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Google Pixel phones move all At a Glance settings to one place
This long-anticipated unification is rolling out to users widely
The Google Pixel 8 Pro was our favorite phone of 2023, and like all the Pixel phones before it, the latest model has a handful of hardware and software features which make it our favorite. At a Glance is one such feature which enriches Pixel phones with time-sensitive information like doorbell alerts, weather info, and other warnings on your home screen, lock screen, or Always-On Display (AOD). Now, Pixel users worldwide can adjust their At a Glance settings from a single Settings page.
Google's At a Glance widget now shows more travel info globally
Long-distance train trips now appear on the widget
Google designed the At a Glance widget for Pixel phones to give users important information about their upcoming appointments, the weather, or flights right from the home screen and lock screen. Although it is supposed to offer information on other modes of transportation such as trains, that hasn't been the case in all parts of the world. We're now starting to see train alerts on our Pixel's At a Glance widget, indicating that a wider rollout is underway across the globe.
Android 14 QPR2 could let you rearrange this annoying home screen element on your Pixel
The At a Glance widget may become movable in the future
Each Android quarterly platform release (QPR) brings a handful of changes to Pixel devices. While some of them are big additions, others can go under the radar. For as long as we can remember, the At a Glance widget has been a constant on Pixel phones, with no way to rearrange or remove it. But we learned with Android 14 QPR2 Beta 1 that Google was working on letting users remove the widget altogether. A familiar flag within Android 14 QPR2 Beta 2 has now revealed the ability to move the At a Glance widget anywhere on the screen.
Your Google Pixel’s At a Glance widget is getting more useful
There are new settings and you might soon see loyalty cards pop up when you visit appropriate stores
Google’s At a Glance widget is a hard-coded part of Pixel phones, including the brand-new Google Pixel 8 Pro, showing up on both the first home screen and the lock screen. Other than displaying the current date and weather, it gives you contextual information about upcoming events, weather warnings, flight details, timers and stopwatches, and more. While a big design update is rolling out to non-Pixel phones, Google’s handsets have to make do with a settings redesign and the addition of a location-based loyalty card shortcut.
Google’s new At a Glance widget is rolling out more widely
The company announced it as part of the latest Android feature drop
Google’s At a Glance widget can be an invaluable tool that helps you stay you up to date with your next appointments, weather alerts, commute information, and flight details, but its design has become a little long in the tooth. While Google updated the widget with a left-aligned look on Pixel phones with Android 12, other great smartphones were long left with the outdated-looking design that stems back from Android 11. Google announced that it would change that in the latest feature drop, and today, we’re seeing reports of the new widget rolling out more widely.
Weekend poll: Do you use Google's At a Glance widget?
Either the built-in Pixel tool, or the more limited Assistant version on all Android phones
While plenty of Android users — and Pixel owners in particular — expected Android 14 to arrive this week after a prolonged series of beta releases, that didn't happen. Fans hoping to finally try out Google's latest OS upgrade, or to move off the beta channel for something a little more stable, had to make due with the latest Android Quarterly Feature Drop, combining several app updates into one neat, tidy package. Out of everything included in the group, I think it's pretty clear what garnered the most attention: the redesigned Assistant At a Glance widget.
The At a Glance widget is now back on the Pixel Watch
This watch face complication first arrived in June and then disappared over the weekend
The Google Pixel Watch is a decent first attempt by the company to offer a streamlined smartwatch experience based on Wear OS. It's no secret that the upcoming Wear OS 4 software — based on Android 13 — will ring in a sea of improvements, with a focus on bridging the gap between Wear OS and Android, especially in terms of UI design. These efforts have already been underway, though, with features like the At a Glance widget making it to the Pixel Watch running Wear OS 3.5 this June. Over the weekend, Google quietly removed this complication from its smartwatch operating system for no apparent reason. But it looks like it was just an error, as the At a Glance watch face widget is back up again.
Take a first look at Google’s new At a Glance widget for non-Pixel phones
A much-needed overhaul of the dated design third-party phones had to rely on
Google’s At a Glance widget is a staple feature on Pixel phones, giving you quick access to upcoming appointments, weather alerts, flight info, and more, available on your home and lock screen as well as the always-on display. An older version of it is also available on other phones, though it offers less information and looks more dated, more in line with the design Google first introduced it in. We already know that the company has a redesign in the works, but now, we’re seeing it in action for the first time.
The Google app is getting a snazzy new At a Glance widget
Prepare for a much-needed redesign on third-party Android devices
Google’s At a Glance widget is a staple feature on Pixel phones that has evolved a lot over the years. On Google devices, it shows you all kinds of timely information, upcoming calendar events, and even lets you turn off your flashlight. This same widget is also available on virtually all other great Android phones, but it’s a lot more rudimentary and looks outdated, still sporting the look and feel it had on Android 11 with its centered style. That’s about to change, with a completely novel design different from what Pixel users get.
Google's At a Glance widget may introduce new style options
The latest beta shows a Style option in the widget Settings
Google's At a Glance widget has undergone several updates since its initial release to make things more convenient for users. As time passes, the service has gone from weather, date, and calendar events to other easy-access info like mini doorbell video feeds, rideshare information, and more. This is convenient but looks similar across multiple devices, which doesn't leave room for much personalization. That may be changing soon, as Google appears to be testing ways to personalize the widget.
Google's At a Glance widget will let you know if your Uber is on the way
One less reason to keep refreshing your rideshare app
The Pixel's At a Glance feature is a nifty way of getting regular updates sent to your phone without having to dive into specific apps. Over time, Google has improved the widget with many welcome updates like mini doorbell video feeds to let you know who just rang. In the company's continued effort to keep you up to date at all times, At a Glance will start showing you the status of your ride.
Google Pixel phones can now show timers from your Nest speakers
The At a Glance widget on Pixels is now even more useful
Google Pixels do a lot of things better than some of the best Android flagships. But only a few Pixel-exclusive features can match the practicality of the nifty At a Glance widget. This little home screen widget can show who’s at your door, your upcoming flight status, your order deliveries, and much more. Thanks to Google’s interconnected ecosystem, the At a Glance widget can now also show the timer you’ve set on your kitchen Nest Hub right on your Pixel phone’s home screen.
Food and package delivery alerts are back on the Pixel's At a Glance widget
It first popped up in August before disappearing
The Google Pixel lineup consistently ranks among the best Android phones in the market and this year's offerings are no exception. Small things like some exclusive enhancements to the At a Glance widget have played a big role in the success of Pixel devices. Some examples include recently-added tracking for food and package deliveries. Those abilities vanished from the widget at some point along the way, but it looks like they're finally back and, hopefully, here to stay.
Google Pixel At a Glance widget now includes Air Quality Index (AQI) alerts
That's one more thing the At a Glance widget can do
Since Google introduced the Pixel 6 in 2021, the company's At a Glance widget has also improved by leaps and bounds. Monthly Feature Drops have transformed the unassuming little widget into an indispensable productivity tool that displays flight status, Nest Doorbell alerts, and fitness-related information, among other things. Google said its June Feature Drop would improve the At a Glance widget with Air Quality Index (AQI) data.
At a Glance is getting Ring doorbell video previews later this year
Google is showing some love for Nest's biggest rival
We're less than a week away from the Pixel 6a being available on store shelves, which means a whole new round of customers can upgrade and experience just what Google brings to the table on software. Its At a Glance widget is one of the best Pixel-exclusive features around, offering loads of contextual information right on the home screen — and it's getting more powerful by the day. The next update to At a Glance seems right around the corner, and it sounds like it might build a bridge between Google's smartphones and its biggest competitor in the smart home market.
Google's gearing up for cross-platform timers, meanwhile iPhones can barely handle one
Teardown indicates Pixels may see timers started on Assistant smart displays and speakers
According to a recent teardown, Google is working on a feature that would allow Pixels (or potentially other devices cajoled into using the Pixel version of the At a Glance widget) to view timers started on other Assistant smart displays or speakers. This Cross Device Timer, as strings for the feature call it, sounds like you can start a timer on, say, your Nest Hub in the kitchen and follow its progress from your Pixel phone if an errand takes you away.
Google is widely rolling out At a Glance enhancements for Pixel phones
Connected devices, Earthquake alerts, and Safety check countdown additions now available for At a Glance widget
Read update
The At a Glance widget on Google Pixel phones has undergone significant changes since the Google Pixel 6 with new features such as fitness activity, bedtime reminders, and even alerts from your Nest doorbell. With the March 2022 Feature Drop, the company further enhanced the widget by adding the ability to view the battery level of connected Bluetooth accessories, Safety check countdown, and Earthquake alert warnings. Post a slow rollout, Google has made these new additions to the At a Glance widget available for all Pixel users.
Google's At a Glance widget could soon get even more helpful
Google is working on showing order statuses and flashlight controls in At a Glance
Google has been steadily improving the At a Glance widget with new options since the release of Android 12 and the Pixel 6 series. This includes useful additions like fitness tracking, flight statuses, bedtime reminders, and Nest Doorbell alerts. With the March 2022 Feature Drop, the company further added the ability to check the battery status of Bluetooth accessories, earthquake warnings, and Safety check countdown. Now, Google seemingly plans to add grocery order tracking and a flashlight toggle to the mix.
Google adds fitness and bedtime tracking to At a Glance for Pixels
Use both at once at your own peril
Although a sweeping overhaul of At a Glance was supposed to arrive alongside Android 12, it just wasn't meant to be — especially when Google was busy fixing the widget after it broke in beta testing. In the intervening months, we've seen some signs of upcoming features planned for future releases, with some users even getting access to automatic doorbell previews. Now, a couple of planned tools for At a Glance are making their way to users on a much broader scale, though not without some limitations.
Google has re-enabled the feature that incorrectly warned millions of people about an impending storm
Severe weather returns to At a Glance
Read update
Google’s At a Glance widget certainly lives up to its name, delivering useful info about scheduled events, travel plans, and more, all from your phone’s home screen. Beyond those useful reminders to guide you through your day, At a Glance can also help keep you safe by alerting you to dangerous weather conditions like severe winter storms or flash floods. For some reason, though, the widget started warning users from all over the world about a storm in the Philippines.