Google’s timer and stopwatch return after a brief hiatus

A few weeks ago, it was reported that Google’s timer and stopwatch tool had gone missing. The tools could be found through a simple Google search for “timer” or “stopwatch,” making it convenient and easy to use. Luckily, after a brief hiatus, the tools are now back.

Google’s Danny Sullivan, the company’s Search Liaison, tweeted that the feature was now back and available for use. While there isn’t a specific date, the timer was reportedly removed sometime in mid-July. Sullivan confirmed on August 1 that the timer and stopwatch had indeed been pulled because of an issue. At the time, he did not confirm what kind of issue the tools were having. On August 17, Sullivan tweeted, letting everyone know that timer and stopwatch had been restored. He went on to thank the team at Google for working on the problem but again did not go into detail about what kind of issue it might have had.

If this is all news to you, the Google timer and stopwatch were first made available almost a decade ago. If you’ve never had the pleasure of using it, it is extremely convenient. To activate the timer, simply perform a google search for “timer” or “stopwatch.” This will bring up the tool in the web browser. You can also type “set a timer for (value) minutes” and have it set a timer for whatever value you have entered.

Since it is a simple tool, the timer does have limitations, like having a maximum time of 99 hours for its timer function. Like a real timer, once the countdown is complete, it will sound off an alert, signaling that the countdown has been completed. Of course, if you are doing something more serious, you will most likely want to use a dedicated stopwatch or your phone’s timer app. But for quick access, the Google search timer is an excellent choice.

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Source: Danny Sullivan (Twitter)
Via: The Verge

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Google Fi could extend support to smartwatches, starting with the Pixel Watch

At its I/O developer conference this year, Google finally showcased the highly-anticipated Pixel Watch. However, the company did not reveal all the details about the smartwatch during the event. So far, we know that the Pixel Watch will hit the market alongside the Pixel 7 series this fall and will feature a round display with minimal bezels, various strap customization options, one-day battery life, an older chipset, and LTE support.

While we’re waiting for Google to share more information about the Pixel Watch, a new report suggests it might be Google Fi’s first supported smartwatch. According to 9to5Google, version 69 of the Google Fi app includes new strings about the Pixel Watch (codenamed ‘Rohan’).

The strings suggest that the carrier will support the Pixel Watch and give users the option to purchase insurance for the smartwatch. Like with smartphones purchased through the carrier, users will also have a few days of grace period after the smartwatch purchase to get insurance.

For the unaware, Google Fi currently doesn’t support any smartwatches. The carrier offers support for smartphones, including various Android and iPhone models, Chromebooks, and Android tablets. But the carrier might now finally be ready to add support for LTE smartwatches.

While the Google Fi APK does not include mentions of any other LTE smartwatches at the moment, the fact that it’s extending support to the Pixel Watch leads us to believe that it may add more smartwatches in the future.

At the moment, it isn’t clear if Google Fi will offer a free data-only SIM for the Pixel Watch or assign a dedicated phone number to help users make and receive phone calls using the smartwatch. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details.

Are you a Google Fi user? Would you be interested in adding your LTE smartwatch to your Google Fi plan? Let us know in the comments section below.

The post Google Fi could extend support to smartwatches, starting with the Pixel Watch appeared first on XDA.

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Google Fi could extend support to smartwatches, starting with the Pixel Watch

At its I/O developer conference this year, Google finally showcased the highly-anticipated Pixel Watch. However, the company did not reveal all the details about the smartwatch during the event. So far, we know that the Pixel Watch will hit the market alongside the Pixel 7 series this fall and will feature a round display with minimal bezels, various strap customization options, one-day battery life, an older chipset, and LTE support.

While we’re waiting for Google to share more information about the Pixel Watch, a new report suggests it might be Google Fi’s first supported smartwatch. According to 9to5Google, version 69 of the Google Fi app includes new strings about the Pixel Watch (codenamed ‘Rohan’).

The strings suggest that the carrier will support the Pixel Watch and give users the option to purchase insurance for the smartwatch. Like with smartphones purchased through the carrier, users will also have a few days of grace period after the smartwatch purchase to get insurance.

For the unaware, Google Fi currently doesn’t support any smartwatches. The carrier offers support for smartphones, including various Android and iPhone models, Chromebooks, and Android tablets. But the carrier might now finally be ready to add support for LTE smartwatches.

While the Google Fi APK does not include mentions of any other LTE smartwatches at the moment, the fact that it’s extending support to the Pixel Watch leads us to believe that it may add more smartwatches in the future.

At the moment, it isn’t clear if Google Fi will offer a free data-only SIM for the Pixel Watch or assign a dedicated phone number to help users make and receive phone calls using the smartwatch. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details.

Are you a Google Fi user? Would you be interested in adding your LTE smartwatch to your Google Fi plan? Let us know in the comments section below.

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APK Teardown: Fitbit’s Wear OS smartwatch might feature a square display and Google Pay support

Shortly after Google confirmed the Wear OS overhaul at its I/O developer conference last year, the company announced that the updated operating system would make its way to users on a new range of smartwatches from Samsung and Fitbit. Although Fitbit was supposed to release its Wear OS 3 smartwatch later in the year, the wearables manufacturer is yet to bring it to the market. However, new strings in the latest Google Play Services beta update suggest that the Fitbit watch with Wear OS could launch soon, and it might feature a square display and Google Pay support.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta includes new strings that make mention of the upcoming Fitbit watch with Wear OS. The strings clearly state that the watch will offer Google Pay support, allowing users to tap to pay “everywhere Google Pay is accepted, ride transit, and more.”

<string name="pay_mse_ready_body">You can pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted</string>
<string name="pay_mse_ready_headline">You’re ready to pay with your watch</string>
<string name="pay_mse_validation_pin">Validate the PIN</string>
<string name="pay_mse_validation_wrong_pin">A different PIN was entered</string>
<string name="pay_mse_watch_illustration_description">Fitbit watch illustration</string>
<string name="pay_mse_welcome_new_subtitle">Tap to pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted, ride transit, and more, all with just your watch</string>

In addition, the APK includes two new drawables of what seems to be the Fitbit watch. These illustrations are related to its Google Pay capabilities and show a square display with a contactless payments icon and a dummy card.

The illustrations lead us to believe that the upcoming Fitbit watch could feature a square display with rounded edges, like the Fitbit Versa 3. But, since these are merely illustrations highlighting the Fitbit watch’s Google Pay capabilities, they might not offer an accurate representation of the watch itself.

Fitbit is yet to release any official details about its upcoming Wear OS smartwatch, but we expect the company to launch it before the end of this year. It might hit the market alongside the Google Pixel Watch, which is slated to arrive this fall.

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Featured image: Fitbit Versa 3

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APK Teardown: Fitbit’s Wear OS smartwatch might feature a square display and Google Pay suport

Shortly after Google confirmed the Wear OS overhaul at its I/O developer conference last year, the company announced that the updated operating system would make its way to users on a new range of smartwatches from Samsung and Fitbit. Although Fitbit was supposed to release its Wear OS 3 smartwatch later in the year, the wearables manufacturer is yet to bring it to the market. However, new strings in the latest Google Play Services beta update suggest that the Fitbit watch with Wear OS could launch soon, and it might feature a square display and Google Pay support.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta includes new strings that make mention of the upcoming Fitbit watch with Wear OS. The strings clearly state that the watch will offer Google Pay support, allowing users to tap to pay “everywhere Google Pay is accepted, ride transit, and more.”

<string name="pay_mse_ready_body">You can pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted</string>
<string name="pay_mse_ready_headline">You’re ready to pay with your watch</string>
<string name="pay_mse_validation_pin">Validate the PIN</string>
<string name="pay_mse_validation_wrong_pin">A different PIN was entered</string>
<string name="pay_mse_watch_illustration_description">Fitbit watch illustration</string>
<string name="pay_mse_welcome_new_subtitle">Tap to pay everywhere Google Pay is accepted, ride transit, and more, all with just your watch</string>

In addition, the APK includes two new drawables of what seems to be the Fitbit watch. These illustrations are related to its Google Pay capabilities and show a square display with a contactless payments icon and a dummy card.

The illustrations lead us to believe that the upcoming Fitbit watch could feature a square display with rounded edges, like the Fitbit Versa 3. But, since these are merely illustrations highlighting the Fitbit watch’s Google Pay capabilities, they might not offer an accurate representation of the watch itself.

Fitbit is yet to release any official details about its upcoming Wear OS smartwatch, but we expect the company to launch it before the end of this year. It might hit the market alongside the Google Pixel Watch, which is slated to arrive this fall.

---

Featured image: Fitbit Versa 3

The post APK Teardown: Fitbit’s Wear OS smartwatch might feature a square display and Google Pay suport appeared first on XDA.

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APK Teardown: Google could soon let you backup your Wear OS smartwatch data when switching to a new phone

Google seems to be working on a fix for one of the most annoying issues with Wear OS smartwatches. New strings in Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta reveal that the company might soon give users the option to backup their smartwatch data when switching to a new phone.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Currently, you have to factory reset your Wear OS smartwatch when setting it up with a new device. While there is a workaround that lets you pair your Wear OS smartwatch with a new phone without resetting it, it’s high time Google offered users an option to backup their smartwatch data to make the process more seamless. The following strings suggest the company is working on just that, and the ability to backup Wear OS smartwatch data could roll out in the near future.

<string name="companion_backup_opt_in_title">Back up your device with Google One</string>
<string name="companion_backup_settings_title">Backup by Google One</string>
<string name="companion_set_backup_account_title">Choose backup account</string>

Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta also includes new activities regarding the upcoming backup capability, further revealing that it will be an opt-in feature.

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:icon="@drawable/APKTOOL_DUMMY_9ea" android:label="@string/companion_backup_opt_in_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.BackupOptInActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/common.Theme.GoogleSettings">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.COMPANION_BACKUP_OPT_IN"/>
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:icon="@drawable/APKTOOL_DUMMY_9ea" android:label="@string/companion_backup_settings_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.BackupSettingsActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/common.Theme.GoogleSettings">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.COMPANION_BACKUP_SETTINGS"/>
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="false" android:label="@string/companion_set_backup_account_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.SetBackupAccountActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/SudAlertDialogTheme.Light"/>

There are also new layouts for each activity, called companion_backup_opt_in_activity.xml, companion_backup_settings_activity.xml, and companion_account_activity.xml. However, these layouts are empty at the moment.

The ability to backup your Wear OS smartwatch data will make switching over to a new phone much more seamless. But we might have to wait a while for it to roll out widely, as it seems to be in the early stages of development. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details about the upcoming feature.

The post APK Teardown: Google could soon let you backup your Wear OS smartwatch data when switching to a new phone appeared first on XDA.

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APK Teardown: Google could soon let you backup your Wear OS smartwatch data when switching to a new phone

Google seems to be working on a fix for one of the most annoying issues with Wear OS smartwatches. New strings in Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta reveal that the company might soon give users the option to backup their smartwatch data when switching to a new phone.

An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.

Currently, you have to factory reset your Wear OS smartwatch when setting it up with a new device. While there is a workaround that lets you pair your Wear OS smartwatch with a new phone without resetting it, it’s high time Google offered users an option to backup their smartwatch data to make the process more seamless. The following strings suggest the company is working on just that, and the ability to backup Wear OS smartwatch data could roll out in the near future.

<string name="companion_backup_opt_in_title">Back up your device with Google One</string>
<string name="companion_backup_settings_title">Backup by Google One</string>
<string name="companion_set_backup_account_title">Choose backup account</string>

Google Play Services v22.32.12 beta also includes new activities regarding the upcoming backup capability, further revealing that it will be an opt-in feature.

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:icon="@drawable/APKTOOL_DUMMY_9ea" android:label="@string/companion_backup_opt_in_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.BackupOptInActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/common.Theme.GoogleSettings">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.COMPANION_BACKUP_OPT_IN"/>
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="true" android:icon="@drawable/APKTOOL_DUMMY_9ea" android:label="@string/companion_backup_settings_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.BackupSettingsActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/common.Theme.GoogleSettings">
<intent-filter>
<action android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.COMPANION_BACKUP_SETTINGS"/>
<category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT"/>
</intent-filter>
</activity>

<activity android:enabled="true" android:exported="false" android:label="@string/companion_set_backup_account_title" android:name="com.google.android.gms.wearable.backup.phone.SetBackupAccountActivity" android:process="@string/common_ui_process" android:theme="@style/SudAlertDialogTheme.Light"/>

There are also new layouts for each activity, called companion_backup_opt_in_activity.xml, companion_backup_settings_activity.xml, and companion_account_activity.xml. However, these layouts are empty at the moment.

The ability to backup your Wear OS smartwatch data will make switching over to a new phone much more seamless. But we might have to wait a while for it to roll out widely, as it seems to be in the early stages of development. We’ll make sure to let you know as soon as we have more details about the upcoming feature.

The post APK Teardown: Google could soon let you backup your Wear OS smartwatch data when switching to a new phone appeared first on XDA.

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