what does the new design look like
In earlier Wear OS smartwatches, the Google Play Store search button was inside a circular button. However, the new design has replaced the circular button with a pill-shaped button. In addition, a “See More” button has also been added next to the “Explore All” option that shows three app suggestions. The new button can be used to know the name, icon and rating of the app.
In addition, the “recommended for you” and “trending now” sections will now be followed by larger cards — “watch faces,” “music streaming,” “essential watch apps,” and “healthy mind and body,” the report notes.
Following that section, the new design also has an option that allows users to “browse and install apps from your other devices,” like your phone. This feature can be used to open the Play Store on another device (smartphone in this case) directly from your smartwatch.
Finally, the pages end with the “Manage Applications” and “Settings” options. The “Manage Apps” option is important for checking for app updates, yet it’s placed at the end of all other cards.
How is it an upgrade from the previous design
As per the report, the current design is “too heavy and boring” which doesn’t give much room for the app’s promotion. The report suggests that promoting apps directly on the main feed may encourage users to download more apps for their wearable devices and may even increase developer interest.
This new design is a sign that “the wearable design has been consolidated to show most content in one view” and not require users to scroll through multiple menus, the report notes.
Meanwhile, Google is also planning to roll out the automatic installation feature for companion apps. Whenever users have to install an app on their Wear OS device that requires a companion app, this upcoming feature will automatically install the companion app on their mobile devices.