Google Calls On Android Devs To Up Their Widget Game Now That One UI 7 Is Out

Contents

Google urges Android developers to improve app experiences

Summary

Samsung’s One UI 7 update focuses on better widgets, prompting Google to urge third-party developers to do the same.
Google is heavily promoting widgets, with plans for widget search filters, a curated Play Store page, and expanded lock screen widgets in Android 16.
The push aligns with One UI 7’s release, aiming to make widgets a bigger part of the entire Android experience.

Samsung has started rolling out the Android 15-based One UI 7 update globally, but the release schedule is disappointing for many users, especially those with old Galaxy devices. However, on the bright side of things, Google has seen the One UI 7 release as an opportunity to urge third-party app developers to offer an improved experience on Android.

Citing how Samsung has played its part in improving the app experience by releasing new widgets for its apps in the latest One UI update, Google has urged third-party developers to play a role in making widgets more integral to the daily Android device experience.

It thinks now is the right time

From redesigning widgets to introducing new ones, Samsung has put a lot of emphasis on improving the widget experience in the One UI 7 release. Google is also playing its part by making it easier to spot apps that offer a widget experience, which, per the company, gives developers increased app visibility. The Mountain View tech giant believes that all these factors have brought a perfect opportunity for third-party developers to enhance their app experience on Android through widgets.

App widgets offer multiple benefits for both users and developers. As Google pointed out in its Android Developers Blog post, users tend to engage more with widgets because they offer easy access to app content and features. This, in turn, allows developers to put ‘key features front and center on the user’s device,’ ‘push personalized content,’ and ‘promote premium features,’ thus making it easier for users to take a specific action — like, let’s say, subscribing to a premium plan.

The timing of Google’s renewed effort to push more Android developers into making awesome widgets is interesting, as it’s aligned with the release of the One UI 7 rollout. While Samsung doesn’t hold a lion’s share in the sense of being the most dominant in the Android world, whatever move it makes certainly impacts lots of users. One UI 7 is a big release, especially in the context of widgets, offering an updated and optimized widget experience across all supported Galaxy devices. If third-party developers indeed come on board, widgets become more integral to Android, impacting not just Galaxy devices but the entire Android ecosystem.

We might see users talking about Google’s renewed focus on widgets throughout the entire year, or even beyond. That’s because it has some solid plans related to widgets for the future versions of Android. In addition to features like dedicated widget search filters, and a curated widgets editorial page on the Google Play Store, Google is planning to put widgets on your phone’s lock screen with the release of Android 16. More app widgets will mean better access to app content without unlocking the phone.

Although it’s not coming from the horse’s mouth, Google urging developers to introduce widgets for their apps might signal the beginning of some major changes coming to the widgets experience in future versions of the OS. Only time will tell how far it goes from here.