Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google seems to be growing a “Water Lock” shortcut for Put on OS, and it might arrive on the Pixel Watch with the upcoming Put on OS 6 replace.
- This function would seemingly disable the watch’s touchscreen to forestall erratic habits and false touches when the system will get moist.
- Nevertheless, proof of an accompanying water ejection sound is lacking, and there’s no assure the function will likely be within the closing launch.
The best smartwatches are sometimes extremely waterproof, so you may take them into the swimming pool or bathe with out fear. Nevertheless, whereas getting them moist gained’t trigger harm, it could make them act up. That’s as a result of most smartwatches use capacitive touchscreens, which frequently behave erratically when water lands on them, resulting in annoying false touches and a lack of sensitivity.
You’re studying an Authority Insights story. Uncover Authority Insights for extra unique studies, app teardowns, leaks, and in-depth tech protection you gained’t discover wherever else.
To forestall these points, many smartwatches function a devoted “Water Lock” mode that disables the touchscreen. This mode is usually paired with a water ejection function that performs a selected tone to clear water from the speaker port. On most gadgets, like these from Samsung and Apple, this water ejection is triggered routinely once you flip off Water Lock, nevertheless it may also be activated manually.
In distinction, Google’s Pixel Watch doesn’t provide a devoted Water Lock mode or a water ejection function. Whereas it routinely disables contact enter once you begin a swim exercise, it gained’t achieve this if you happen to’re simply carrying it within the rain or bathe. Nevertheless, Google might lastly add a devoted Water Lock shortcut with the upcoming Wear OS 6 replace.
Whereas digging by the Wear OS 6 Developer Preview, I noticed new textual content strings suggesting a Fast Settings tile known as “Water Lock” is being added. Though the strings don’t element what this mode does, it should seemingly work as you’d anticipate: disabling the watch’s touchscreen to forestall unintended inputs from water.
Code
Water lock
Water Lock
Water lock on
Activate Water lock? Notably, the code strings additionally lack any point out of a water ejection function. With out one, the brand new “Water Lock” mode can be functionally an identical to the Pixel Watch’s present “Touch Lock” function. If that’s the case, its solely actual profit can be to present customers a extra clearly named choice to allow earlier than getting their watch moist.
Lastly, although these “Water Lock” strings appeared within the Put on OS 6 Developer Preview, there’s no assure the function will present up within the steady replace. All we all know for certain is that Google is growing this for the Put on OS platform; whether or not the corporate permits it by itself watches is one thing we’ll have to attend and see.
