Facer, a popular watch face marketplace, is working with Google to adapt its extensive library of watch faces for Wear OS 5. The latest version of Wear OS introduced a new “Watch Face Format” that has affected the compatibility of third-party watch faces, including those from Facer. The new XML-based Watch Face Format is designed to require less maintenance and fewer updates, improving battery life.
However, this format prohibits executable code or embedded code in watch face APKs. Google has announced that by 2025, they will block new watch faces from being published on the Play Store unless they adhere to this new format. Facer faces several challenges in adapting to these constraints.
Compatibility issues with Wear OS 5
Each watch face must be individually submitted to the Play Store, which presents a significant logistical hurdle with over 500,000 faces available. Users who have already purchased watch faces would need to repurchase them, and Facer’s subscription model would be disrupted.
Even if these challenges are addressed, Facer notes that the current state of the Watch Face Format could result in “loss of functionality in a number of cases.” The company has been in discussions with Google to find a viable solution but has yet to resolve these issues. Users with existing smartwatches are advised to delay upgrading to Wear OS 5 to continue using their Facer watch faces. For new smartwatches, Facer aims to progressively bring some of its most popular watch faces to the Google Play Store under the new format, although specific details are yet to be confirmed.
The situation is particularly challenging for users of smartwatches like the Pixel Watch 3 and Galaxy Watch 7, which have already received the Wear OS 5 update and are currently not supported by Facer. Facer is committed to finding a resolution and working closely with Google to ensure that its user base can continue to enjoy their favorite watch faces in future updates.
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