Vibration extremely weak on Pixel Watch 1 after WearOS 5 update [373328655]

Fixed

Bug

[AOSP] assigned

Status Update

No update yet.

Description

ma...@gmail.com

created issue #1

Oct 14, 2024 04:27PM

Many Pixel Watch 1 owners received the WearOS 5 update before it was pulled by Google. There is an as-yet unreported bug with the WearOS 5 update as follows. After the WearOS 5 update the vibration APIs are giving extremely weak, almost imperceptible, vibrations. This is very clear when comparing two Pixel Watch 1 watches side-by-side. The PW1 with WearOS 4 vibrates with expected strength. The PW1 with WearOS 5 vibrates with minimal strength.

The bug can be demonstrated with just two lines of code:

Vibrator vibrator = (Vibrator) getSystemService(Context.VIBRATOR_SERVICE);
vibrator.vibrate(VibrationEffect.createOneShot(5000, 255));

This code vibrates the watch for 5 seconds with maximum amplitude. On WearOS 4, the vibration is easily detected when the watch is worn on the wrist. On WearOS 5, the vibration is undetectable when the watch is on the wrist but can just about be felt when holding the rim of the watch very lightly in the fingertips with the opposite hand. It appears that the WearOS 5 watch is vibrating with minimum amplitude instead of maximum amplitude. We have tried several variants of the Vibrator API, but have been unable to find a workaround that gives the expected vibration strength. So this bug adversely impacts any third-party app which uses the Vibrator API on a Pixel Watch 1 running WearOS 5. At this stage, we do not know if the bug impacts the Pixel Watch 2 on WearOS 5.

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https://issuetracker.google.com/issues?q=componentid:192711%20status:open

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Comments

vi...@google.com <vi...@google.com> #2Oct 15, 2024 10:13AM

Assigned to vi...@google.com.

Unfortunately, it's still an issue in Activity Compose 1.3.0-alpha04 released today (despite this fix: https://android-review.googlesource.com/c/platform/frameworks/support/+/1599234).

ma...@gmail.com <ma...@gmail.com> #3Oct 15, 2024 01:13PM

Project: platform/frameworks/support
Branch: androidx-main

commit e465976de8f05f0d1db49b4e2887c9f3cd4beab5
Author: Jeremy Woods <jbwoods@google.com>
Date: Wed Mar 17 17:07:42 2021

Add OnBackPressedDispatcher observer before NavController observer

If you add a OnBackPressed callback with the NavBackStackEntry as the
lifecycle owner, if the Activity Lifecycle is STOPPED and STARTED again, the navController callback and NavBackStackEntry callback are readded to the Activity Lifecycle in the wrong order. This means that the new callback will not properly intercept onBackPressed() calls from the system, they will instead be intercepted by NavController.

If an OnBackPressedDispatcher is set, we should remove and readd the
NavController observer after we add the callback to the dispatcher.

RelNote: "OnBackPressedCallbacks added to a dispatcher with the
NavBackStackEntry as the LifecycleOwner now properly intercept back
after the Activity Lifecycle is STOPPED, then STARTED"
Test: NavControllerTest
Bug: 182284739

Change-Id: I6acf78848546160eaea7ed700ef8875664a125d0

M navigation/navigation-runtime/src/androidTest/java/androidx/navigation/NavControllerTest.kt
M navigation/navigation-runtime/src/main/java/androidx/navigation/NavController.kt

https://android-review.googlesource.com/1643646

deleted

0 B

ma...@gmail.com <ma...@gmail.com> #4Oct 15, 2024 01:19PM

This has been fixed internally and will be part of the Navigation 2.3.5 release (via 2.4.0-alpha01).

vi...@google.com <vi...@google.com> #5Oct 16, 2024 01:25PM

Project: platform/frameworks/support
Branch: androidx-main

commit f231e0f384f9fd2e7a078bfcbeb7768c82c617b1
Author: Jeremy Woods <jbwoods@google.com>
Date: Wed Mar 17 17:40:05 2021

Add BackHandler callback with a LifecycleOwner

We need to ensure that the callback from BackHandler remains in the
proper position in the event of Lifecycle changes.

RelNote: "The BackHandler will now properly intercept back presses in
the event that the Activity is STOPPED, then STARTED again, and other
callbacks were added with a LifecycleOwner."
Test: BackHandlerTest
Bug: 182284739

Change-Id: I71de6184ba73f56b34de9dcddaf138d98c46417f

M activity/activity-compose/build.gradle
M activity/activity-compose/src/androidTest/java/androidx/activity/compose/BackHandlerTest.kt
M activity/activity-compose/src/main/java/androidx/activity/compose/BackHandler.kt

https://android-review.googlesource.com/1644062

ma...@gmail.com <ma...@gmail.com> #6Oct 16, 2024 02:27PM

This has been addressed internally and will be available when using both the Activity 1.3.0-alpha06 and Navigation 2.3.5 releases.

pe...@gmail.com <pe...@gmail.com> #7Oct 17, 2024 12:59PM

Project: platform/frameworks/support
Branch: androidx-main

commit d1d6f89ba90be8e7fba193570b427f52ec98f57a
Author: Jeremy Woods <jbwoods@google.com>
Date: Wed Mar 31 09:40:42 2021

Make nav compose depend on Navigation 2.3.5

Upgrading to the latest Navigation version to take advantage of fixed
bugs, (particularly around OnBackPressedDispatcher and lifecycles

b/182284739

).

RelNote: "Navigation-compose now depends on Navigation version `2.3.5`"
Test: ./gradlew bOS
Change-Id: I7e63b32c93deaee60b1d5e132d3fa255c3ba85e2

M navigation/navigation-compose/build.gradle

https://android-review.googlesource.com/1660640

ar...@gmail.com <ar...@gmail.com> #8Oct 17, 2024 03:38PM

does not work for me on '2.4.2'

val navController: NavHostController = rememberNavController()
HomeNavHost(navController = navController)

BackHandler(true) {
// code doesnt get called here
}

to...@gmail.com <to...@gmail.com> #9Oct 19, 2024 11:35AM

I got similar issue, after I run launcher (exp: select document), BackHandler no longer triggers

BackHandler{
action.onBack()
}

vi...@google.com <vi...@google.com> #10Oct 21, 2024 05:20PM

to solve BackHandler no longer triggers after i run launcher, i am using this

@Composable
fun BaseBackHandler(onBackHandler: () -> Unit = {}) {
var refreshBackHandler by rememberSaveable { mutableStateOf(false) }
OnLifecycleEvent { _, event ->
when (event) {
Lifecycle.Event.ON_PAUSE -> {
refreshBackHandler = false
}
Lifecycle.Event.ON_RESUME -> {
refreshBackHandler = true
}
else -> {}
}
}
if (refreshBackHandler) {
BackHandler {
onBackHandler()
}
}
}

kr...@gmail.com <kr...@gmail.com> #11Nov 6, 2024 10:45AM

Is there a way to re-open this issue? Still experiencing this on latest version of the navigation library.

ma...@gmail.com <ma...@gmail.com> #12Nov 8, 2024 06:09PM

Re comment#11 - you can file a new issue with a sample project that reproduces your issue.

to...@gmail.com <to...@gmail.com> #13Nov 8, 2024 10:31PM

I opened a new bug as requested by comment#12: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/279118447

da...@gmail.com <da...@gmail.com> #14Nov 8, 2024 11:48PM

@ma...@gmail.com. Same reason I left the android beta on my google pixel. Just so many productivity-breaking bugs, which take ages to be fixed. I remember when Google was a synonym for good software, but somehow that's not the case anymore.

ki...@gmail.com <ki...@gmail.com> #15Nov 11, 2024 07:29PM

Same here (on pixel watch 1).

ma...@gmail.com <ma...@gmail.com> #16Nov 13, 2024 09:09AM

The November system update has arrived today which apparently includes bug fixes. But it doesn't fix this one :-(

ph...@gmail.com <ph...@gmail.com> #17Nov 13, 2024 10:32PM

To confirm what was said above, the November update (build number "AW2A.241105.012") does not resolve this particular bug.

le...@gmail.com <le...@gmail.com> #18Nov 17, 2024 08:28AM

Same problem here. Pixel Watch 1 updated automatically to Wear OS 5 while charging and now the vibrations are barely noticeable. Since I'm using the app Sleep as Android the vibrations aren't strong enough anymore to wake me up. Super annoying...

bi...@gmail.com <bi...@gmail.com> #19Nov 19, 2024 07:27PM

I also experience this issue. As vibrations for notifications is such an essential feature this is a showstopper for me. Hoping this will be solved soon.

mi...@gmail.com <mi...@gmail.com> #20Nov 22, 2024 08:34AM

I have this issue too. Using the alarm app Sleep as Android no longer works, since the vibrations don't wake me up.

sh...@gmail.com <sh...@gmail.com> #21Nov 23, 2024 06:59PM

Also having this issue. Using Tasker/Autowear toast notifications and the vibration for a PW 1 is nearly undetectable.

wi...@gmail.com <wi...@gmail.com> #22Nov 25, 2024 05:26PM

This needs to be fixed with high priority. Vibrating notifications are one of the main draws of wearables, especially for alarms. I actually reverted to using my old Xiaomi watch at night to wake up to vibrations I can feel.

PW 1, WearOS 5.0 vibrations from Sleep as Android 's wearable alarm are so weak they can't be felt through normal skin contact. You'd have to feel the watch with your fingertips to even realize something's happening.

br...@gmail.com <br...@gmail.com> #23Nov 26, 2024 04:11PM

I'm having the same problem on Pixel 1 with the November update (Android 14, which I presume is still WearOS 4 rather than 5) with Juggluco (which monitors blood glucose from Libre sensors). I can just about feel the vibrations by touching the watch with my fingers but previously it was sufficient to wake me. I can still feel the vibrations Fitbit (or whatever it is) gives me to remind me to move once an hour, so the hardware is presumably fine.

re...@gmail.com <re...@gmail.com> #24Nov 26, 2024 04:13PM

I am also experiencing this issue

to...@gmail.com <to...@gmail.com> #25Nov 27, 2024 11:00PM

Is anyone from Google even working on this. This is getting ridiculous now. I took use the vibration to alert me, while sleeping to low and high blood glucose levels through juggluco and can no longer rely on it.

This is the sole reason I purchased the watch, can it be refunded as faulty?

la...@gmail.com <la...@gmail.com> #26Nov 30, 2024 07:40AM

Is Google working on this for the PW1?? Unsure as to why this is not of the absolute highest priority to fix. I just got my watch brand new, and now the largest feature is unusable. Considering returning

le...@gmail.com <le...@gmail.com> #27Nov 30, 2024 09:38AM

Reset my PW1 yesterday to see if a factory reset makes any difference. Of course, the problem still persists, and apps like Sleep as Android can't use vibrations.

to...@gmail.com <to...@gmail.com> #28Dec 3, 2024 08:24PM

Have spoken to 2 separate "customer service" agents from Google on this today, trying to get a refund on my watch so I can replace it with a PW2 to avoid this issue. Both, basically calling me a liar even when they saw this page. Disgusting.

la...@gmail.com <la...@gmail.com> #29Dec 6, 2024 10:49PM

I returned my pixel watch and just wound up getting a galaxy watch instead. Its a shame this issue could not be addressed in a timely manner

mi...@gmail.com <mi...@gmail.com> #30Dec 7, 2024 12:06AM

Having the same issue here, can someone from Google tell us if they are working on it ! It's been many weeks and seems pretty major for me !

an...@gmail.com <an...@gmail.com> #31Dec 10, 2024 12:38PM

Same issue here, I have been intouch with support who have offered a replacement but I am reluctant to be sent what will inevitably be a refurbished unit that won't be any better, has anyone had any luck requesting a refund as the watch clearly doesn't work as it should anymore.

gi...@gmail.com <gi...@gmail.com> #32Dec 13, 2024 12:06AM

This broke my app, TimeTwist, almost entirely. The #1 feature is vibration as the user's timer counts down. That vibration can no longer be felt.

am...@gmail.com <am...@gmail.com> #33Dec 14, 2024 04:11PM

Its absolutely insane that this still hasn't been fixes, most definitely never buying another google device, what a joke

ri...@ripley-eldridge.com <ri...@ripley-eldridge.com> #34Dec 19, 2024 11:54AM

this is an issue with my pixel 2 watch as well

mi...@gmail.com <mi...@gmail.com> #35Dec 20, 2024 01:02PM

Can confirm still an issue with Pixel Watch 1. Vibration, especially with sleep as android is basically nonexistent.

do...@gmail.com <do...@gmail.com> #36Dec 20, 2024 08:29PM

+1. *Very* annoying, and seems like it should at least be a sev 2. (PW 1)

sy...@gmail.com <sy...@gmail.com> #37Dec 22, 2024 07:10PM

Reproducible on my Pixel Watch 1 with Sleep as Android. With the extremely weak vibration, I have missed my wakeup alarm on a few occasions at this point. Please fix ASAP.

mk...@blowthewhistle.com <mk...@blowthewhistle.com> #38Dec 25, 2024 02:50PM

I have this same problem. It renders my Pixel Watch almost unusable because vibration notifications are essential to why I have the watch.

It's hard to understand why Google won't fix what it broke. Users don't deserve to have their device features depricated.

me...@gmail.com <me...@gmail.com> #39Jan 2, 2025 10:34PM

Watch is useless for notifications please fix it Google or I will no longer be a Pixel phone and watch consumer

ri...@gmail.com <ri...@gmail.com> #40Jan 15, 2025 01:43AM

This issue is still not resolved? I have this same problem. It renders my Pixel Watch almost unusable because vibration notifications are essential to why I have the watch.

de...@hmt.lu <de...@hmt.lu> #41Jan 16, 2025 10:11AM

It is crazy how google ignores us.
Our app is getting bad reviews now because the vibrations are not detected by wearers, but this is not something we can fix because of this bug.
It is really a shame how bad the google support is nowadays and they are not even considering a crucial bug everyone is experiencing.

vv...@google.com <vv...@google.com> #42Feb 10, 2025 07:19PM

Marked as fixed.

Thank you for reporting this issue. We have a fix rolling out in an upcoming release.

ph...@gmail.com <ph...@gmail.com> #43Feb 10, 2025 11:49PM

That is fantastic to hear! Thank you very much, and I look forward to getting the fix.

ar...@gmail.com <ar...@gmail.com> #44Feb 12, 2025 04:24PM

Can we get a confirmation that this fix will roll out with the next Pixel Watch 1 Wear OS update in March?

as...@mystique.dev <as...@mystique.dev> #45Feb 18, 2025 07:03AM

Nice, I've had the same problem for months. The watch has just been lying around since then. Without vibration, it's just a clock. I hope the fix comes soon so I can finally use it again.

me...@gmail.com <me...@gmail.com> #46Mar 12, 2025 12:50PM

When will Pixel watch 1 get this update? Still having vibration problems

ph...@gmail.com <ph...@gmail.com> #47Mar 19, 2025 02:29PM

For anyone following this, I can confirm the March 2025 update DOES contain the fix for this. I was able to pull it last night and confirm functionality! Thank you team for resolving this one.

am...@gmail.com <am...@gmail.com> #48Mar 20, 2025 06:54PM

Wow, I can finally use my smart watch that I paid hundreds of dollars for after 5 months of it being a paper weight. Never buy google if you want timely service I suppose.