Google Says Android 16 QPR1 Will Introduce Lock Screen Widgets on Smartphones

With the discharge of Android 15 QPR2 in December, Google introduced again widgets to the lock display on tablets, beginning with the Pixel Tablet. Ever since, customers have been left questioning if the function would additionally make its option to smartphones, and it appears like which will occur quickly. As a part of its Spotlight Week which brings an enhanced deal with widgets, the Mountain View-based expertise firm has introduced that widgets on smartphones will lastly arrive with the Android 16 QPR1 replace.

In a brand new FAQ page for “Widgets on lock display”, the corporate highlighted that lock display widgets allow customers to create a personalised expertise on their gadgets. They can entry widgets for checking the time, setting alarms, viewing very important info, studying inventory updates, and even managing good dwelling gadgets like lights and thermostats.

Google says lock display widgets can be accessible within the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) for mobiles and tablets following the discharge of Android 16 QPR1. The replace itself is scheduled to be pushed to AOSP in late Summer 2025. However, its preliminary launch is not going to assist customisation of the lock display widget’s consumer interface by authentic gear producers (OEMs). Thus, it would have the identical developer expertise regardless of the machine. However, they will pre-set and mechanically show default widgets on their respective gadgets.

Meanwhile, the mechanism for triggering widgets is certainly customisable. As per Google, OEMs can choose in the event that they want to have charging or docking standing as triggers for widgets. Further, third-party OEMs can even implement their very own posture detection.

The widgets are anticipated to be sized to roughly 4 x 3 cells on the launcher though their precise dimensions are mentioned to fluctuate by machine. To present customers with the absolute best expertise, Google advises builders to incorporate assist for dynamic color and resizing within the widgets. They should observe the identical high quality pointers as dwelling display widgets for high quality, sizing, and configuration.

Developers will initially have the ability to check their widgets on Pixel Tablet gadgets which obtained the assist following the Android 15 QPR2 replace in December 2024.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a press launch)