Wear OS smartwatches get UV index info so you don’t get sunburn
Wear OS smartwatches are getting functionality that lets users know how safe it is to go outside. It comes in the form of a UV compilation.
The UV index is the globally recognized measurement for ultraviolet radiation emitted by the Sun. It is useful to know this metric as this type of radiation can cause sunburn, skin aging, DNA damage and certain forms of cancer. Knowing the value ahead of time allows you to adequately protect yourself either by limiting your exposure to the sun, applying adequate amounts of suncream, wearing the right clothing and sunglasses.
Most weather related websites publish some type of UV-related information. The metric can go from zero to 11+. The higher the number the more ultraviolet radiation there is outside.
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The UV index is very much region dependent. For example, in the UK it will rarely go above 8. It is suggested to take precautions when the level crosses above 4. This is considered harmful radiation.
Google has now slapped UV functionality to its Wear OS Weather app. The search giant announced this in a tweet the other day.
You can see what this looks like in the image below. The watch-face is called Pixel Minimal Watch Face, in case you were wondering.
The Wear OS Weather Tile currently displays information such as a current weather and a forecast, along with your location and temperature. With this new update a tiny sun icon and UV number level will appear in the top corner. This is the type of information that is already available in the Google smartphone Weather app.
The company says users should expect to see the feature in the coming days. The update has already started rolling out but may take a while before it reaches everyone. With summer fast approaching, this is great timing. It is a minor but useful feature.
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