There are a lot of sounds all around us and sometimes, without realizing it, some of them can damage our hearing. While one way to protect your hearing is to use wireless earphones with ANC, Google is working on a solution to this problem, with a new At a Glance update for Pixel phones that will alert users when they encounter noise that may affect their hearing.
It’s not enabled or available at this time, but folks at 9to5Google He did a deep dive into the recent update to the Android System Intelligence component of the Pixel 7 and found mention of a “loud beep” capability that would activate “when (a) loud sound harmful to hearing is detected.” While the news outlet isn’t clear exactly where in Android this will appear, it takes a guess that it could land on the At a Glance screen.
Source: 9to5Google
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because the Apple Watch has a similar feature called Noise that will monitor safe hearing levels and notify users when they encounter dangerous environments. The feature is exclusive to the Apple Watch and does not currently appear on any iPhones, as it monitors environmental sounds and gives users the ability to set a noise limit of 80 to 100 decibels.
Over the years, the Pixel Launcher At a Glance feature has evolved quite well, adding more alerts and capabilities to its repertoire. Currently, Pixel users can instantly see information about package deliveries, doorbell notifications, fitness activity, bedtime alerts, connection and battery statuses, and more. There are so many things filled at a glance nowadays that it has really become a time saver, requiring the user to put in less effort and see more.
While there is currently At a Glance content aimed at keeping you safe, such as earthquakes and changing air quality, along with severe weather indicators, if the loud beep does kick in, it’s sure to hit a little closer to home when it comes to user health. As mentioned earlier, this feature is currently not available but has been seen in Android code. Since this is an early look, it’s always best to moderate expectations because there’s always a chance that the idea will be scrapped by Google.
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Google Pixel 7
$586 $599 Save $13
The Google Pixel 7 is an improvement on the already excellent Pixel 6, which makes for a very polished phone with a great camera.
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Google Pixel 7 Pro
Google Pixel 7 Pro comes with a 6.7 inch OLED display. It comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection, but a screen protector will go a long way in keeping it in pristine condition.
