AmbientState.Interactive received when device is transitioning from app to watch face

[ithinkihaveacat]

AmbientState.Interactive is associated with the onExitAmbient() event:

horologist/compose-layout/src/main/java/com/google/android/horologist/compose/ambient/AmbientAware.kt

Line 101 in 388eb02

override fun onExitAmbient() {

The system calls this method when the app is being transitioned from ambient to interactive mode, but also when the app is being transitioned from ambient mode to the watch face. Since horologist translates this to its own AmbientState.Interactive state, apps get passed this state when the system is returning the user to the watch face.

This is misleading, and potentially incorrect, especially since the javadoc explains that this state represents the app being open and being used:

horologist/compose-layout/src/main/java/com/google/android/horologist/compose/ambient/AmbientState.kt

Line 32 in 388eb02

* Represents that the state of the device is is interactive, and the app is open and being used.

AmbientState.Inactive might be a better choice for the "going to watch face" case, although I can't see an easy way to provide that state.

[yschimke]

What is the lifecycle of the Activity at that point?

[ithinkihaveacat]

Seems to be CREATED. Also unexpected? From simple logs showing state changes when app is started running and then device not touched:

05-08 16:52:49.962 10183 18501 18501 D qqqqqq  : ambient state change: Interactive
05-08 16:52:59.844 10183 18501 18501 D qqqqqq  : ambient state change: Ambient(burnInProtectionRequired=false, deviceHasLowBitAmbient=false, updateTimeMillis=1746723179782)
05-08 16:53:06.604 10183 18501 18501 D qqqqqq  : ambient state change: Ambient(burnInProtectionRequired=false, deviceHasLowBitAmbient=false, updateTimeMillis=1746723186535)
05-08 16:54:00.741 10183 18501 18501 D qqqqqq  : lifecycle state change: CREATED
05-08 16:54:00.814 10183 18501 18501 D qqqqqq  : ambient state change: Interactive
05-08 16:54:00.814 10183 18501 18501 D qqqqqq  : lifecycle state change: CREATED

The app is completely invisible (user can't see the app) when those last three log lines are emitted.

[yschimke]

I think that's solvable then.

[yschimke]

Assuming it's not flashing interactive, I'm not in a rush to fix.

Does it happen if you hit the button, or just when timing out?

[yschimke]

I couldn't repro this, at least on API 35 emulator. I'll discuss Monday with you, maybe it's only device, and on some API versions?

[ithinkihaveacat]

I can't repro on the API 35 emulator either. The behavior of the emulator re these states does seem to be different though: I needed to manually put it into ambient mode (via adb exec-out input keyevent 223), and I couldn't figure out how to get it to timeout to the watch face at all.

According to settings it should: