Google I/O 2024, the next edition of Google’s annual developer conference, is just around the corner, and at this event we expect the company to present the news they prepare for all their productsincluding more details of the new version of its mobile operating system, Android 15.
But before the event we have already been able to see some previews about what we will see in the new Android 15, largely thanks to the beta of the operating system. Now, the filter Mishaal Rahman and Android Authority have discovered What’s new for Wear OS: Android 15 will allow you to choose the device on which we play multimedia content using a watch.
More control over multimedia playback, without having to touch your phone
Currently one of the most useful and practical functions of Wear OS is being able to control media playback from a smart watch. For example, if we are watching a video on our mobile or listening to music on Spotify from our mobile, we can pause the video or song directly from the watch; It is also possible to go to the next song and control the playback volume.
This is a feature that I take advantage of every day: if I’m walking on the street while listening to music on my favorite app, I can change the song or pause playback from my smartwatch. However, one thing we cannot do is change music playback from headphones to speakers, for example, using the watch. To do this, we will have to use our mobile phone.
When this function is available we can change music playback from headphones to speakers directly from the watch
This is something that, according to Rahman’s recent discovery, will change starting with Android 15. The expert has discovered in the code of the latest beta of the operating system a new permission associated with the companion application for Wear OS on the mobile. The permission is called Media_Routing_Controland refers to the possibility of changing the output device (or “Output”) in the playback chain from a smartwatch, without having to use the mobile phone.
As we mentioned before, the idea of this feature is to make controlling the playback of multimedia files from the watch more versatile. For example, we can change a YouTube video from the mobile screen to a tablet or an Android TV, or simply stop playing music on our speakers and send it directly to our headphonesto continue listening to the same song or podcast outside the home.
Wear OS smartwatches have evolved in possibilities over the last few years, with many apps that can work independently (like Spotify, Gmail, and even WhatsApp) and even the ability to use ChatGPT and other really cool apps. During Google I/O we hope to learn more about Android 15 and Wear OS.
Cover photo | José García for Xataka