Google Keep readies Wear OS Tile that lets you pin a note

Abner Li | May 2 2023 - 9:19 am PT

In addition to a possible At a Glance complication powered by Assistant, Google Keep is working on a Wear OS tile that can be used to show a single note.

About APK Insight: In this “APK Insight” post, we’ve decompiled the latest version of an application that Google uploaded to the Play Store. When we decompile these files (called APKs, in the case of Android apps), we’re able to see various lines of code within that hint at possible future features. Keep in mind that Google may or may not ever ship these features, and our interpretation of what they are may be imperfect. We’ll try to enable those that are closer to being finished, however, to show you how they’ll look in case that they do ship. With that in mind, read on.

Last August, Google Keep for Wear OS was updated with a tile that lets you quickly create a note or list. There’s also a “Browse” shortcut for simply opening the app.

That “Note Creation” Tile will soon be joined by “Choose note.” It will let you “select one of your notes to display in the tile.” The functionality should be pretty straightforward.

What I’d be curious to find out is whether that Tile will support the always-on display. When you swipe to a tile and put your wrist down, will the text of the note remain visible or will the Pixel Watch blur the background and just show the current time, which is the case for various first-party Tiles today?

Google Maps was recently updated with AOD support, and Google Keep would greatly benefit from keeping something like a shopping list always visible.

It comes as Google Keep recently added a “Single note” homescreen widget for Android phones and tablets, while the Wear OS app added complications to quickly create a note or list.

In that regard, Keep is one of Google’s key services to emphasize its commitment to multi-device experiences from large screens to wearables.