App developers have had trouble trying to create fitness apps that run in the background. Now, Google has updated Wear OS so fitness apps can actually run in the background – even when the watch went into ambient mode.
Paijit, a fitness app developer tried to create a golfing app that would record when you swing up your arm compared to when you kept your arm still while you waited for a result. The app was fine apparently, but there was one flaw says Paijit. The watch would turn into ambient mode and then stop tracking your progress. He was working on Wear OS 2. Paijit, after looking at Wear OS 3, has said that Wear OS 3 might be better for fitness apps.
Wear OS 2 didn’t have many third-party fitness apps, because the watch would switch off and they would have to record their progress all over again. Wear OS 3 allows developers to be sure the watch doesn’t switch off while they are recording their progress. A simple jog with a third-party app on Wear OS 2 would be extremely difficult as they would have to make sure that the watch wouldn’t switch off. In Wear OS 3, there are many new apps thanks to a bit of code change that allows developers to make it so that the watch wouldn’t switch off.
Many fitness developers have moved from Wear OS 2 to Wear OS 3 due to the code changes. Paijit, who worked on Wear OS before Wear OS 2, was hoping that Wear OS 2 would change the developer tools, but Google focused on UI changes and not developer tools. Wear OS 3 has helped developers out, and added more features to use to peoples advantage.
Spotify can now play music when the watch has switched off. And lots of other thing’s are possible in Wear OS 3. Lot’s of other developers could make apps like Paijit’s using Wear OS 3’s new developer tools.
