Digital Wellbeing App From Google May Slow Down Pixel Smartphones

The app Digital Wellbeing from Google is supposed to be a useful and straightforward software that helps users monitor their handset usage routines and create a better technology-life balance to stay healthy. However, during the past few weeks, several users of Pixel smartphones have concluded that the app may cause theỉ smartphones to slow down.

There is a really vibrant Reddit thread at the moment where a lot of reports have been posted claiming that Google Pixel phones have a better performance when the app is turned off. Some people have stated that there is immediately a clear difference after they switch off the app while there are also those who don't believe that the effect is that dramatic. This theory originated from Reddit user Trueray17 more than 1 week ago, this user stated that turning off the app fully solved the smartphone's performance problems.

Making the phone run slower is just an accidental side effect of Digital Wellbeing. It is designed to operate in the background and records how long you use certain applications or how long you use the phone. This information may be extremely useful when you want to balance your life and spend less time on your phone. Users can configure application timers or turn the screen grayscale to reduce the appeal of their favorite apps when they decide to avoid opening them on impulse.

However, the issue that the app may reduce the performance of Pixel handsets is quite alarming. If the reports that the app Digital Wellbeing reduces the device's frame rate and speed are true, it will be an obvious reason for users to turn off the information that can be extremely helpful if the side effect doesn't exist.

Digital Wellbeing is among Android 9 Pie's key new functions, appearing for the first time in Pixel handsets, then in Android One, and a small number of other phones. Google plans to further develop it for Android Q by adding the Focus mode. Is it reasonable that an app running on the background to record everything like that can affect the phone's speed? It is surely possible. The Verge has contacted Google to ask whether the tech company knows of the performance issues that Digital Wellbeing causes.

Meanwhile, you can switch the app off to check if there is an apparent improvement by doing this:

• Go to settings on the Pixel device
• Tap Digital Wellbeing
• Choose the "..." icon on the top right of the screen and tap “Turn off usage access”
• Verify the decision on the "Usage access" screen by tapping Digital Wellbeing and switch off the "permit usage access" option.