Google
unveiled the features, which are in public beta but aren’t likely to show up as
part of an Android update for months, last week at its I/O Silicon Valley developer
conference.
Among the new features, placing
your phone face-down on a flat surface will activate a Do Not Disturb mode that
mutes calls and shuts down any visual notifications. Select VIP contacts can be
tagged to allow them to break through DND mode.
A
Family Link app will let parents monitor how often their kids access certain
apps, block or approve app downloads, set limits on screen time, and, if
necessary, remotely lock their offspring’s devices.
A
dashboard will show when and how often you unlock your phone, and how long you spend
with each app. There will be an option to set time limits on apps; once you hit
the limit on an app, its icon will turn gray on your screen (but will still be
usable).
Similarly,
a wind-down mode will fade your screen to gray at a user-set bedtime as a
reminder it’s time to stop for the day. The feature will also put the phone
into Do Not Disturb mode.
It’s
expected Apple will also announce options to deal with these same issues in an
update to its iPhone iOS software in June at its Worldwide Developers
Conference.
