Wear OS Custom Tiles soon – Watch Out Apple Watch Faces
This is one of my little bugbears with Wear OS and Watch OS.
It’s the ability to have more scope to curate your own watch face with widget-cum-data field snippets of information.
Google doesn’t do it well, Apple doesn’t do it well on the Apple Watch, and Garmin had it 99% covered a couple of years back.
New Wear OS feature
Information on the Android developer site shows that Google already has released early-stage functionality with online slots of newly announced functionality to help developers achieve what has for so long been lacking. Yes, custom tile creation seems to be on target for a Q2.2021 release. I suspect this will coincide with a much-awaited new chunk of features and, finally, more powerful hardware from a range of manufacturers making further use of the faster, new(ish) SnapDragon 4100/4100+processors.
Tiles are quick-access features designed to meet immediate, often repeated and straightforward needs to deliver apparently straightforward functionality. Developers are specifically guided away from turning them into countdown-type features as they otherwise become a quick way to deplete precious battery resources.
It’s easy to look at Garmin and see how widgets like the ABC on the Garmin Enduro, below, deliver near-perfect functional solutions to real-world problems for activity/sports apps. Imagine these kinds of abilities to augment the Suunto 7 experience…just sayin’
Last Updated on 25 January 2026 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Maurten — the race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mix engineered to be easy on the stomach.
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — the small adapter that keeps your charging cable tidy at the stem. Essential for race day.
- Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session.
- Ravemen FR300 — front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch.
- Stryd — the footpod that brings running power to your Garmin. The single most useful running upgrade I have made.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — the power meter pedals most serious cyclists end up choosing. Accurate, easy to move between bikes.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
