diff --git a/packages/SettingsLib/res/values/strings.xml b/packages/SettingsLib/res/values/strings.xml
index 972fc738cb098..f176aac09856b 100644
--- a/packages/SettingsLib/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/packages/SettingsLib/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -863,4 +863,6 @@
     <!-- Content description for drawer menu button [CHAR_LIMIT=30]-->
     <string name="content_description_menu_button">Menu</string>
 
+    <!-- Label for Greenwich mean time, used in a string like GMT+05:00. [CHAR LIMIT=NONE] -->
+    <string name="time_zone_gmt">GMT</string>
 </resources>
diff --git a/packages/SettingsLib/src/com/android/settingslib/datetime/ZoneGetter.java b/packages/SettingsLib/src/com/android/settingslib/datetime/ZoneGetter.java
index 857ca49eafc2e..4bfca9b61d6ba 100644
--- a/packages/SettingsLib/src/com/android/settingslib/datetime/ZoneGetter.java
+++ b/packages/SettingsLib/src/com/android/settingslib/datetime/ZoneGetter.java
@@ -19,9 +19,13 @@ package com.android.settingslib.datetime;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.XmlResourceParser;
 import android.icu.text.TimeZoneNames;
-import android.text.BidiFormatter;
-import android.text.TextDirectionHeuristics;
+import android.support.v4.text.BidiFormatter;
+import android.support.v4.text.TextDirectionHeuristicsCompat;
+import android.text.SpannableString;
+import android.text.SpannableStringBuilder;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
+import android.text.format.DateUtils;
+import android.text.style.TtsSpan;
 import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.View;
 
@@ -29,7 +33,6 @@ import com.android.settingslib.R;
 
 import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParserException;
 
-import java.text.SimpleDateFormat;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.HashMap;
@@ -65,28 +68,41 @@ public class ZoneGetter {
     private static final String TAG = "ZoneGetter";
 
     public static final String KEY_ID = "id";  // value: String
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #KEY_DISPLAY_LABEL} instead.
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String KEY_DISPLAYNAME = "name";  // value: String
+
+    public static final String KEY_DISPLAY_LABEL = "display_label"; // value: CharSequence
+
+    /**
+     * @deprecated Use {@link #KEY_OFFSET_LABEL} instead.
+     */
+    @Deprecated
     public static final String KEY_GMT = "gmt";  // value: String
     public static final String KEY_OFFSET = "offset";  // value: int (Integer)
+    public static final String KEY_OFFSET_LABEL = "offset_label";  // value: CharSequence
 
     private static final String XMLTAG_TIMEZONE = "timezone";
 
-    public static String getTimeZoneOffsetAndName(Context context, TimeZone tz, Date now) {
+    public static CharSequence getTimeZoneOffsetAndName(Context context, TimeZone tz, Date now) {
         final Locale locale = Locale.getDefault();
-        final String gmtString = getGmtOffsetString(locale, tz, now);
+        final CharSequence gmtText = getGmtOffsetText(context, locale, tz, now);
         final TimeZoneNames timeZoneNames = TimeZoneNames.getInstance(locale);
         final ZoneGetterData data = new ZoneGetterData(context);
 
         final boolean useExemplarLocationForLocalNames =
                 shouldUseExemplarLocationForLocalNames(data, timeZoneNames);
-        final String zoneNameString = getTimeZoneDisplayName(data, timeZoneNames,
+        final CharSequence zoneName = getTimeZoneDisplayName(data, timeZoneNames,
                 useExemplarLocationForLocalNames, tz, tz.getID());
-        if (zoneNameString == null) {
-            return gmtString;
+        if (zoneName == null) {
+            return gmtText;
         }
 
         // We don't use punctuation here to avoid having to worry about localizing that too!
-        return gmtString + " " + zoneNameString;
+        return TextUtils.concat(gmtText, " ", zoneName);
     }
 
     public static List<Map<String, Object>> getZonesList(Context context) {
@@ -103,28 +119,30 @@ public class ZoneGetter {
         List<Map<String, Object>> zones = new ArrayList<Map<String, Object>>();
         for (int i = 0; i < data.zoneCount; i++) {
             TimeZone tz = data.timeZones[i];
-            String gmtOffsetString = data.gmtOffsetStrings[i];
+            CharSequence gmtOffsetText = data.gmtOffsetTexts[i];
 
-            String displayName = getTimeZoneDisplayName(data, timeZoneNames,
+            CharSequence displayName = getTimeZoneDisplayName(data, timeZoneNames,
                     useExemplarLocationForLocalNames, tz, data.olsonIdsToDisplay[i]);
-            if (displayName == null  || displayName.isEmpty()) {
-                displayName = gmtOffsetString;
+            if (TextUtils.isEmpty(displayName)) {
+                displayName = gmtOffsetText;
             }
 
             int offsetMillis = tz.getOffset(now.getTime());
             Map<String, Object> displayEntry =
-                    createDisplayEntry(tz, gmtOffsetString, displayName, offsetMillis);
+                    createDisplayEntry(tz, gmtOffsetText, displayName, offsetMillis);
             zones.add(displayEntry);
         }
         return zones;
     }
 
     private static Map<String, Object> createDisplayEntry(
-            TimeZone tz, String gmtOffsetString, String displayName, int offsetMillis) {
-        Map<String, Object> map = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+            TimeZone tz, CharSequence gmtOffsetText, CharSequence displayName, int offsetMillis) {
+        Map<String, Object> map = new HashMap<>();
         map.put(KEY_ID, tz.getID());
-        map.put(KEY_DISPLAYNAME, displayName);
-        map.put(KEY_GMT, gmtOffsetString);
+        map.put(KEY_DISPLAYNAME, displayName.toString());
+        map.put(KEY_DISPLAY_LABEL, displayName);
+        map.put(KEY_GMT, gmtOffsetText.toString());
+        map.put(KEY_OFFSET_LABEL, gmtOffsetText);
         map.put(KEY_OFFSET, offsetMillis);
         return map;
     }
@@ -162,15 +180,15 @@ public class ZoneGetter {
 
     private static boolean shouldUseExemplarLocationForLocalNames(ZoneGetterData data,
             TimeZoneNames timeZoneNames) {
-        final Set<String> localZoneNames = new HashSet<String>();
+        final Set<CharSequence> localZoneNames = new HashSet<>();
         final Date now = new Date();
         for (int i = 0; i < data.zoneCount; i++) {
             final String olsonId = data.olsonIdsToDisplay[i];
             if (data.localZoneIds.contains(olsonId)) {
                 final TimeZone tz = data.timeZones[i];
-                String displayName = getZoneLongName(timeZoneNames, tz, now);
+                CharSequence displayName = getZoneLongName(timeZoneNames, tz, now);
                 if (displayName == null) {
-                    displayName = data.gmtOffsetStrings[i];
+                    displayName = data.gmtOffsetTexts[i];
                 }
                 final boolean nameIsUnique = localZoneNames.add(displayName);
                 if (!nameIsUnique) {
@@ -182,8 +200,9 @@ public class ZoneGetter {
         return false;
     }
 
-    private static String getTimeZoneDisplayName(ZoneGetterData data, TimeZoneNames timeZoneNames,
-            boolean useExemplarLocationForLocalNames, TimeZone tz, String olsonId) {
+    private static CharSequence getTimeZoneDisplayName(ZoneGetterData data,
+            TimeZoneNames timeZoneNames, boolean useExemplarLocationForLocalNames, TimeZone tz,
+            String olsonId) {
         final Date now = new Date();
         final boolean isLocalZoneId = data.localZoneIds.contains(olsonId);
         final boolean preferLongName = isLocalZoneId && !useExemplarLocationForLocalNames;
@@ -213,23 +232,70 @@ public class ZoneGetter {
         return names.getDisplayName(tz.getID(), nameType, now.getTime());
     }
 
-    private static String getGmtOffsetString(Locale locale, TimeZone tz, Date now) {
-        // Use SimpleDateFormat to format the GMT+00:00 string.
-        final SimpleDateFormat gmtFormatter = new SimpleDateFormat("ZZZZ");
-        gmtFormatter.setTimeZone(tz);
-        String gmtString = gmtFormatter.format(now);
+    private static void appendWithTtsSpan(SpannableStringBuilder builder, CharSequence content,
+            TtsSpan span) {
+        int start = builder.length();
+        builder.append(content);
+        builder.setSpan(span, start, builder.length(), 0);
+    }
+
+    private static String twoDigits(int input) {
+        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder(3);
+        if (input < 0) builder.append('-');
+        String string = Integer.toString(Math.abs(input));
+        if (string.length() == 1) builder.append("0");
+        builder.append(string);
+        return builder.toString();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the GMT offset text label for the given time zone, in the format "GMT-08:00". This will
+     * also add TTS spans to give hints to the text-to-speech engine for the type of data it is.
+     *
+     * @param context The context which the string is displayed in.
+     * @param locale The locale which the string is displayed in. This should be the same as the
+     *               locale of the context.
+     * @param tz Time zone to get the GMT offset from.
+     * @param now The current time, used to tell whether daylight savings is active.
+     * @return A CharSequence suitable for display as the offset label of {@code tz}.
+     */
+    private static CharSequence getGmtOffsetText(Context context, Locale locale, TimeZone tz,
+            Date now) {
+        SpannableStringBuilder builder = new SpannableStringBuilder();
+
+        appendWithTtsSpan(builder, "GMT",
+                new TtsSpan.TextBuilder(context.getString(R.string.time_zone_gmt)).build());
+
+        int offsetMillis = tz.getOffset(now.getTime());
+        if (offsetMillis >= 0) {
+            appendWithTtsSpan(builder, "+", new TtsSpan.VerbatimBuilder("+").build());
+        }
+
+        final int offsetHours = (int) (offsetMillis / DateUtils.HOUR_IN_MILLIS);
+        appendWithTtsSpan(builder, twoDigits(offsetHours),
+                new TtsSpan.MeasureBuilder().setNumber(offsetHours).setUnit("hour").build());
+
+        builder.append(":");
+
+        final int offsetMinutes = (int) (offsetMillis / DateUtils.MINUTE_IN_MILLIS);
+        final int offsetMinutesRemaining = Math.abs(offsetMinutes) % 60;
+        appendWithTtsSpan(builder, twoDigits(offsetMinutesRemaining),
+                new TtsSpan.MeasureBuilder().setNumber(offsetMinutesRemaining)
+                        .setUnit("minute").build());
+
+        CharSequence gmtText = new SpannableString(builder);
 
         // Ensure that the "GMT+" stays with the "00:00" even if the digits are RTL.
         final BidiFormatter bidiFormatter = BidiFormatter.getInstance();
         boolean isRtl = TextUtils.getLayoutDirectionFromLocale(locale) == View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_RTL;
-        gmtString = bidiFormatter.unicodeWrap(gmtString,
-                isRtl ? TextDirectionHeuristics.RTL : TextDirectionHeuristics.LTR);
-        return gmtString;
+        gmtText = bidiFormatter.unicodeWrap(gmtText,
+                isRtl ? TextDirectionHeuristicsCompat.RTL : TextDirectionHeuristicsCompat.LTR);
+        return gmtText;
     }
 
     private static final class ZoneGetterData {
         public final String[] olsonIdsToDisplay;
-        public final String[] gmtOffsetStrings;
+        public final CharSequence[] gmtOffsetTexts;
         public final TimeZone[] timeZones;
         public final Set<String> localZoneIds;
         public final int zoneCount;
@@ -243,13 +309,13 @@ public class ZoneGetter {
             zoneCount = olsonIdsToDisplayList.size();
             olsonIdsToDisplay = new String[zoneCount];
             timeZones = new TimeZone[zoneCount];
-            gmtOffsetStrings = new String[zoneCount];
+            gmtOffsetTexts = new CharSequence[zoneCount];
             for (int i = 0; i < zoneCount; i++) {
                 final String olsonId = olsonIdsToDisplayList.get(i);
                 olsonIdsToDisplay[i] = olsonId;
                 final TimeZone tz = TimeZone.getTimeZone(olsonId);
                 timeZones[i] = tz;
-                gmtOffsetStrings[i] = getGmtOffsetString(locale, tz, now);
+                gmtOffsetTexts[i] = getGmtOffsetText(context, locale, tz, now);
             }
 
             // Create a lookup of local zone IDs.
diff --git a/packages/SettingsLib/tests/integ/src/com/android/settingslib/utils/ZoneGetterTest.java b/packages/SettingsLib/tests/integ/src/com/android/settingslib/utils/ZoneGetterTest.java
index 57e06ddb5c048..703e9d29e6ac7 100644
--- a/packages/SettingsLib/tests/integ/src/com/android/settingslib/utils/ZoneGetterTest.java
+++ b/packages/SettingsLib/tests/integ/src/com/android/settingslib/utils/ZoneGetterTest.java
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ import android.content.Context;
 import android.support.test.InstrumentationRegistry;
 import android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnit4;
 import android.support.test.filters.SmallTest;
+import android.text.Spanned;
+import android.text.style.TtsSpan;
+
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
@@ -55,14 +58,41 @@ public class ZoneGetterTest {
         testTimeZoneOffsetAndNameInner(TIME_ZONE_LA_ID, "Pacific Daylight Time");
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void getZonesList_checkTypes() {
+        final List<Map<String, Object>> zones =
+                ZoneGetter.getZonesList(InstrumentationRegistry.getContext());
+        for (Map<String, Object> zone : zones) {
+            assertTrue(zone.get(ZoneGetter.KEY_DISPLAYNAME) instanceof String);
+            assertTrue(zone.get(ZoneGetter.KEY_DISPLAY_LABEL) instanceof CharSequence);
+            assertTrue(zone.get(ZoneGetter.KEY_OFFSET) instanceof Integer);
+            assertTrue(zone.get(ZoneGetter.KEY_OFFSET_LABEL) instanceof CharSequence);
+            assertTrue(zone.get(ZoneGetter.KEY_ID) instanceof String);
+            assertTrue(zone.get(ZoneGetter.KEY_GMT) instanceof String);
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void getTimeZoneOffsetAndName_withTtsSpan() {
+        final Context context = InstrumentationRegistry.getContext();
+        final TimeZone timeZone = TimeZone.getTimeZone(TIME_ZONE_LA_ID);
+
+        CharSequence timeZoneString = ZoneGetter.getTimeZoneOffsetAndName(context, timeZone,
+                mCalendar.getTime());
+        assertTrue("Time zone string should be spanned", timeZoneString instanceof Spanned);
+        assertTrue("Time zone display name should have TTS spans",
+                ((Spanned) timeZoneString).getSpans(
+                    0, timeZoneString.length(), TtsSpan.class).length > 0);
+    }
+
     private void testTimeZoneOffsetAndNameInner(String timeZoneId, String expectedName) {
         final Context context = InstrumentationRegistry.getContext();
         final TimeZone timeZone = TimeZone.getTimeZone(timeZoneId);
 
-        String timeZoneString = ZoneGetter.getTimeZoneOffsetAndName(context, timeZone,
+        CharSequence timeZoneString = ZoneGetter.getTimeZoneOffsetAndName(context, timeZone,
                 mCalendar.getTime());
 
-        assertTrue(timeZoneString.endsWith(expectedName));
+        assertTrue(timeZoneString.toString().endsWith(expectedName));
     }
 
 }