● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
Google to remove 'Heads up' walking alerts from Android's Digital Wellbeing
Key points
- Google is deprecating the "Heads up" feature.
- "Heads up" provided walking safety alerts.
- Strings indicating removal found in Digital Wellbeing beta.
- The feature was introduced in 2021.
Deprecation of 'Heads up' Feature
Google is discontinuing the "Heads up" feature within Android's Digital Wellbeing suite. This feature, introduced in 2021, was designed to alert users who were walking while focused on their smartphones, prompting them to be aware of their surroundings with messages like "Look ahead" and "Watch your step".
Evidence of Removal
The impending removal was discovered in the Digital Wellbeing v1.48.975819457.beta release, where strings explicitly stated, "Walking detection is going away soon." While the feature remains active in the current public version, its deprecation is confirmed within the beta track.
Lack of Official Reason
Google has not provided an official reason for the feature's removal. Speculation suggests it might have been underused, given its opt-in nature. The feature operated on-device, implying minimal burden to maintain it.
Impact and Timeline
The removal of "Heads up" represents a minor change to Android's Digital Wellbeing tools. While the exact timeline for its complete discontinuation is not yet clear, the presence of deprecation strings in the beta indicates it will not be immediate. Further details are expected as the removal process progresses.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Google is removing the "Heads up" feature from Android's Digital Wellbeing, which previously provided alerts to users walking while looking at their phones. The removal was indicated by strings found in the Digital Wellbeing v1.48.975819457.beta release. This change affects a minor safety feature designed to reduce smartphone distraction during walking.