Android fans rejoice as handy health feature that’s been in the US for almost a year ‘finally’ arrives in the UK
AN ANDROID health feature is to finally cross the Atlantic and become available on phones in the UK, according to Google.
Google initially rolled out the feature to US Pixel 8 Pro devices in January.
But it’s now coming to Pixel Pro users across Europe.
The feature is called the Pixel Thermometer, which measures your body temperature using infrared sensors.
“Oh damn! freaking finally!,” one onlooker wrote on social media platform X.
Google says the feature solves the common issue of finding a thermometer when you really need one.
“There’s literally one at your fingertips with the Thermometer app on the #Pixel8 Pro,” the tech giant wrote in an X post about the feature in March.
“Just scan your forehead and save your results to your @Fitbit profile.”
Dr Sumit Sharma called the feature “amazing” and “a game-changer” when it was available only in the US.
“I see so many patients who can’t find thermometers,” he added.
Though there have been complaints that the feature is “too inaccurate” and “too inconvenient,” according to a report from Android Authority last October.
The feature is set to roll out to 24 European countries, including: Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
While one Austrian Android owner on X claims to now have access to the thermometer, many Europeans still haven’t been issued an update.
It’s unclear what the exact timeline for the feature roll out will be.
Only Pixel Pro handsets have the required infrared sensor hardware.
So if you own a regular Pixel device, or another Android brand model, you will unfortunately miss out on the recent expansion.
Google Pixel battery tips – the official guide
Here's the official Google advice for Pixel owners on how to make your battery charge go further...
Tip 1: Let the phone close apps you’re not using.
Tip 2: Keep your phone and apps up to date. Applications become more battery efficient with each new iteration, addressing errors and glitches that use unnecessary power.
Tip 3: Turn down the brightness. Save your eyes by turning down the brightness of your phone, while also saving the battery. You can also set your phone to Dark theme, which turns your background to black. It uses less power and relieves some of the strain on your eyes, too.
Tip 4: Know which apps and activities are power hungry. Pixel users should be aware of what activities drain their batteries most. Video calls and gaming are at the top of the list. Users should also shut down apps they have opened but aren’t using.