Photo: @jay__kamat via XDA
No matter if we accept it or not, smartphone zombies are here to stay, and in some ways, every one of us made the same mistake at least once and walked on a street looking into the phone.
Of course, it all depends on how long and when you do it, as some people apparently don’t care enough to take their eyes off the phone even when crossing the street.
On the other hand, while users are fully responsible for the whole thing, tech companies want to fight this dangerous trend, and the first to take action against it is none other than Google.
Last year, the company was spotted working on a new feature called Heads Up, integrated into the Digital Wellbeing app. As you could easily guess by simply reading its name, this feature is supposed to warn users to keep their eyes off the phone when walking on the street.
The good news is this feature has now arrived in the beta stage and is available for testing as part of the latest Digital Wellbeing beta release. However, worth knowing is that it only shows up on Pixel devices and requires access to physical activity data, while location permissions are optional.
“Watch your step with Heads Up. If you’re walking while using your phone, get a reminder to focus on what’s around you. Use with caution. Heads Up doesn’t replace paying attention,” the app explains.
The Heads Up notifications need to be enabled manually from the app on each Android device. It's not yet known when Google plans to release this feature to everybody, but without a doubt, it’s a welcome update that should help prevent accidents.
Expect other companies to follow suit and build similar warnings for their own devices, including the fruity-shaped firm making the iPhone.
On the other hand, while users are fully responsible for the whole thing, tech companies want to fight this dangerous trend, and the first to take action against it is none other than Google.
Last year, the company was spotted working on a new feature called Heads Up, integrated into the Digital Wellbeing app. As you could easily guess by simply reading its name, this feature is supposed to warn users to keep their eyes off the phone when walking on the street.
The good news is this feature has now arrived in the beta stage and is available for testing as part of the latest Digital Wellbeing beta release. However, worth knowing is that it only shows up on Pixel devices and requires access to physical activity data, while location permissions are optional.
“Watch your step with Heads Up. If you’re walking while using your phone, get a reminder to focus on what’s around you. Use with caution. Heads Up doesn’t replace paying attention,” the app explains.
The Heads Up notifications need to be enabled manually from the app on each Android device. It's not yet known when Google plans to release this feature to everybody, but without a doubt, it’s a welcome update that should help prevent accidents.
Expect other companies to follow suit and build similar warnings for their own devices, including the fruity-shaped firm making the iPhone.
Digital Wellbeing add "Heads Up", a feature that warns you to stop using your phone while you're walking. @xdadevelopers @thetymonbay @XDA_Forum_Admin @thetymonbay pic.twitter.com/5pEEgwuTMp
— Jay Prakash Kamat (@jay__kamat) April 11, 2021
Google News