What you need to know
- Google is apparently developing dedicated Gmail and Calendar apps for Wear OS.
- The company is said to be testing the new apps on the Google Pixel Watch.
- While still in an experimental phase, the experience is described as full, presumably suggesting that full Gmail and Calendar functionality is available.
Google finally paid attention to its wearable operating system when it released Wear OS 3 last year, but the experience is far from complete due to a lack of full support for key Google apps. Thankfully, Google has been making progress on that front, and the most recent apps that may soon be available on Wear OS are Gmail and Google Calendar.
As spotted by 9to5Google, dedicated Gmail and Calendar apps for Wear OS are currently being tested on the Pixel Watch. It's not known when these apps will land on many of the best Wear OS smartwatches, but this is a promising development that should address one of the glaring omissions of the Wear OS experience.
Currently, if you want to see your upcoming events, the Agenda app is your only recourse. However, even this app is limited in terms of functionality, as it only shows up to three days of appointments. There are no options for seeing any specific week or month in full view, nor is it possible to create new events or modify existing ones using a dedicated app.
As it stands, you need to speak to Google Assistant if you wish to create an event because there's no dedicated app for this purpose. On the other hand, Galaxy Watch owners have full access to the calendar on their wrist, complete with basic features.
The Gmail experience in Wear OS is equally underwhelming. When you view a new email notification via your smartwatch, all you can do at the moment is open and read it. Once you close it, there's no option to return to that email or even to your inbox.
Google may finally plug those holes with the upcoming apps. The experience with these dedicated apps has been described as "full," though it is unclear whether you will be able to write emails or create new events. That said, given that Google Keep on Wear OS recently added the ability for users to create new notes, it won't make sense if Gmail and Calendar are stripped of the most basic tasks.
Again, it's unclear when Google intends to release these apps for Wear OS, but when and if they do, your email and calendar tasks will no longer appear through watchface complications and notifications alone.
The Google Pixel Watch has been one of the most anticipated devices in recent years, and Google has done an excellent job of delivering a combination of fast and smooth software with an industrial design worthy of its price tag.
