YouTube ‘Take a Break’: Google’s new feature focused on your digital wellbeing

YouTube’s ‘Take Break’ notifications will remind you that you’ve spent too much time on the application.

Google to roll out ‘Take a Break’ feature for YouTubers (AP)

At the annual developer conference I/O 2018, Google CEO Sundar Pichai launched a new initiative called "digital wellbeing" aimed at helping people get rid of their smartphone addiction. As part of the initiative, Google is rolling out various controls that will allow users to limit time spent on the phone. One of the first features focused on digital wellbeing is YouTube's "Take a Break" reminder.

As expected, YouTube is now rolling out a set of new controls that help users to set limits on their video viewing, and help them set "Take a Break" reminder from browsing the channels for too long. The new feature will enable the users to set a reminder for every 15, 30, 60, 90 or 180 minutes, at which point the video will pause and users will receive "Take a Break" notification that they have been binge-watching videos for longer than they decided to.

Users can then choose to dismiss the reminder and keep watching, or close the app, the TechCrunch reported late Friday.

The changes announced during Google's I/O keynote will roll out in the latest update of YouTube, along with YouTube's ability to send notifications. The reminders will come with an option of being dismissed and the feature will also allow users to disable notification sounds during a specified time period each day.

The new features are first expected to hit the 13.17 and higher versions of the YouTube mobile app on both iOS and Android.

Google is also integrating these features in its latest mobile OS iteration, Android P. The OS comes with four new controls - Dashboard, App Timer, Do Not Disturb, and Wind Down.

As the name suggests, Dashboard gives you a complete overview of app usage and shows how much time you have been spending on your device. App Timer will also nudge you if the app detects you're spending too much time on your phone.

'Do Not Disturb' mode, an existing Google feature, now has been updated with a new feature that allows users to silence visual interruptions in addition to calls and messages. A feature called 'Shush' is automatically activated after enabling DND. 'Wind Down' turns on DND on your phone and turns the screen to greyscale as per your set bedtime. The smartphone's display will be set to normal colours once you wake up.