The Pixel Launcher (particularly on the Pixel 2 as released last year) had a couple of neat features, and perhaps the most envied was the “At a glance” widget, that shows upcoming calendar appointments, weather and more. Well, don’t bother with those third party apps which just don’t work quite the same; Google has made this widget available to all with an update to the Google app.
With version 8.1, which is rolling out today, the “At a glance” widget is now included. It appears to support most devices running Android 7.0 and higher. It’s working here on our Samsung Galaxy S9+, which is heartening (as I’ve missed it quite a lot).
The widget includes the weather on the right-hand side, and tapping will launch the full Google app shortcut. At present, tapping the date when there is no calendar appointment does not open the Google Calendar app (which it does on the Pixel Launcher version). When there is an upcoming calendar appointment, tapping opens right to the event. There are some minor visual and functionality differences, with the widget not featuring a countdown feature.
Meanwhile, holding down does not open the Google app’s ‘At A Glance’ setting where users can customize data that appears like Calendar events, Upcoming flight information, and Traffic information. This might come in a new version.
The version 8.1 of the Google app is likely rolling out to your device now, but if you’re impatient (like me) you can grab the signed APK from APK Mirror and install it without waiting.
Any way to configure Family or other calendars as the prime feed?