Google's 'Heads Up' feature to remind users to avoid using phone while walking

Google will introduce a feature called “Heads Up” to its Android Digital Wellbeing system which will caution those habituated to glancing at their phone screens out on the streets while walking, which could prove to be a safety hazard. The feature first appeared on the Pixel 4a phone as part of the latest beta of Digital Wellbeing and was tweeted by user Jay Kamat on April 11. "Watch your step with Heads Up. If you're walking while using your phone, get a reminder to focus on what's around you,” Google's Heads Up feature notifies the user. When activated, Google reminds: "Use [phone] with caution. Heads Up does not replace paying attention.” 

The Digital Wellbeing app is available on the Google Play Store and the Android application hosts several features to improve the use of the smartphone for the users including grayscale setting “Bedtime mode” that dims the smartphone’s display at night for better sleep and muting the notifications pop-ups. The new ‘heads up’ feature smartly detect when a smartphone user indulges on a phone during a walk, deviating attention from the path, and sends messages such as “Watch your step,” “Stay alert,” or “Lookup”. This would prevent the user from knocking themselves against someone or a random object on the street, or in the worst-case scenario ignoring a speeding vehicle. For Pixel users, the app is a finished build of Android 9.0 Pie. 

[Image Credit: XDA Forum]

[Image Credit: XDA Forum]

Automatically activated outdoor

According to Google, Digital Wellbeing is designed to assist smartphone users in limiting how much and how carefully they should use their device. The app, which will add the ‘heads up’ feature also gives information about how many times the phone was unlocked, and the total number of hours the smartphone was used on the app’s dashboard. The latest beta update to Google’s Digital Wellbeing app will ask the users about the permission to access the location of the smartphone and the physical activity, when “allowed” the feature will be automatically activated once the smartphone user steps outdoor. It will then track the movement to avoid traffic incidences and ensure the safety of the user. The feature is optional. Thus far, the Pixel phones have reported at least seven messages that instantly pop up that insist the user to stop using the phone and focus on the road. These include: 

• Be careful
• Look ahead
• Stay focused
• Lookup
• Stay alert
• Watch out
• Watch your step