Mapping Today app to button

[SHaase]

Hi, is there a way to map the Today app to one of the Ionic buttons?  I realize you can access the Today app by swiping up at the main screen, but that requires 1st hitting a button to turn on the screen and then swiping up which is a tad inconvenient.  

I know you can customize what the top & bottom buttons do by positioning the apps on the app screen, but the Today app is not listed there on my Ionic so I don't have the option to map a button to it.  When I check the Apps->My Apps setting on my phone, the Today app says "this app does not appear in the app switcher on your watch and cannot be deleted."  Interestingly, I'm pretty sure the Today app *does* show up on the app switcher on my son's Ionic, but I need to confirm that.  

Edit - I just saw the 'Customize Apps' link in the Important Links section at the root of the Ionic forum page and the video it plays distinctly shows the Today app in the app switcher - so this definitely was available at some point.  Just not any longer, it appears.  😞 

Was this intentionally removed or is it a bug?  

[SunsetRunner]

In the current Operating System Version, the Today screen acts as yours does.  In the immediately prior version, there was a Today App and you could do as you described.

BTW, you don't have to push a button to turn on the screen.  Do a long push on the left button to the Screen Wake setting and put it on Auto and the screen turns on when you raise and twist your arm to read it.

[SHaase]

Ya, I already have the screen set to Auto and have been doing as you describe but that workflow has issues (for me):

1. Auto doesn't always turn on the screen every time I do it, so I often still end up having to hit a random button just to get it to turn on
2. When Auto does work, it often takes a second or two to kick in - and it also sometimes also turns itself off very quickly unless you hold your arm in exactly the right position.
3. Holding my arm in a weird position to try to get the screen to turn on while I'm walking (often when also holding my dog's leash) is awkward and the only way I can ensure the screen stays on is to keep my arm in that awkward 90 degree angle while I'm walking - and performing swiping operations with my other hand (again, while holding a leash). 

In the end, I often end up having to stop walking, switch the leash to my Ionic's hand, twist my elbow to get the screen to turn on, then swipe up to see the data I want.  All of this would be far simpler for me if I could simply hit a button to display the data I want to see - which is apparently how it used to work (I just got my Ionic last week, so I never got to use it like that before).

[Rich_Laue]

When it comes to the today screen, yes do to popular demand, it was moved to a swipe up, and the music moved to holding in the left button oppose to holding in the lower right button.

I would like to see the holding in of the lower right button to be customizable.

Auto on is designed to work when the forearm is somewhat close to horizontal. I find it needs to be within 30° or less to horizontal, then a 90° rotation. Lifting my arm up, while rotating the wrist I say works 99 out of 100 times for me. If my arm is wresting on my lap or table, then simply a rotation is needed. Either way it seems to be the movement I have used to vriw a watch for the last 60 years. 

[SHaase]

Bummer, looks like I'm just out of luck.  I do like the swipe up functionality when I'm sitting down, but when I'm actively walking around it's just too cumbersome for me. 

IMO, it sucks that they decided to *move* the access to the Today app to swipe up rather than just *adding* it.  If they had chosen to leave the Today app in the app switcher list that would give people the option to map it to either button on the right side of the watch by positioning the Today app in the appropriate location in the app switcher list.  Making the upper right button default to Music is fine, but it's not something I'm going to use so I would rather swap out that app with Today.

[SunsetRunner]

"Making the upper right button default to Music is fine, but it's not something I'm going to use so I would rather swap out that app with Today."

__________________________________________________________________________

Both right side buttons are customizable shortcut buttons with the top button activating the App at the top left of the first page of Apps and the lower button activates the App at the lower left of the first App page. You can place the Apps wherever you want them.

Actually, a swipe up with one finger to me is easier then using two fingers to activate a button (one finger on the left side to backup the force required to activate the right side).

[SHaase]

Yes, I'm aware that the buttons are customizable by placing apps on the 1st page in the app switcher (that's part of my main point in my last message).  However, you can only customize those if the app is actually available in the app switcher - and that's no longer the case with the Today app.  If it was, my problem would be 100% solved.  🙂

I also understand that not everyone is the same.  It's great that the swipe up method works great for you.  It actually also works great for me as well - except when I'm actually walking around at a reasonable speed.  When I'm walking pushing a button is far easier.  For me, this is a 1 finger operation - I don't have to also push on the left side as there is enough tension in the watch band to allow me to push the button.  

Anyway, I hope they add the Today app back to the app switcher list so that those of us who want to customize the buttons to use it can do so.  They can also leave the swipe up functionality in place as well.  There's no reason you can't have multiple ways to do the same thing.