Screen Attention in Android Q keeps the screen on when you're looking at it

Are you familiar with Smart Stay, one of Samsung’s features that keeps the display on if you’re looking at it? XDA-Developers reported on Wednesday that Google is toying around with something similar in Android Q beta 4.

Called “Screen Attention,” the feature will use the front camera to see what your eyes are looking at. If you’re staring at your screen, the software will know to keep the screen on. If you’re staring into the distance, however, the display will time out as it normally would.

Google reportedly still internally refers to Screen Attention as Adaptive Sleep, which acted as a placeholder in Android Q beta 3.

According to the strings of code found in Android Q beta 4, Screen Attention will be an on-device feature. Images are never stored or sent to Google. Also, the feature will show up in your device’s display settings. On devices running “stock Android,” you’ll go to Settings > Display > Screen attention.

Based on Screen Attention’s two requirements, the feature can technically work on current Pixel phones. It’s possible that Google will announce Screen Attention as a Pixel 4 feature before eventually adding it to previous Pixel phones.

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