Expanding Digital Wellbeing Capabilities
In an effort to enhance user experience and promote healthier screen time habits, Google’s Digital Wellbeing feature has been a cornerstone in Android devices. This initiative focuses on providing users with the tools to manage their screen time effectively, offering adjustments to screen brightness, color schemes, notifications, and sound profiles. Until recently, these adjustments have been exclusively under the purview of the Digital Wellbeing app.
However, a shift is on the horizon, as reported by Mishaal Rahman from Android Authority. With the advent of Android 15, Google is poised to open the gates, allowing third-party applications to harness the power of Digital Wellbeing through a new public API. The ZenDeviceEffects API will enable developers to integrate control over various screen settings that were once the sole domain of Google’s app. These settings include but are not limited to Always On Display, Grayscale (Minimize Color Saturation), Night Mode (Dark Mode), Ambient Display suppression, and Wallpaper Dimming.
Tasker, renowned as one of the most versatile automation apps on Android, has already embraced this new API. Users can now craft intricate Bedtime Mode routines, such as initiating a wind-down sequence with a simple tap on an NFC tag placed conveniently beside their bed. This development hints at the potential for Samsung to weave these APIs into its own Modes & Routines application, adding a layer of customization and automation to its ecosystem.
The introduction of this API was part of the Android 15 Developer Preview 2 rollout. As Google continues to refine the system, we may see additional screen options, like Adaptive Brightness and Tap To Wake, incorporated into the API’s capabilities. With the stable release of Android 15 on the horizon, anticipation builds for the potential enhancements to user experience. Samsung, on its part, has commenced internal development of the One UI 7.0 update. The integration of Modes & Routines and SmartThings apps with Digital Wellbeing could offer a seamless and intuitive user experience, aligning with the overarching goal of promoting digital wellness.
