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You should give your employees payment incentives for working on the holidays.
Your team may face more difficult customers than usual on Memorial Day weekend and other holidays.
Thanking your employees for working during the holiday season is a small gesture that goes a long way.
This article is for managers and business owners who have employees working on Memorial Day or other holidays.
Historically, many workers have had time off from work for Memorial Day, the informal start of summer. Unfortunately, plenty of people still have to go to work on the holiday. While that might not be great for employees, it is sometimes unavoidable from a business perspective. Some businesses can’t close on weekends or holidays, while many seasonal businesses first open on Memorial Day and need revenue to make up for the down season.
However, as an employer, you have the power to make the best of this situation for your employees. Below, learn how you can help your team get through working this holiday – and all the other ones.
How to treat employees on holidaysIf you’re a manager or small business owner who has the day off, but you have employees clocking in for a day’s work, keep a few tips in mind.
1. Provide a payment incentive, if possible.Many companies that require employees to work on holidays provide some kind of financial incentive for their time. If your business is financially stable and can handle paying your workers a little extra on a holiday, you should strongly consider it. It not only serves as a thank-you to your staff, but also provides a little extra incentive for employees to clock in. Some large companies offer double time, but if that’s too expensive for your business, you have other payment options – such as time and a half, overtime pay, or a separate payment arrangement.
Tip
Make sure to update your payroll software to reflect your holiday payment incentives. Don’t yet have a payroll platform? Read our reviews of the best payroll services to find the right option. If your business is very small, start with our OnPay review.
Tip
Wondering which holidays should get paid time off? Check out our handy guide to see how other businesses handle holidays year-round.
Statistics about working on Memorial DayBelow are the details of two past studies about how often employees work on Memorial Day.
Bloomberg BNA studyAlthough 97% of employers have designated Memorial Day as a paid day off for most of their employees, about 43% still have at least some of their staff come in for the day, according to a study from Bloomberg BNA. The study was based on surveys of more than 100 human resources professionals.
The study also revealed that nearly 20% of businesses have at least some members of their technical staff working on Memorial Day, and 15% of businesses said they’d have security and public safety workers doing the same. In addition, 13% have professional employees working, 12% have managers on the clock, and 11% make service and maintenance personnel report for duty. Another 10% of businesses have sales and customer service employees working on Memorial Day.
The good news for people who have to work on the holiday is that their paychecks will be a bit larger for it. The research discovered that 85% of companies that have employees work on Memorial Day give them some type of extra benefit. Specifically, 28% pay time and a half, 20% provide both extra pay and compensatory time, and 15% pay double time or double time and a half.
Large companies are the most likely to have workers on the clock Monday. The study shows that 80% of businesses with more than 1,000 employees will have at least some employees work on Memorial Day, compared with just 31% of small businesses.
SHRM studyThe Society for Human Resources Management conducted a similar study on holiday schedules, including about workers who would be on the clock during Memorial Day. This study found that around 90% of companies close on major holidays – but that means some remain open. Major holidays include New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Memorial Day.
The bigger takeaway from this study, however, was how companies treat employees who have to work on major holidays. Of the 415 HR professionals surveyed, 57% said their company offers some kind of financial incentive to employees who work on holidays.
Of these organizations, 40% pay double time, and 21% pay time and a half. Nearly 20% pay overtime, and 21% have another payment arrangement.
Supporting employees who work on holidays
The key to maintaining employee morale – and reduce your employee turnover in turn – is to compensate your employees appropriately for working on a day that many of their friends and family have off. For most, this means additional financial compensation, but if your business isn’t in a position to pay more, there are plenty of other options – offering them a floating holiday or additional paid time off, for example. With the right show of appreciation from the top, working holidays doesn’t have to be a total drag for your employees.
Chad Brooks and Matt D’Angelo contributed to the writing and reporting in this article.
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How To Spend Memorial Day Weekend In Boston
Flag Garden at the Boston Common
Each year on Memorial Day, the Boston Common is transformed into a field of red, white, and blue—37,000 American flags—one for each of the courageous Massachusetts men and women who died defending their country, dating back to the Revolutionary War. The moving Flag Garden is at the base of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Boston Common, courtesy of the Massachusetts Military Heroes Fund.
The Flag Garden, atop Flagstaff Hill on the Boston Common, is on display through Memorial Day, Monday, May 29. Take any MBTA Green Line Trolley to Arlington or Park Street.
USS Constitution and USS Constitution MuseumThe USS Constitution Museum, devoted to the War of 1812, pays tribute to the men and women who served in the nation’s military, with a special program, Honoring Our Heroes, throughout the weekend. This year, the museum is partnering with Operation Gratitude, encouraging visitors to make survival bracelets to be distributed to deployed troops overseas and to first responders at home and to write thank you notes to be included in the 100,000 care packages it distributes each year. Visit the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, berthed nearby. The ship is still in dry dock, undergoing an extensive restoration, but is open to visitors. Crew members are available on each deck to answer questions and give tours. The museum and ship operate separately and have separate hours.
The USS Constitution Museum, in the Charlestown Navy Yard, Charlestown, is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; phone: 617-426-1812. Suggested donation is $5 to $10 for adults, $3 to $5 for children, and $20 to $25 for families. Admission is free for all active duty, retired, and reserve military personnel. Honoring Our Heroes events and activities are Saturday, May 27, through Monday, May 29. The USS Constitution is in the Navy Yard’s Drydock I and is open Tuesday to Friday, 2:30 to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed most Mondays, but is open Memorial Day. Admission is free, first-come, first-served. Visitors 18 and over must provide a valid state or federal-issued ID or passport. Take an MBTA Green Line trolley to North Station and walk over the Charlestown Bridge, following signs for the Freedom Trail.
Veterans Memorial Park 71st Annual Memorial Day ServiceThis recognition of fallen service members is held at the Back Bay Fens Veterans Memorial Park, which has monuments commemorating World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans, and also honors Boston resident Sergeant Charles Andrew MacGillivary, who received a Medal of Honor for his role in the Battle of Normandy. Enjoy the adjacent Kelleher Rose Garden, with its more than 2,000 rosebushes comprising over 100 varieties of climbers, tea roses, and floribundas.
The Back Bay Fens Veterans Memorial Park 71st Annual Memorial Day service is Saturday, May 27, at 11 a.m. Take an MBTA Green Line trolley to Hynes Convention Center, switch to an E trolley outbound, and get off at the Museum of Fine Arts. The park is a 10-minute walk.
Cambridge Memorial Day Parade and ObservanceIn keeping with tradition, the Cambridge Veterans’ Organization and the Cambridge Department of Veterans Services will hold their annual Memorial Day Parade and Observance on Monday, May 29. It begins with a canon salute at 9:30 a.m. on the Cambridge Common, then the parade proceeds through Harvard Square and up Mount Auburn Street to Coolidge Avenue, concluding at the Cambridge Cemetery. Veterans’ groups, elected officials, police and fire personnel, color guards, bands, and more will march in recognition of veterans. A Memorial Day observance, with rifle salute, musical performances, and a bugler playing taps, will be held at the cemetery beginning about 11 a.m.
The Cambridge Memorial Day Parade and Observance is Monday, May 29, at 9:30 a.m. on the Cambridge Common and is expected to arrive at the Cambridge Cemetery, 76 Coolidge Ave., at 11 a.m. Take an MBTA Red Line train to Harvard Square.
Memorial on the Mystic: “A Commonwealth Remembers” Concert and Fireworks TributeHonor America’s fallen heroes with this special free Memorial Day concert, featuring performances by the Metropolitan Wind Symphony and N’Harmony, at Somerville’s Sylvester Baxter State Riverfront Park, starting at 7:30 p.m., followed by fireworks.
Memorial on the Mystic: “A Commonwealth Remembers” Concert and Fireworks Tribute is Monday, May 29, at Sylvester Baxter State Riverfront Park, Assembly Row and Great River Road, Somerville. Take an MBTA Orange Line trolley to Assembly Square. Lawn chairs and blankets are recommended. In the event of rain, the event will be held at the Somerville High School Auditorium, 81 Highland Ave., Somerville.
Other Memorial Day Weekend Events Boston Calling Music FestivalThe popular music festival Boston Calling returns this weekend, but with a twist. Formerly held twice at year at Boston City Hall, the retooled festival is now at the Harvard University Athletics Complex in Allston and will be held just once a year. It kicks off Friday, May 26, and runs through Sunday, May 28. The artist lineup is headlined by Grammy winner Chance the Rapper, known for his breakout album Coloring Book and singles “No Problems” and “Ultra Light Beam,” on Friday. Among the other headliners are Grammy-winning folk-pop band Mumford and Sons and the reclusive rock band Tool, playing its first Boston show since 2012. Find a full list of performers here. And for the first time, the festival will include a comedy lineup, organized by Hannibal Buress. Food vendors like Tasty Burger, Bon Me, Joe’s American Bar & Grill, Roxy’s Grilled Cheese, and Zinnekin’s Belgian Waffles will be on hand for hungry concert-goers.
The Boston Calling Music Festival is at the Harvard University Athletics Complex, 65 North Harvard St., Allston, Friday, May 26, through Sunday, May 28. Purchase three-day passes, weekend passes, and single-day tickets here. Gates open Friday at 2:30 p.m. and music ends at 11 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday gates open at noon and music ends at 11 p.m. Large bags and backpacks are prohibited. Find directions here.
SoWaOpen MarketNow in its 14th season, the SoWa Open Market is the self-proclaimed “largest celebration of local artists, farmers, chefs, brewers, and musicians from across New England.” Each weekend, more than 150 vendors bring their products for thousands of visitors. The market has jewelry, paintings, photography, ceramics, apparel, and more. The Farmers Market sells fresh produce, meats, jams, baked goods, plants, and flowers. Come with an appetite: the Food Truck Bazaar has more than a dozen local food trucks offering all kinds of cuisine. There’s even a Beer Garden for the 21+ crowd, with a large selection of craft beers and wines. And be sure to check out the SoWa Vintage Market next door, which sells antiques, collectibles, and vintage clothing.
The SoWa Open Market is held every Saturday and Sunday from April 29 to October 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 460 Harrison Ave. in Boston’s South End. Find a complete list of events and markets here. The SoWa Vintage Market is open every Saturday and Sunday from April 29 to October 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 450 Harrison Ave.
JFK 100: Milestones & Mementos at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumThe JFK Presidential Library and Museum is hosting a five-day celebration over Memorial Day weekend to commemorate the centennial of President John F. Kennedy, who was born in Brookline, Mass., on May 29, 1917. The museum’s new yearlong exhibition in honor of the centenary, JFK 100: Milestones & Mementos, opens Friday, May 26.
The new exhibition features items drawn mostly from the library’s collections and chronicles historic milestones in Kennedy’s career and administration, as well as events of his personal and family life, such as family items from his childhood and adolescence, a flag from PT 109 (the boat JFK commanded during World War II), items relating to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and notes jotted down by the president in preparation of his landmark address to the nation on civil rights. Several items have never before been displayed, among them some personal belongings, such as JFK’s sunglasses, a high school scrapbook he compiled at Choate, and gifts from his young children. The exhibition runs through May 2023. Find the schedule of events for the weekend here.
JFK 100: Milestones & Mementos is on view at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Columbia Point, Boston. Find hours, admission prices, and directions here.
Free Memorial Day Admission to the Museum of Fine ArtsTo commemorate Memorial Day, the Museum of Fine Arts offers free admission on Monday, May 29. View some of the more than 450,000 works of art in the museum’s storied collections, and two spectacular temporary exhibitions. Matisse in the Studio features 36 paintings, 26 drawings, bronzes, cut-outs, and prints by Henri Matisse, one of the 20th century’s most influential artists. The works are paired with 39 objects from the artist’s private collection, including African textiles, sculptures, even a chocolate maker that was a wedding present. It’s the first major international exhibition to examine the importance of Matisse’s personal collection to his art.
Boticelli and the Search for the Divine, explores the work of 15th-century Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Comprising two dozen paintings, it traces changes of style and subject matter over the course of his career, reflecting the shift in the political and religious climate in Florence during his lifetime.
Other events on tap Monday include art-making activities and performances by Sociedad Latina and the Jewish Arts Collaborative.
The Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Memorial Day Open House is Monday, May 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Sociedad Latina performance is at noon. The Jewish Arts Collaborative performance is at 3 p.m. Find directions here.
Free Memorial Day Admission to the Institute of Contemporary ArtThe Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is also offering free admission on Monday, May 29. In addition to viewing the ICA’s permanent collection, visitors can take part in the new installation Fish Out of Water by artist Bennie Flores Ansell using stencils, markers, and acetate paper to create flying fish creatures to be added to Ansell’s piece on display. Be sure to check out Ashes, a video installation by Academy Award-winner Steve McQueen.
The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, 100 Northern Ave, is offering free admission on Monday, May 29, in honor of Memorial Day. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Find directions here.
Red Sox vs. Seattle Mariners at Fenway ParkWith new faces Chris Sale and Andrew Benintendi in the lineup, the Boston Red Sox are already being touted as possible 2023 World Series contenders. This weekend, the team hosts the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series beginning Friday, May 26. What says start-of-summer more than a visit to Fenway Park?
The Boston Red Sox take on the Seattle Mariners on Friday, May 26, at 7:10 p.m., Saturday, May 27, at 4:05 p.m., and Sunday, May 28, at 1:35 p.m. Purchase tickets here or visit the Red Sox ticket office, 4 Yawkey Way; hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Connor Lenahan can be reached at [email protected].
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What Is Telematics Technology And How Can It Make You A Better Driver?
Internet of Things (IoT) technology is wherever today, from the home to the workplace. One of the less natural yet additional energizing utilizations of IoT gadgets is in vehicles. One utilization of this technology, telematics, has seen rising ubiquity in both shopper and business circles–and it’s not difficult to perceive any reason why.
Here are a few ways telematics can help you become a better driver.
1. Highlighting mistakesThis capacity is additionally the hidden thought behind utilization based insurance (UBI), which numerous guarantors have now received. Reformist was quick to offer UBI programs, utilizing GPS technology to give mileage-based limits. Presently, these frameworks are further developed, allowing safety net providers to offer limited rates dependent on how and where you drive.
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2. Helping you to remember upkeep needsHow you follow up out and about isn’t the lone piece of being a decent driver. Keeping your vehicle in top condition matters, as well, particularly for business armadas that rely upon their trucks making long excursions.
Further developed telematics frameworks can screen motor execution, liquid levels and other upkeep factors, uncovering when you ought to watch out for them.
Vehicles’ support needs once in a while fall along a normal timetable. New vehicles can go anyplace between 7,500 to 10,000 miles between oil changes, however this progressions as they age. Telematics removes the mystery from the condition by showing decisively when a vehicle needs upkeep.
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3. Improving coursesMaybe the most direct way telematics can assist you with being a superior driver is by getting you to your objective quicker. GPS route is apparently the most recognizable telematics use case, and perhaps the most accommodating. As these frameworks become further developed, they can think about more factors when arranging courses, giving the best way to any situation.
Telematics frameworks empower others to see a vehicle’s ongoing position, as well. This straightforwardness allows armadas to gauge and impart conveyance times while a similar framework streamlines drivers’ courses. These gadget organizations can decide the best ways to convey things in insignificant time and with negligible fuel utilization.
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4. Making your vehicle more eco-accommodatingAs ecological concerns develop, being an economical driver has gotten more basic. Telematics can help around here, as well, through the optional effects of their different highlights. At the point when your vehicle is in top condition and goes as effectively as could be expected, its natural effect will keep to a base.
Telematics can make Travel Safer, Cleaner, and More EfficientRegardless of whether you drive professionally or simply in your own life, improving as a driver is an objective everybody ought to have. Better driving and vehicle care practices will make streets more secure, more eco-accommodating and reasonable. There are numerous ways to this objective, however telematics is one of the least demanding and best.
Telematics technology gives straightforwardness and information based dynamic in regions ordinarily brimming with assessments and estimates. These gadgets are improving travel all around for both purchaser and business markets.
We’re Missing Out On A Better Way To Make Flu Vaccines
Every year, the World Health Organization makes a gamble: which flu viruses will dominate? They get two chances (one for each hemisphere) and this year, the WHO seems to have gotten it right twice. But vaccine effectiveness was still only 10 percent in Australia.
It’s going to be a tough flu season—and we have eggs to blame.
First things first: What does 10 percent effectiveness look like?It’s important to remember that an ineffective vaccine year actually makes it more crucial for everyone to get the shot. We prevent the spread of viruses through herd immunity, which relies on a certain percentage of people getting vaccinated. For shots that are highly effective, the percent of people who need to get it is lower because inoculated individuals are so unlikely to contract the disease. But vaccines that aren’t very effective require more recipients to reduce the risk of spreading.
But if we picked the right flu strains for this year’s vaccine, why isn’t it more effective?
MORE ON THE FLU: The most common flu strain doesn’t grow well in eggsThe vast majority of flu shots in the U.S. are grown inside egg cells. Eggs provide a great home for replicating viruses and are easy to work with, so they’ve been used for decades. People with egg allergies have to get a different shot, but other than that small subpopulation, we used to think that the vaccines we produced this way were perfectly acceptable.
But recent research suggests that viruses grown in eggs undergo a crucial change that makes the resulting vaccines less effective.
Our bodies identify the flu based primarily on a key part of the virus called hemagglutinin. HA is an antigen, which is the bit of the virus that our immune cells are able to bind to. A vaccine essentially trains your immune system to recognize specific antigens by growing a virus inside living cells, then inactivating the virus and collecting the antigens. If you later contract a virus with antigens just like those in the shot, your immune systems is already prepared to fight off the infection. But if the antigens differ, you have to ramp up your defense much further, allowing the virus key time to take over your body.
When the H3N2 strain of flu grows inside eggs, its HA mutates to allow the virus to replicate better in its new environment. That means laboratories are producing a flu vaccine based on a mutated version of the virus. When we later go look at the circulating flu and compare it to the reference used for the vaccine, we might think that we called it right. But the reality is that the virus that labs start with isn’t the same virus that ultimately goes into the shot. Even when we seem to predict the right strains, the vaccine often ends up only 40-60 percent effective. This could help explain why.
Not all flu strains mutate the same way in egg cells. The problem is that H3N2 is often the predominant strain. Australia had an awful flu season, and it looks like it was because of mutations in the H3N2 strain used for the vaccine.
The geographic spread of the flu so far this year (data from the CDC) Infographic by Sara Chodosh
An update from the Centers for Disease Control last week found that the majority of the circulating viruses in the U.S. matched with the reference viruses. Most years, we would think that was good news. This year, given that most viruses are H3N2, we know it could make for a particularly ineffective vaccine.
We have a better alternative—we just need pharma to invest in itThis is also the first year that we could have had an alternative. People with egg allergies get a different shot, one grow in animal cells instead of eggs, that doesn’t seem to get these problematic mutations. For the 2023-17 flu season, the U.S. had a cell-based vaccine that had initially been in eggs, so it had the same issues as the standard vaccine. But this year, the cell-based vaccine was only ever grown in animal cells. That might make it more effective than any egg-originating vaccine, though we won’t be sure until we get more analytical data toward the end of the season.
In the future, though, this could be a much better method of creating vaccines. It’s actually faster, too. Eggs have to be gathered fresh each season, but animal cells can just be frozen during the off-season and thawed as needed.
Even though this technology has been around for a while, pharmaceutical companies have been hesitant to make the switch. It’s expensive to make such a fundamental change to manufacturing, and there wasn’t evidence that the cell-based shot was any more effective—or in-demand—than the egg-based one. In fact, egg vaccines were so popular that it was difficult to study the small subset of people who got cell-based shots instead. But if it turns out that the non-egg option is simply a better vaccine, pharma companies might be motivated to change their methods.
You should still get the flu shotYou knew it was coming.
Even though this year’s vaccine might be only 10 percent effective, it can still help your body prepare for the virus to some degree. Eggs don’t create such drastic changes that the antigen is completely unrecognizable, and every little bit of preparation helps.
This is doubly true if you work with children or the elderly, or are yourself a school-age kid or elderly. Those two populations are at the greatest risk for having serious complications from influenza—and let’s not forget that tens of thousands of people die from the flu every year. It’s easy to pass along a virus that you don’t realize you have, and it’s your responsibility as a healthy adult to do your best to limit the spread.
It already looks like an early flu season, so get to your closest pharmacy and get the shot today. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Peloton Vs Echelon: Which Is Better For Your Home?
Last Updated on December 5, 2023
Fitness bikes have become increasingly popular in recent times as people spend more time at home. Peloton benefitted quite a lot from this rise, as their product has become one of the most popular fitness bikes and subscription services out there.
In this guide, we will explore both Peloton and Echelon, what they offer, as well as our verdict on which is the best value for money. Keep reading to find out!
What Do They Both Offer?Both Peloton and Echelon offer you the equipment to complete spinning classes, as well as other exercise classes you can complete at home. You buy into a subscription whereby you are granted access to lots of live classes you can attend virtually with other home exercisers.
There are also lots of on-demand classes as well as other virtual and live features like leaderboards, live routes, metrics based on performance and much more. The classes are really fun and practical and a great way to get exercise into your routine if they suit you.
Often you pay for the physical bike, and an additional purchase of the subscription necessary to attend the classes.
DesignFunnily, there isn’t too much separating the bikes in terms of design and build, bar one notable exception.
However, Peloton literally sued Echelon in 2023 for how similar their product was, inspiring a whole world of copycat products, and starting a sour legal dispute between the companies.
It’s undeniable that they are pretty similar in their design, they both have steel frames and magnetic resistance dials you physically control manually. The Peloton plus bike is a lot different to the opposition but is more expensive.
One point worth noting is that Peloton uses the ‘LOOK DELTA compatible’ cleats to fit their three-hole pedal, this does improve performance when spinning but can get in the way of circuits, something Peloton have been criticized for.
DisplayThe display is worth noting on both. One of the draws of Peloton plus is that the screen rotates to use for other workouts off your bike.
Echelon provides a rotating screen, while a normal Peloton bike does not, this makes circuits so much easier.
ClassesLike Peloton’s many other competitors, Echelon offers its own streaming service which provides live and on demand classes as well as leaderboards. Both offer more than just spinning classes and include strength and conditioning, cardio, and much more.
It’s hard to compete with the production quality Peloton offers, their hype and celebrity endorsement has led them to get the best of the best when it comes to production: live DJs, celebrity guests, a huge range of choice, different music and much more.
Echelon tries to bridge this gap by offering classes Peloton doesn’t, such as boxing and pilates.
Our VerdictBoth bikes offer similar things, Peloton carries with it a name and a hype that undeniably made their product great. Echelon is much cheaper, against Peloton’s legal wishes, Echelon have provided their new EX-15 model for about a third of the price that Peloton offers for their base model.
Nothing compares to the peloton experience, but if you want a simple and less expensive smart fitness bike Echelon isn’t the worst out there.
Google And Samsung Team Up To Make Wear Os A True Competitor
Big updates are coming to Wear OS, including OEM customizations, faster performance, and much more.
YouTube Music and Fitbit apps are finally coming to Wear OS, as well.
The new unified Wear OS platform was developed in partnership with Samsung.
Despite the tumultuous last few years for the smartwatch platform, Google remains committed to Wear OS and smartwatches in general. During its Google I/O 2023 keynote, the company announced a long-overdue update to Wear OS, which should be coming to existing smartwatches later this year.
Complete with OEM customizations and Fitbit integrations, Google hopes these platform changes will help it catch up to bigger players like the Apple Watch.
Software skins are coming to Wear OS
Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
In Wear OS’ early days, Google wouldn’t allow OEMs to customize much of the Wear OS user experience. The software running on a $500+ smartwatch was essentially the same as the software running on a cheap Wear OS watch. That was great news for software consistency but gave little reason to buy a smartwatch based on anything but hardware alone.
Now, Google is attempting to make Wear OS on smartwatches more like Android proper on phones. It’s doing so by opening the platform to be more developer-friendly. Smartwatch OEMs can now customize Wear OS’ UX to make it more in line with their phones. You may see a Samsung smartwatch with a more One UI-like experience, whereas a Fossil smartwatch might have more of Fossil’s own preferred software tweaks.
The company didn’t mention how this might affect Wear OS’ update schedule. Will we see the same problem with Android updates stem to Wear OS watches? How much extra time will Fossil need to take to update its smartwatches after it rolls out a custom interface? We’ll report back on this once we know more.
The first fruits of the Fitbit acquisition
Following Google’s acquisition of Fitbit in January, we’re finally starting to see the first Fitbit features creeping their way into Wear OS. The new Wear OS will have a few Fitbit staples, like the Today app (your daily activity summary), various exercise modes, Active Zone Minutes, and on-wrist celebrations when you reach a goal.
We’re unsure exactly how data will be handled between Fitbit and Wear OS. We know data tracked with the Fitbit app on Wear OS will be synced with the Fitbit app. And at least initially, activities recorded with the Fitbit app on Wear watches will not upload to Google Fit. This is probably a good move on Google’s part; even with its recent updates, Google Fit is far behind the functionality of the Fitbit app.
Google again worked with Samsung to completely rebuild the health and fitness framework on Wear OS to make it more power-efficient, more accurate, and more developer-friendly. The new Fitbit app on Wear was built with Google’s new fitness and health APIs, which should roll out to developers soon.
Also read: Fitbit buyer’s guide: Everything you need to know
Good news for developersDevelopers will be able to get started building apps for the new Wear OS soon. Jetpack support will roll out in the coming weeks, as will APIs with Kotlin in mind. Google will also soon launch an alpha build of the new Health Services API.
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