Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Google’s Pixel lock screen clock could become as customizable as the iPhone’s

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Summary

  • Android 14 offered 9 clock styles with many color options on lock screens.
  • Beta Android 15 QPR2 shows more clock options in the Pixel Wallpaper app.
  • Google is working on granular size controls for clock font customization too.



Android’s open ecosystem allows some of our favorite personalization apps to thrive, including lock screen replacements like KLCK. Android enjoyed a great deal of lock screen personalization for years, but was rather stagnant until iOS 16 came along and forced Google’s hand. The result was multiple clock styles on the lock screens for Pixel phones, generative AI wallpaper, and several other new features. Now, even more lock screen personalization efforts are afoot.

Related

How to customize your Android 14 lock screen

Show off your personality without unlocking your phone

When Android 14 was released for Google Pixel, it shipped with nine different clock styles and color palette options for the lock screen. You can go monochrome, pick a color from the active wallpaper, or pick one of the preset hues for the clock. The clock size is adjustable too. Well, Google just shipped a bug-fixing beta for Android 15 QPR2, and reputable tipster Mishaal Rahman just found more lock screen clock options among other changes in the improved Pixel Wallpaper app (via Android Authority).


Google has been working on improving the wallpaper app for a while now, but Rahman’s latest screenshots show the app closer to completion. Even in its unreleased state, the images reveal several new clock styles Google has been working on, for the lock screen. However, sizing options are still limited for now.


Granular sizing controls could be a game changer

Super-personalized lock screens


Rahman notes the lock screen sizing will be moved to a separate page in the Pixel Wallpapers app. Once released, you should be able to open this page using the pencil icon on the clock selection screen. There, you should have controls to adjust the weight of the clock font, its width, height, roundness, and slant. In its current state, the menu has sliders for the first two options and simple toggles for roundness and slant.

That said, a lot of the details are still up in the air, like which clock faces will support these customizations, and when Google will roll out the changes to all eligible Pixel users. Hopefully, the wait isn’t too long.

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