Can you use a widget in Split screen in Android 12?

[msquin]

Hello,

In spilt screen mode, on Android 12, can you use a widget vs. an app in one of the screens?

Obviously you and have two apps running, one on each of the split screens, but can one screen have an app and one have a widget?

For example:
Screen 1: Waze
Screen 2: 3 days Weather Widget

I've done a fair bit of poking around and can't seen to find and info referencing using a widget vs. and app in one of the split screens. If not, is there a work around for say the above example?

Thx

(full disclosure, posting this here and another android forum as I can't seem to find answer anywhere after a fair amount of looking)

 

[bkdodger]

Hello welcome to the forum I'm not aware of any widget to use on split screen I believe it's only apps but I would probably have to do more research but the whole point of split screen is to multitask so I really don't see how the widget on the other screen would be helpful in my opinion

 

[msquin]

Thanks for the welcome and for the answer.

Here's how it can be helpful...

My specific use case, while driving in car:
- Navigation on one screen
- 3 or 5 day weather widget on the other (much like say BMW built in screens allow i.e. Nav on one side / and Widgets like weather widgets on another)

A work around for the weather widget use case would be a static app that looks just like water widget - but I've searched for hours and none of the weather apps can do this. Many have widgets that fit the bill perfectly, but the apps themselves are much more detail and typically are not simple multi-day summary with 3 of 5 days weather icons plus date & time that would fit on half a screen like weather widgets do.

Again, thanks for answering.

 

[bkdodger]

You can probably try the weather channel app. I believe that one has an hourly

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro

 

[msquin]

Thanks for the suggestion and response.

I downloaded it and tried it, and it does have the hourly one in "app mode" as you mentioned. If they had "daily mode" that would be close to what I am looking for and good enough. I payed around with it and they do have a daily mode, but it looks like you can't make it default to that, as soon as you close and reopen the app it defaults to hourly. They also do have another good "daily" view but that one is a widget.

I am going to poke around and see if I can find some sort of app emulator that I could run a widget in (if that possible Android would see the App emulator as an "app" and if I could run widget inside the emulator, that may do it.). It's a bit convoluted, but I'll see if there are any emulators that support running widget inside.
I think there are a number of people in my shoes - BMW recently (this year) ended BMW "connected services" if your car was a 3G car, so anyone that used split screen using "BMW connected services" is out of luck (e.g. traffic/nav on one side and 3 day weather widget on other side). Android split screen is perfect solution if I could get weather widget to work on one of the screens.

 

[bkdodger]

Thanks for the suggestion and response.

I downloaded it and tried it, and it does have the hourly one in "app mode" as you mentioned. If they had "daily mode" that would be close to what I am looking for and good enough. I payed around with it and they do have a daily mode, but it looks like you can't make it default to that, as soon as you close and reopen the app it defaults to hourly. They also do have another good "daily" view but that one is a widget.

I am going to poke around and see if I can find some sort of app emulator that I could run a widget in (if that possible Android would see the App emulator as an "app" and if I could run widget inside the emulator, that may do it.). It's a bit convoluted, but I'll see if there are any emulators that support running widget inside.
I think there are a number of people in my shoes - BMW recently (this year) ended BMW "connected services" if your car was a 3G car, so anyone that used split screen using "BMW connected services" is out of luck (e.g. traffic/nav on one side and 3 day weather widget on other side). Android split screen is perfect solution if I could get weather widget to work on one of the screens.

I'm sorry to hear that it was stopped on earlier cars .. split three ways is an awesome setup on the BMW.. what car you driving ?

 

[msquin]

I have a 750I m-sport, but they stopped the Connected Services for my year due to 3G sunset. Later model cars e.g. ~2017 or later I believe you have workaround/options, but not my model year. It's a great car but the sunsetting of connected services due to 3G sunset has turned out to be a hassle.
You can get Real Time Traffic from 3rd party that will work on BMW screen, the company is called Navituning and it works great (so I can see traffic conditions even when not using Navigation on the car), but no way to get a weather widget and other Connected Services anymore so that's why I tried to resort to my Android screen/widget and want to use one part of screen for Waze and other for weather widget.

 

[bkdodger]

At least you have a nice car not bad I'm sure you have it taken care of.. but I understand once you get used to the Idrive screen a certain way you miss it for sure..

 

[msquin]

Thanks. Yea, its a really fun car and I try to keep it in great shape. I don't want to upgrade the car as its one of the last years of the SWB (short wheel base) in the 750i in the U.S.. Most of the 750's that came to the U.S. were LWB (long wheel base) and in 2017 BMW decided to only bring in LWB 750I cars (even though Europe stilll has SWB option). For my taste I think the SWB looks better (the LWB is 5" longer and it looks to "limousine-ish" to me, esp the rear doors. Super nice car but too big and noticeably different when you put SWB 750i side by lid eto LWB 750i).

In any case, thanks for your help, I appreciate it and I'll let you know if I figure anything out with weather widgets etc.