Android Wear 2.0 will turn two years in a couple of months. It’s being updated regularly but we’re hoping a totally new version will be launched at the Google I/O 2018 in May. There is no related hint yet but the last update received is already 2.8. Google has recently announced the availability the latest Android Wear SDK which is 2.2.0. This version arrives with some improvements in the watch face feature. The most important of which is the unread notification indicator for all watch faces.
Android Wear SDK 2.2.0 is believed to include some features that are actually planned for the next Android Wear OS. This unread notification indicator could be a just a taste of Android Wear 3.0. The improvement allows customization of the notification indicator.
You can also display your own but to check this feature, you need to be a developer. You can also check using an emulator or the SDK. Incidentally, the Android Oreo-based Wear emulator is now in its final stage and may be published soon. Some enhancements are also ready for the ComplicationDrawable class.
The unread notification indicator appears as a dot-shaped indicator. As with Android Oreo, you can see a dot but not at the bottom of an app but at the bottom of the watch face. It only appears if there are unread alerts. If you are a developer, you can check your watch face by simply using an emulator.
Get the latest version so you’ll see the changes. Feel free to change the color of the ring around the dot so it will match the design of your watch face.
SOURCE: Android Developers Blog
