On November 21, 2018, HMD Global’s Nokia 7 Plus was among the first locally sold phones to move onto Android 9 Pie, and the handset has now gained access to one of Pie’s headline tools: Digital Wellbeing.
The feature, which had previously been limited to Google Pixel phones and Android One devices running Pie, is now available for Nokia 7 Plus users through the Play Store. That marks a shift from the earlier beta-only rollout, when the app was not directly visible in the store and had to be installed from outside sources.
Digital Wellbeing is designed to help users monitor and control how they use their phones. It tracks time spent in apps, counts notifications, and presents the information in a pie chart. Users can also set time limits for specific apps; once the limit is reached, the app is blocked until the next session and appears greyed out.
The Nokia 7 Plus sits under the Android One programme, which keeps the software close to stock Android and is meant to deliver faster updates. That software approach has been one of the phone’s main advantages in the crowded midrange market, where HMD Global competes with many other manufacturers.
The update means Digital Wellbeing is no longer in beta for supported Android One devices, and HMD Global has several phones in that category. The company is expected to continue rolling out Pie-related features across its lineup.
Nyakundi Report will continue tracking the Android 9 Pie changes and the other features that come with the update.
