Google recently introduced a new charging screen with the Pixel Watch 3, and it is now being rolled out to older Pixel Watch models as part of the Wear OS 5 update. The original charging screen featured a more elaborate green animation that included a two-line clock showing the day, date, and battery percentage with a ring. This animation has been replaced in the new design, which does away with the animation entirely and uses a more streamlined appearance.
The updated charging screen employs a yellow accent for the ring and certain elements, while the time is now displayed in white. A notable feature of the Pixel Watch 3’s charging screen is the time-to-full estimate, which shows an estimated time remaining to fully charge the watch. This feature includes a brief loading animation when activating the screen to calculate the charging time, though it currently doesn’t work on the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2, but this may be fixed in future updates.
Instead of the time-to-full estimate on older devices, users see the day and date (which is now flipped) displayed on the screen. Additionally, if there is a timer set, it will show on the left. If no timer is set, the screen displays the date and day on the left and the month on the right. These updates are part of the Wear OS 5 rollout, and if users aren’t seeing the new design yet, they are advised to ensure all apps are updated and restart their devices.
The new charging screen is an attempt by Google to simplify the look of the Pixel Watch while adding functionality, such as the time-to-full estimate on the Pixel Watch 3. As more Pixel Watch devices receive the Wear OS 5 update, users can expect the design and features to improve, especially with potential fixes for the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2’s current lack of full charging time estimates.
