Images reveal Android's abandoned intelligent lock screen experience

A look at what could've been on your Pixel smartphone.

What you need to know

• Google reportedly wanted a fullscreen At a Glance experience for the Android 11 lock screen.
• It would have included many features available or coming to At a Glance on the Pixel.
• Bits of the concept may have been moved to other products, such as the Pixel Stand interface.

Google was reportedly working on a more intelligent lock screen experience for its Pixel phones, and we may have just gotten our first look at what the experience would've been.

Sources provided Android Authority with mockups of Google's alleged intelligent lock screen, which would have resembled a fullscreen version of the At a Glance widget available on Google's phones like the Pixel 6.

From the mockups, you can see a "Good night" pill, which would presumably open up a menu for smart home controls, setting a bedtime alarm, sleep sounds, and more. This would likely be contextual and based on your set sleep schedule, and a Google Assistant button would sit towards the bottom of the screen.

Other mockups show how relevant media suggestions would display when connecting to the best wireless earbuds, or how the lock screen would show commute times when arriving at a certain location and loyalty cards for stores like Whole Foods.

According to Android Authority, the project never went past the prototyping stage. While it's unclear why, they posit it could have had to do with the privacy implications of having such information displayed on a lock screen or always-on display, as well as lack of proper third-party support.

That said, bits and pieces of the prototype have apparently appeared in other places, including some of the latest features for the Pixel At a Glance widget, Android 11's Power Menu, as well as the Pixel Stand's ambient display. However, they're disparate and seemingly pared-down versions of what Google had in mind for its all-encompassing experience.

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Worth a look

The new Pixel 6 is one of Google's latest smartphones, offering a unique design, upgraded 50MP camera, and Tensor chip powering the phone's impressive AI features. With the Pixel 6, you'll be among the first to try out new Android features, and you'll get years of support from Google.