Android has lengthy been regarded as a extra customizable working system than Apple’s iOS. Google makes it simple to change the launcher in your Android cellphone and radically alter the way it works, and even on the corporate’s personal Pixel telephones, the previous few years of software program updates have provided a number of official methods to vary the visible look of your smartphone. The iPhone took quite a bit longer to develop into as equally versatile, however as Apple has made the iPhone simpler to personalize, the corporate has pulled forward of the Pixel in a single key approach: Lockscreen customization.
As of iOS 16, iPhone lockscreens can are available in quite a lot of completely different kinds, characteristic customized animations, and widgets that show data from different apps. In distinction, the Pixel lockscreen in Android 16 is surprisingly restrained. That does not imply you may’t change it to make it extra helpful to you, nonetheless. Google nonetheless provides some useful choices you may tweak, and I’ve discovered they make an enormous distinction in how helpful my Pixel is, whether or not I am working or not.
The lockscreen is the touchdown web page on your cellphone
You may as effectively make it a helpful one
Aside from your cellphone case, your lockscreen is the primary place you are capable of categorical your self in your cellphone. That chance for self-expression is one in all many causes cellphone firms embracing customization options is so thrilling. However your lockscreen can also be a key supply of data, whether or not you are checking the time or present climate circumstances, or notifications you have acquired from different apps.
If I consider my lockscreen as a form of touchdown web page for the remainder of my cellphone, then its potential to each show data and rapidly let me entry apps or options on my cellphone are its two most necessary options. Fortunately, Google provides a couple of methods to tweak my lockscreen to fulfill these wants. As of proper now, I maintain the Flashlight shortcut within the left shortcut area on my Pixel 9‘s lockscreen and Android’s Do Not Disturb mode in the suitable shortcut slot. Each are cellphone features I attain for sometimes, and having the shortcuts on the lockscreen means I can instantly entry them with out wading via different distractions on my cellphone.
After I do work in a espresso store, Now Taking part in has been a enjoyable method to determine songs I would need to save for later.
To make my Pixel extra helpful as a method to obtain glanceable data, I additionally make notifications viewable on my lockscreen, so I need not unlock my cellphone to learn them or act on them. This won’t be possible or secure for everybody, however since I spend nearly all of the time working from house, it has been fantastic for me. As a remaining cherry on prime, I additionally prefer to have Google’s Now Taking part in characteristic enabled on my Pixel so I can determine the songs enjoying round me. After I do work in a espresso store, Now Taking part in has been a enjoyable method to determine songs I would need to save for later.
Within the grand scheme of issues, these are small modifications to make to the lockscreen of my Pixel 9, however they’ve labored effectively for me, and within the absence of larger customizations, I am glad that I’ve them.
The lockscreen options Android is lacking
There’s nonetheless solely a lot you may see or do
If the Pixel lockscreen expertise appears easy now, there may be hope: Google has been slowly adopting extra of Apple’s lockscreen options. New additions like Dwell Updates, that are included as a part of Android 16 and supply stay data from an app or service, go a good distance in the direction of making the lockscreen a spot for up-to-date data. However Google might positively go additional.
iPhones now help what are primarily locksreen widgets — perhaps a extra acceptable comparability could be smartwatch “issues” — for a fair wider number of stay data or shortcuts into apps. Google discovering a method to adapt Android’s widget system (which is admittedly far more useful than Apple’s) into one thing that works on the lockscreen might go a good distance in the direction of making its Pixels extra private and helpful.
The restrained lockscreen strategy you get on the Pixel isn’t the identical you may discover on different Android telephones. This flexibility is without doubt one of the strengths of the platform.
Even doing one thing so simple as providing the area “Now Taking part in” takes up on the backside of your lockscreen for one more shortcut or one other supply of passive data might make an enormous distinction for individuals attempting to get essentially the most out of their smartphone.
Work with what you have obtained
On Android, that is nonetheless greater than most
It is ironic that iPhones supply extra customization choices than Google’s personal smartphone on the subject of the lockscreen, however for many individuals the opposite advantages of Android are value what are seemingly non permanent trade-offs. Pocket-lint has coated house display customization choices and different methods you may tweak your Android cellphone to make it yours. Within the meantime, although, I am pleased with what is feasible on my Pixel 9, and I hope extra choices come quickly.
