Freepoc

Our general purpose app installer for WearOS devices runs on Android phones. This update allows split apks to be installed from the Custom APK page.

Freepoc started 25 years ago this month, in October 1999. Our objective was to make high quality free apps available for Psion handheld devices running the Epoc operating system. As time progressed, we have pivoted to publishing apps which are primarily for Android phones and wearables. Staying true to our original intent, all our apps are still completely free with no in-app purchases, adverts or nag screens. Some of our apps are published via the Google Play Store, others are only available to download from this website. You can always find the latest versions of our apps at our downloads page. We also maintain the complete back catalogue of Epoc apps that were originally published on this site. If you have used any of our apps, then or now, thanks for your support and we hope our apps have helped you in some small way.

It’s pretty rare for something to survive on the internet for such an extended period, so we feel pretty happy that we’ve made it this far. A few beers will be consumed tonight!

Our simple and privacy-focused Android launcher now includes the ability to hide apps that you don’t want to appear in the app carousel.

I have been contacted by a number of people about problems with devices running WearOS 5. So this post is a list of some current bugs/changes that I am aware of (probably not complete), with workarounds, where known.

1. Vibration motor not working: vibration commands sent to the watch are either ignored or the vibration is so weak as to not be detectable.

Affects: Pixel Watch 1 after WearOS 5 update, but not the PW2 or PW3. Galaxy Watch 7 series not known.

Freepoc apps impacted: Vibrate The Time, Wear Notification Helper, Wear BT Monitor

Workaround: no workaround known at this stage

2. Right-swipe to close app, no longer closes app: the standard gesture that has closed WearOS apps since WearOS 1.0 no longer does so, it sends the app to background instead. This undocumented change means apps which previously relied on a right-swipe to finish and perform clean-up, no longer work as intended.

Affects: Pixel Watch 1 & 2 after WearOS 5 update. PW3 probably (to be confirmed). Galaxy Watch 7 series probably (to be confirmed).

Freepoc apps impacted: many/most WearOS apps

Workaround: apps will need to be individually remediated (in progress)

3. Apps that require to schedule alarms can’t do so: the required permission is simply not available on the Pixel Watch 3

Affects: Pixel Watch 3 only (as far as we know)

Freepoc apps impacted: Wear Battery Monitor (Play Store version)

Workaround: a version of WBM with the schedule alarm permission pre-granted is available on the Freepoc website, but must be sideloaded using Wear Installer 2

4. Apps that play media from background (eg. sound files) no longer work correctly: the default MediaPlayer will not play sound files correctly.

Affects: Pixel Watch 1/2/3 after WearOS 5 update. Galaxy Watch 7 series not known.

Freepoc apps impacted: Wear Battery Monitor, Wear BT Monitor, Wear Logger, Tennis Swing Analyser, Wear Notification Helper

Workaround: these apps need to be remediated to use an alternative media player (in progress)

5. Watchfaces designed for earlier WearOS devices (ie. written in Java/Kotlin) not available or limited functionality: this change is well known

Affects: all watches with WearOS 5 pre-installed (Pixel Watch 3, Galaxy Watch 7)

Freepoc apps impacted: none

Workaround: There is no workaround for the Pixel Watch 3. Wear Installer 2 can help install these older watchfaces to the Galaxy Watch 7 series and they will work, albeit with some restrictions.

Our general purpose installer for Wear OS apps runs on Android phones. This update provides the option to enable accessibility during installation for those apps that need it.

Wear Two Launcher is a launcher in the style of WearOS 2 for WearOS watches running WearOS 3 or later. This update adds compatibility for Pixel Watches running WearOS 5.

When I’m Home is an app for WearOS watches to record a message which will be triggered when you return home. You’ll receive a notification and the watch will speak the message. This update adds compatibility for watches running WearOS 5.

Our WearOS app to delay the digital clock overlay and keep certain apps awake is updated to finish when ‘Save’ is selected, rather than requiring a right-swipe to exit.

Wear Two Launcher is a launcher for the latest WearOS devices which displays apps in a nice circular display in the style of WearOS 2 watches. This app adds some display optimisations and now shows pinned apps in cyan rather than green.

Our simple and privacy focussed launcher for Android devices is updated with speed improvements to reduce the time taken to redraw the home screen.