Feedback

The watch offers visual, audible, and haptic feedback. Whatever type of feedback is being used, it should clearly communicate the result of the user’s input. You can combine more than one type of feedback when you need to emphasize user input.

Interaction Function
Haptic response

Respond to user input
Visual response

Audible response

Haptic feedback

Haptic feedback deliver responses to users using vibration so they do not have to look at the screen. You can vary the duration and number of vibrations to communicate different meanings.

  • Duration of vibrations

    Users often find extended vibrations annoying. In addition, long vibrations drain battery power.

  • Appropriate feedback

    Vibration can be created with different intensities. Because the watch is worn on the wrist, several factors can affect range of detectable vibration, including if users are moving, if they are wearing the watch, or how much they are focusing on the device. Haptic feedback should be provided selectively to avoid annoying users with unnecessary frequent feedback.

  • Feedback on text input

    Because users generally type to perform a task, they need quick feedback on whether or not they are typing correctly. Consider ways to minimize latency to ensure instantaneous feedback when typing. Haptic feedback should be as brief as possible, within the range that users can notice the vibration (for example, less than 30ms).

Visual feedback

Visual feedback inform users of a current state. Provide visual feedback to inform users that they have reached the end of a scrollable page or that a button or icon has been pressed. Refer to Visual design for more details.

  • Overscroll

    Overscrolling effects indicate that the user has reached the end of a scrollable list or page. It appears as a straight line, at the edge of both a linear and circular page.

  • Button press

    Button press effects indicate that a button or icon has been pressed by adjusting the color opacity or size of the button.

  • Adjusting the color opacity

    You can adjust the color opacity of a button by 40% to indicate that the button has been pressed.

    The opacity of the entire container is adjusted to 40% when users press a colored icon.

  • Adjusting the size

    You can adjust the size of a button to indicate that the button has been pressed.

    When users press a 2D icon without a container, a circle appears around the button and is scaled up to 110% of its original size

    hen users touch the screen itself, the screen is scaled down to 90% and then returns to 100%.

Audible feedback

Audible feedback are sounds that are responses to a user’s action. Audible feedback helps ensure users to acknowledge the result of their interactions and reinforces user’s sensible and aesthetic experience. Consider the following elements when designing sounds and providing them as audible feedbacks.

  • Stream type

    A watch offers four audio stream types :ringtone, notification (message), media, and system. The audible feedback usually uses the system stream type whose volume can be adjusted by the system volume control. However, audible feedback can be designed differently, as needed.

  • Pitch and Volume

    Make sure that a sound has the appropriate frequency range and volume for the target device. And, check how suitable the volume of the sound is by testing it at the default (9), minimum (1), and maximum (15) volume level.

    Refer to the following table for the default volume of each stream type.

    Ringtone Notification Media System
    11 11 7 9
  • Sound and vibration

    Consider designing sound and vibration feedback to have consistent meanings in the same functions.