Pixel Camera 9.5 for Wear OS rolling out: Viewfinder redesign, watch face shortcut

Google is rolling out Pixel Camera 9.5 for Wear OS beyond the Pixel Watch 3 with a handful of usability updates.

Upon updating to version 9.5 (from 9.2), Pixel Camera prompts you to allow notifications. On the Pixel Watch 3, you’ll get an ongoing activity icon at the bottom of your watch face, like now playing, when the camera is open on your phone. Tapping launches the controller on Wear OS.

This will also require Pixel Camera 9.5 to be installed on your phone, but that release is not yet widely rolled out to older devices. 

Meanwhile, the viewfinder has been updated with a photo and video switcher at the left. You can swipe up/down to move between the modes or simply press. Another gesture lets you double-tap to switch between the front and rear-facing lenses. 

This is so much faster than going to the hamburger menu at the top of the viewfinder and navigating to the Modes or Camera lists.

Officially, the “latest version of Pixel Camera for Wear OS only works on Wear OS 3 (and above) devices connected to Pixel phones,” so other watches should also benefit. We’re seeing Camera 9.5 for Wear OS rolling out beyond the Pixel Watch 3 this afternoon.

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