Category: Google Clock

In a surprise announcement today, Google stated that the Google Clock app for Android will be updated this week to support a new Spotify integration.  That integration will allow you to set the Clock app to play music as your alarm instead of the range of tones already available.

The news is surprising for two main reasons.  First, Google has had a clock app for years and the decision to put in this somewhat basic feature now is a bit of a mystery.  Second, why Spotify?  The feature works for both free and premium subscribers to the service but why not use their own Google Play Music?  The feature, as it appears, only supports Spotify for the integration.

The Google Clock app for Android has an update rolling out to the Play Store that brings a new dark theme, icon and support for Android O.  The update doesn’t bring any new features overall.

The new dark theme replaces the default blue/white theme that was in the app prior to this release.  There is no way to return to the old theme if you liked it as theme changing is not an option in the app.  Personally, I find this new theme a lot easier to read and easier on my eyes, especially in dark situations.

The Google Clock app for Android has been updated with a few new improvements that most users will likely appreciate.  The updated build is version 4.4 for those keeping score at home and it is rolling out in the Google Play Store now.  There are two big features in the update:  Inline volume controls for alarms within the app and the ability to have timers vibrate, not just give an audible tone.  On volume controls, previously when you wanted to adjust the alarm volume, you had to use the volume rocker on your phone to turn it up or down.  With this update, that is no longer the case.  You can now change the volume of your alarms within the app using a slider within the Clock app, making setting the alarm a bit more precise and easier than tapping a physical button.

Google has released an update to their utility app Google Clock.  As the name suggest, it allows you to have a clock and date on any of your home screens on your Android phone or tablet via a Widget.  These very widgets are the main focus of this update to the app which is now up to version 4.3 for those keeping score at home.  In previous builds, the Widgets for the app were pretty rigid.  You couldn’t really resize them well, especially if you wanted a small clock.  That’s changed with this update as now the Widget is very flexible on sizing and layout.  You have two Widgets as you did previously:  One for an analog clock and one for a digital clock.