When Google announced their Digital Wellbeing program during the I/O conference earlier this year, people who were having a hard time trying to find the balance between online and offline were pretty excited. However, the app itself was apparently only for Pixel devices upon launch, which kind of dampened the enthusiasm of some people. Well now you can add a few more devices that will be able to install the app as it is now also available for Android One smartphones.
While Google also has different Digital Wellbeing features for apps like YouTube, Gmail, etc, the Digital Wellbeing app itself is a device-wide tool that should be very helpful for people who might be too attached to their smartphones. It tell you information like how often you use apps, how many notifications you receive, and even how many times you check on your phone. It also has tools like app timers and Wind Down to help (force) you disconnect.
Even though the app is still technically in beta, it still seems to be a good tool to have. But of course previously, you needed to have a Pixel device to access it. In the changelog in the Google Play page now, it says that in order to access new features, you need to be a Beta tester and to have a Google Pixel or Android One smartphone. This seems to be good news, at least for those that have either device.
Technically, that adds just two devices, the Nokia 7 Plus and the Nokia 6.1 Plus. But that also means future Android One smartphone owners who are beta testers will be able to try out the app before anyone else. Other devices that have near-stock interfaces like the Essential Phone are still “blocked” from using Digital Wellbeing.
Right now, there are no indications yet that Google will make the app available to all Android devices. Hopefully, that’s the eventual plan. But if you have a Pixel or Android One device now and you want to be a beta tester, check out the Google Play page.