Pixel Watch UI goes blue, likely in preparation for Dynamic Color

Back in May, we reported how Wear OS 4 would introduce Material You, and the first – blue – signs of Dynamic Color theming are appearing on the Pixel Watch.

For some, blue icons appear in Quick Settings on the Pixel Watch 2 to replace the usual white. The background of each circle is still gray, while the row of status icons at the bottom is unchanged.

Blue is Google’s default shade as seen in (phone) apps that don’t support Dynamic Color. Wear OS could be setting the stage for full theming support. That hue also appears on the “Clear all” alerts button. (Note how the time indicator in notifications is also blue.)

Meanwhile, another big application of Dynamic Color is seemingly in Tiles. As seen below, the heart rate graph is blue instead of the yellow default. We also expect apps that use standard components to get themed buttons in a similar manner.

This early sign of Dynamic Color appears to be rolling out with an update to Wear OS System UI over the past week. However, not all users on the latest version (1.7.37.x) are getting the blue treatment just yet.

What remains to be seen is how users will get to choose the color. The closest equivalent to wallpapers on Wear OS is the watch face accent. Another possibility is just letting users choose a shade from a predefined list in the Settings app, while some people want to disable this feature entirely.

More on Pixel Watch:

• Pixel Watch updated with Personal Safety Tiles
• The Pixel Watch’s mechanical lookalike now comes in Google-y colors
• Fitbit app rolling out Steps streak, goal celebrations, and Pixel Watch battery

Thanks, Silvijn