GoKawiilTL;DR Google has confirmed that it’s officially renaming Wear OS Tiles to “Wear Widgets” as part of a broader push to unify widgets across Android devices.
In a new developer session, Google showcased the new Wear Widgets with updated layouts, richer animations, better battery life, and easier cross-device development.
Google also shared more details about new Android Auto widgets launching later this year.
Google already confirmed that Wear OS 7 will introduce a new widget system for smartwatches, but during a developer session at I/O 2026, the company shared a much closer look at how these widgets will actually work, what they’ll look like on watches, and which apps will support them first.
First things first, Google has now confirmed that Wear OS Tiles are officially being rebranded as “Wear Widgets.”
That largely clears up any ambiguity around the future of Tiles and makes it clear that Google is transitioning toward a broader, widget-centric experience across Android devices.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below.
Google also offered a closer look at the new 2×1 and 2×2 widget layouts, while confirming some of its early access partners that will be among the first to bring Wear Widgets to Wear OS. Those partners include Spotify, WhatsApp, Peloton, and Todoist.
... continue reading