Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL users will finally be able to “Flip to Shh” their devices via an incoming update to the Digital Wellbeing app. The news, posted to Reddit by several users before being reported, means that users can now enable the feature on their Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. That is, so long as they have the beta tester version of the app.
Flip to Shh was first introduced alongside the Pixel 2’s successor, the Pixel 3. So this isn’t a new feature at all. Summarily, Google added the feature to allow users to quickly and efficiently put their device in ‘do not disturb’ mode.
After turning Flip to Shh on, users just need to place their phone down on a surface, screen-side-down. That’ll stop calls, texts, and other annoying notifications from showing up, letting them get more real-world time away from technology. The only notifications the mode allows through under most circumstances are alarms.
How do you get the update early?
The easiest way to get the update earlier than others is to sign up to be a beta tester for the app. That’s a fairly straightforward process. As long as there are still spots in the beta open, users simply need to navigate to the appropriate Digital Wellbeing tester signup page.
On that page, Google has placed a “Become A Beta Tester” button. Clicking that gets everything set up with the signed-in account. After some time has passed, the update will arrive just as any other would via the Google Play Store.
The primary drawback to signing up is that Google also dishes out plenty of bugs with its betas. That’s common across all beta programs since they’re intended to test software for larger issues. Those bugs aren’t always predictable so users sign up at their own risk that things won’t work properly at any given moment. That also means that vulnerabilities can open up. Those are sometimes discovered even after the stable version of an app launches.
When will “Flip to Shh” land officially for Pixel 2
Because the program is still in testing for the Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, determining when the feature will land in a stable manner is a challenge.
The search giant has also not provided any details about when Flip to Shh will arrive on either device in the Pixel 2 series. And that’s hardly surprising since the gadgets were launched way back in October 2017. With 2020 fast approaching, the Google Pixel 2 series is nearing three years old.
Although Google often keeps its self-branded devices updated for longer than average, it doesn’t necessarily want users to stick with their devices. It’d much rather consumers update to the latest run of devices. In this case, that’s the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL or the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL. As with all companies, Google tends to pay less attention to a given device the older it gets.
As a result, there’s no way to know when Flip to Shh will be finalized for the Pixel 2 series. There’s also no way to know whether this or any other Digital Wellbeing features will cause slow-downs or other problems, as they seem to have in the past with other Pixel gadgets. But that’s generally what these types of beta tests are for.