Android 15 QPR2 hints at resizable lock screen widgets for the Pixel Tablet

With the most recent Pixel Drop, Google brought lock screen widgets to the Pixel Tablet. But while this handy feature was welcome, it came with a catch: widgets were locked into a rigid grid, unable to be resized. Fortunately, it seems this limitation might be lifted in the next quarterly release of Android 15, as Google appears to be working on enabling resizable lock screen widgets.

To get you up to speed, lock screen widget support was reintroduced in Android 15 QPR1 and is exclusive to large-screen devices like the Pixel Tablet for now. This exclusivity is likely due to the ample screen real estate these devices offer, making widgets more practical. Also, these widgets aren’t displayed directly on the lock screen, but rather in a dedicated space called the “glanceable hub.” This hub, accessed by swiping inward from the right edge of the lock screen, offers ample space for widgets.

Right now, the glanceable hub currently displays a maximum of six widgets at a time, arranged in a 2×3 grid. With the exception of the media player card, no widget can occupy more than one cell at a time. However, this might change in Android 15 QPR2.

A recent deep dive into the Android 15 QPR2 Beta 1 by Android Authority has revealed a hidden feature: the ability to resize any widget to occupy an entire column. While this is a relatively small tweak it means more information at a glance and will allow users to tailor their lock screens to their specific needs and preferences.. While this feature is still under development and currently unavailable on phones, it hints at exciting possibilities for customization.

Since this hidden feature is not even officially in Android 15 QPR2 beta 1, who knows what refinements they might make to this feature or when it will officially be released. The stable release of Android 15 QPR2 is scheduled for March 2025 so maybe it will arrive then but we’ll have to wait and see. I’m just excited to see that Google is dedicated to enhancing the Pixel Tablet’s capabilities. I’ll be eagerly watching for further developments and will keep you updated as we learn more.