Google was reportedly working on an Android feature to detect snoring and coughing in May. More coding suggests the feature could be included to a future version of Digital Wellbeing.
9to5Google performed a deep dive into the latest Digital Wellbeing app released to the Play Store and uncovered references to the feature. “Cough & snoring detection” is part of Android 13‘s “Bedtime mode.” The feature will have to be manually enabled and will only be able to track coughs and snores during scheduled sleep periods. This is for privacy, as the phone needs the microphone to detect snoring or coughing. The programme will also track your “Average cough count” and “Average time snoring.” It reports if you coughed or snored throughout sleep.
Digital Wellbeing will use Google Clock’s sleep tracking tools. The app uses your phone’s gyroscope and ambient light sensor to detect how long you sleep.
Smartwatches have this feature. My Galaxy Watch 4, for one, helped me realize I snore a lot — I thought I didn’t for years. Many don’t own smartwatches. They probably don’t have the second-generation Nest Hub, which offers sleep tracking features. Furthermore frankly, if snoring/coughing can be detected with a mic, why not just have your phone do the grunt work? It may reveal problems you haven’t detected.
This is merely a glimpse of what’s to come. Cough and snore tracking should be a Digital Wellbeing element soon.