Google is finally bringing lock screen widgets back to the best Android phones in Android 16.
The company introduced them for the Pixel Tablet last autumn, but this summer the company is plotting to broaden the availability to other Android tablets and, importantly, smartphones.
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In a post on the Android developer’s blog Tyler Beneke (Product Manager) and Lucas Silva (Software Engineer) told users to expect them this summer after the widgets become available via the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). That means widgets like Weather, Stocks, Timers, and Google Home App could appear on the lock screen, alongside whatever other widgets manufacturers choose to push.
“Lock screen widgets empower users to create a personalized, always-on experience. Whether you want to easily manage smart home devices like lights and thermostats, or build dashboards for quick access and control of vital information…” Google says.
The option is coming to the AOSP later this year, but it’ll still be dependent on third-party manufacturers to adopt the feature. So, while it’s highly likely Pixel phone owners will see seeing the update soon enough, Samsung is under no obligation to make them available to users of Galaxy S25 devices, for instance. “Other device manufacturers may update their devices as well once the feature is available in AOSP,” the company says.
Furthermore, those OEMs can create their own default widgets: “Hardware providers can pre-set and automatically display default widgets,” added Google in the blog post today.
Android 16 shaping up
The lock screen is going to be far more active on Android 16 devices, it seems. Not only are Live Updates beginning to arrive within the latest beta version, Widgets will soon join the party. Here’s to not having having to unlock your phone and enter the apps to accomplish tasks or view information as often.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
