What you need to know
- Google has reportedly begun updating the popular At a Glance widget on its Pixel phones running Android 12.
- The updated widget will be able to show a text notification along with a live thumbnail view from your video doorbell camera on the lock screen.
- This feature, along with flashlight and Personal Safety app notifications and a new At a Glance settings menu, should be rolling out to Pixel owners soon.
Google appears to be rolling out a much-anticipated update to the popular At A Glance widget on its Pixel phones running Android 12. A report by Android Police indicates that the update will enable a text notification as well as a live video preview thumbnail on the phone's lock screen whenever someone activates your video doorbell's sensors.
The new feature should work with any of the best video doorbells that are compatible with the Google Assistant and Google Home app, including Google's own Nest doorbells. Pixel owners will soon be able to activate or disable this feature through a separate update to the At a Glance settings menu via a simple on/off toggle.
In addition to the more intelligent video doorbell notifications, the update to the At a Glance widget will be able to indicate when your flashlight feature is turned on, as well as alert you to which other connected devices are currently in use. There will also be a pop-up safety check alert when you've initiated a countdown in the Personal Safety app.
According to the report, these features are not live or are not working for many users yet, but it is possible to force them onto your Pixel by sideloading the update via APK Mirror.
The At a Glance widget was notoriously broken during part of the Android 12 beta period, but thankfully it seems to be returning to its rightful place among the best Android widgets. With these new features, this update goes a long way towards cementing the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro as two of the best Android phones available.
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