Wear OS 6 preview: Google’s next-gen smartwatch UI starts to take shape

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority Google has officially rolled out the first Developer Preview of Wear OS 6 based on Android 16. This early release introduces the new Material 3 Expressive design language to smartwatches, bringing dynamic theming, fluid animations, and improved scrolling. We spent some time exploring the preview. Here’s what’s new and what we’ve noticed so far. Curved buttons and new UI elements As previously announced, Wear OS 6 embraces Material 3 Expressive’s design cues, with UI elements now curving to follow the circular shape of devices like the Pixel Watch. This design shift is immediately noticeable in areas like the recents menu and app drawer, where new display-hugging buttons appear at the bottom of the screen. These buttons also dynamically adjust their size as you scroll, giving the interface a more responsive and lively feel. However, this updated button style isn’t consistent across the entire UI just yet. In areas like Settings, the older pill-shape ... Read full article.