Google releases Digital Wellbeing app for Pixel and Android One smartphones

Google has officially released the so-called Digital Wellbeing app in the Play Store. The app is intended to monitor and, if necessary, curb smartphone use. The functionality of the app is available for Pixel and Android One phones running Android 9.0 Pie.

Google reports in the Play Store that the beta period of “Digital Wellbeing” is now over and that the app is available for all Google Pixel and Android One phones running Android 9.0 Pie. An innovation in the current version is that the ‘near bedtime function’ is now switched off at the time set by the user or at the next alarm clock.

Digital Wellbeing is the name for an app that allows users to map their smartphone use and possibly limit it based on that. For that, some features have been introduced that allow users to check which apps have been used the most, how often the phone is unlocked and how many notifications come in. Based on that, users can limit their apps or make the screen monochrome at certain times.

In October it already appeared that Google will also release the app for Android One devices, while the app was previously only reserved for owners of Pixel phones. Google announced Digital Wellbeing at its developer conference I/O last spring.