse safety feature, improved menstrual cycle tracking, and advancements in step tracking functionality.
It was a few weeks later that Google extended the update to LTE-capable devices, bringing a plethora of new features and media control improvements to owners of LTE models, including Pixel Watch, Pixel Watch 2, and Pixel Watch 3. If users haven’t received the update yet, it is advisable to check for it again, as the rollout began approximately ten days ago (March 28).
However, despite the numerous updates and enhancements offered by Wear OS 5.1, users have reported several significant issues, primarily focusing on delayed notifications and serious battery drain. The community has expressed their frustrations, with some suggesting that temporary fixes like restarting or factory resetting the watch might alleviate the problems. Google has acknowledged these concerns, stating that they are aware of the situation affecting a “very small number of Pixel Watch users.”
Source
www.androidcentral.com