Google Is Bringing A New Digital Wellbeing Widget To Android

Google is developing a new Android homescreen widget for the Digital Wellbeing app. This widget would offer users a brief glimpse at their most-used apps plus other metrics like screen time.

The revelation was first made by the folks over at 9to5Google (via XDA) by breaking down the v1.0.416751293.beta apk. The site also captured a few screenshots detailing the new widget in action.

The widget is expandable, so users can customize it to fit their homescreens accordingly. Screenshots show that the widget adapts to the latest Android 12 “monet” theming engine. Moreover, both light and dark themes are supported by default.

The information comes from Digital Wellbeing v1.0.416751293.beta, so the feature will likely make it to a future stable release. Choosing the 2×1 widget only shows the screen time, but expanding the widget can offer additional information. As per Mishaal Rahman, although the widget isn’t live on the beta release of Digital Wellbeing, it is functional for some users.

This new Digital Wellbeing widget should be available for all Android users

Given the nature of the new Digital Wellbeing widget, it will probably be available for all Android users and not just Pixel owners. Google unveiled Digital Wellbeing a few years ago as a tool to help customers keep tabs on their screen time and app usage. It has grown significantly since then, and it’s only fair that it gets a new homescreen widget for Android.

Digital Wellbeing was way ahead of its time, particularly with periodic reminders to step away from the screen. Social media platforms like Instagram are only now including such features. Instagram’s hand was forced in many ways following damning revelations about Meta’s services being detrimental to teen mental health.

Google is not far away from controversy either. A detailed report over the weekend told us about a secretive deal struck by the search giant with Meta to dominate the advertising market.

Multiple reports also confirmed that the CEOs of both corporations, Sundar Pichai and Mark Zuckerberg, personally signed off on the ad deal. The revelations came via unsealed documents as part of a lawsuit initiated against Google by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.