Google’s latest Pixel features include a ‘safety check’ for when you’re walking alone
Google is today announcing the next batch of new software features coming to its Pixel smartphones. After adding car-crash detection last year, the company is expanding upon its personal safety features with a new “safety check” tool that’s designed to make sure you’re okay if you’re out somewhere alone — for a walk or run, perhaps.
When you enable the feature, you set a time for when you want it to check in. When that time comes, safety check takes over your whole screen and asks for your status. You can dismiss the prompt and say you’re okay, start sharing your location with emergency contacts immediately, or dial 911. If there’s no response within a minute, safety check will automatically notify your emergency contacts and provide your location on Google Maps. There’s no option for it to automatically call 911 — likely to prevent false positives.
Even with the small possibility of accidental emergency texts to friends, this seems like a very useful safety measure. There’s no equivalent for safety check built into iOS, and it’s a continuation of Google expanding further into the area of personal safety after introducing car-crash detection last year. And now that effort is coming to older Pixels: the Personal Safety app will soon be available for all of them.
The other new big addition is a bedtime mode that’s being added to the clock app. “Fall asleep to calming sounds and limit interruptions while you sleep — and if you stay up on your phone past bedtime, you’ll get a snapshot of how much time you’re spending awake and on which apps,” Google wrote in its blog post.
Next up is a nice convenience for people who often rely on Google’s Recorder app. Now, you can use Google Assistant to start recordings (or search from your existing ones). Better still, you can automatically get transcripts of your recordings in Google Docs. It’s always nice to see more cohesion between Google’s services and apps.
Last, Google is improving the adaptive battery functionality. “Now, Adaptive Battery on Pixel 2 and newer devices can predict when your battery will run out and further reduce background activity to keep your Pixel powered longer.”
Google is today announcing the next batch of new software features coming to its Pixel smartphones. After adding car-crash detection last year, the company is expanding upon its personal safety features with a new “safety check” tool that’s designed to make sure you’re okay if you’re out somewhere alone —…
Recent Posts
- Quordle today – hints and answers for Friday, May 3 (game #830)
- NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Friday, May 3 (game #61)
- Microsoft says it did a lot for responsible AI in inaugural transparency report
- Samsung’s best customization app for Galaxy phones is now on Google Play
- Want to Buy a Decommissioned Supercomputer? Here’s Your Chance
Archives
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- December 2011