14 DAY TRIAL // Google's Wear OS team has been working lately on addressing various issues and improving the overall wearable device experience for users running the company's Wear OS operating system.
A while ago, Google devices to remove the alarms and jobs for background apps functionality from its Wear OS by Google operating system for wearable devices, but after more in-depth testing it decided to re-enable them in the latest Wear OS Developer Preview to improve battery livfe and leverage the App Standby Buckets feature of Android P.
"When we talked to the developer community, the update that attracted the most feedback was the disabling of alarms and jobs for background apps. After listening to developer feedback and reviewing the battery statistics, we are reversing this change," wrote Hoi Lam, Lead Developer Advocate, Wear OS by Google.
While Google's Wear OS team is still working on fine-tuning a fitting setting for wearable devices powered by its operating system, the company advises application developers trying Wear OS on their devices to follow the best practices to ensure their apps perform well no matter the bucket they're in.
Improving privacy for background apps in Android P
In today's update, Google's Hoi Lam said that the Android team is working on improving privacy in company's mobile operating system, advising application developers to pay attention to the way data and input privacy is being strengthened for background apps in the upcoming Android P release, which should be out in August.
Application developers will have to use a foreground service if they want to enable access for their apps to the device's sensor throughout the entire day, if the app requires such functionality, of course. Google expects devs to submit feedback for these improvements when they test the latest Wear OS Developer Preview.
The final production release of Wear OS by Google is expected to hit the streets along with the release of the company's Android P mobile OS. Meanwhile, the new enhancements announced by Google today should appear for all users running the Wear OS Developer Preview without them needing to reflash their devices.