Cough and snore detection discovered in Digital Wellbeing: this is how it works

Your Android phone will soon detect when you snore or cough while you sleep. Those features were discovered in the code of the Digital Wellbeing app as part of Bedtime Mode. At the moment they are not active on phones yet.

Detect snoring and cough

Sleep has a significant impact on our health, and Google wants Android phones to lend a hand in measuring the quality of our beats. It was already known in May that Android phones will soon detect snoring and coughing during sleep, but the features have now also surfaced. They are hidden in the code of the Digital Wellbeing, according to 9To5Google.

At night, your phone will use its microphones from your bedside table to detect any snoring or coughing. You will be able to turn on that listening to sounds from the Bedtime Mode of Digital Wellbeing. Digital Wellbeing is a section in Android’s settings that provides users with the necessary tools to use your phone in a healthy way. Among other things, you can avoid distraction by temporarily blocking notifications from apps with Focus mode, or at night with Bedtime mode.

Availability

Importantly, the features are not yet active in Digital Wellbeing, but Google could activate them at any time. These improvements make it more accessible for more users to diagnose any problems during sleep. That is already possible with many smart watches and fitness trackers, and Google also offers such functions with the second generation of its Nest Hub. You can read our findings about the Nest Hub’s sleep analysis here.

In addition, it is also more common that people have difficulty falling asleep because they keep scrolling on Instagram or TikTok at night. We tested the Unpluq Tag, which is an accessory that helps you avoid distraction from such apps. You are more aware of your phone because you always have to do a physical action before you can open TikTok or Instagram.