I tweaked this key space of my Pixel to make it extra helpful

Android has lengthy been regarded as a extra customizable working system than Apple’s iOS. Google makes it straightforward to change the launcher in your Android cellphone and radically alter the way it works, and even on the corporate’s personal Pixel phones, the previous few years of software program updates have supplied a number of official methods to alter the visible look of your smartphone. The iPhone took lots longer to grow to be 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 means: Lockscreen customization.

As of iOS 16, iPhone lockscreens can are available a wide range of totally different types, 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 possibly can’t change it to make it extra helpful to you, nevertheless. Google nonetheless affords some useful choices you possibly can tweak, and I’ve discovered they make a giant 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 would possibly as properly make it a helpful one

Aside from your cellphone case, your lockscreen is the primary place you are in a position to categorical your self in your cellphone. That chance for self-expression is considered one of many causes cellphone corporations embracing customization options is so thrilling. However your lockscreen can also be a key supply of knowledge, whether or not you are checking the time or present climate situations, or notifications you have acquired from different apps.

If I consider my lockscreen as a type of touchdown web page for the remainder of my cellphone, then its means to each show data and rapidly let me entry apps or options on my cellphone are its two most vital options. Fortunately, Google affords just a few 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 fitting shortcut slot. Each are cellphone capabilities I attain for occasionally, and having the shortcuts on the lockscreen means I can instantly entry them with out wading by different distractions on my cellphone.

To make my Pixel extra helpful as a solution 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 residence, it has been wonderful for me. As a ultimate cherry on high, I additionally prefer to have Google’s Now Playing feature enabled on my Pixel so I can determine the songs enjoying round me. Once I do work in a espresso store, Now Enjoying has been a enjoyable solution to determine songs I’d wish to save for later.

Within the grand scheme of issues, these are small adjustments to make to the lockscreen of my Pixel 9, however they’ve labored properly 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 possibly can see or do

If the Pixel lockscreen expertise appears easy now, there’s hope: Google has been slowly adopting extra of Apple’s lockscreen options. New additions like Live Updates, that are included as a part of Android 16 and provide stay data from an app or service, go a good distance in direction of making the lockscreen a spot for up-to-date data. However Google may undoubtedly go additional.

iPhones now assist what are primarily locksreen widgets — perhaps a extra acceptable comparability could be smartwatch “complications” — for an excellent wider number of stay data or shortcuts into apps. Google discovering a solution to adapt Android’s widget system (which is admittedly way more useful than Apple’s) into one thing that works on the lockscreen may go a good distance in direction of making its Pixels extra private and helpful.

Even doing one thing so simple as providing the area “Now Enjoying” takes up on the backside of your lockscreen for one more shortcut or one other supply of passive data may make a giant distinction for individuals making an attempt to get essentially the most out of their smartphone.

Work with what you have received

On Android, that is nonetheless greater than most

It is ironic that iPhones provide extra customization choices than Google’s personal smartphone with regards to the lockscreen, however for many individuals the opposite advantages of Android are price what are possible short-term trade-offs. Pocket-lint has coated home screen customization options and other ways you possibly can tweak your Android cellphone to make it yours. Within the meantime, although, I am proud of what is feasible on my Pixel 9, and I hope extra choices come quickly.