No matter what Android smartphone you’re using, you’ve probably experienced what is arguably the most frustrating home screen widget around. I’m talking about the “Glance” widget, that calendar and weather item that’s attached to the left side of the screen, and is there permanently if you’re using a Pixel device.
The text scale is still too small compared to other home screen elements, tapping requires a lot of dexterity, and you can’t resize the widget so that it doesn’t leave 2 or 3 squares of dead space to its right.
The redesign of Android’s “Glance” widget was therefore long overdue. And it is finally planned, according to a press release from Google.
For Android Pie and higher
The new widget should work on most, if not all, Android devices running version 9 (Android Pie) or higher. And it leverages AI to offer more personalized, event-specific insights while you go about your business. This includes boarding information for upcoming flights, weather alerts, general reminders, and more.
Google
In a sample video embedded in the press release, the new widget is shown on a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, showing a reminder for the drive to the airport, boarding the plane, baggage claim after landing, and the weather on arrival.
The new widget gives you the option to apply a white or black background, providing more contrast with your wallpaper. The weather also has its own visual on the right side of the widget, and the descriptions take up two lines instead of one.
Overall, the new Glance widget is much easier to understand when you want to get essential information without having to open dedicated apps on your phone. This is what should have been done from the start.
Source: “ZDNet.com”