The familiar At a Glance widget on your Pixel’s lock screen might be in for a shakeup with the arrival of Android 15. A report on Android Authority based on findings by Mishaal Rahman suggests Google is considering relocating the widget from its current top-left corner to a new spot at the bottom of the screen.
This potential move is just one piece of a bigger puzzle Google seems to be assembling for the lock screen experience in Android 15. Taking inspiration from Apple’s Live Activities feature, Google might be exploring ways to integrate information from third-party apps directly into the At a Glance widget. This could potentially allow you to see things like upcoming ride details, delivery notifications, or even sports scores right on your lock screen without unlocking your phone.
However, there are some hurdles to consider. The limited space on the lock screen means these third-party snippets would likely need to be dynamically resized to fit within the At a Glance widget. Additionally, the current availability of At a Glance solely on Pixel lock screens throws another wrench into the mix. If Google plans to use At a Glance as a gateway for third-party lock screen widgets, collaboration with other phone manufacturers would be crucial to expand its functionality beyond Pixels.
While the potential relocation of the At a Glance widget and the integration of third-party information are exciting possibilities, it’s important to remember that these features are still under development. The Android 15 Beta currently serves as a testing ground, and there’s no guarantee these changes will make it to the final release later in 2024. In fact, we might have to wait until the launch of Android 16 in 2025 to see a more feature-rich lock screen experience, as Rahman suggests.