Google’s Personal Safety app for Pixel phones will let you send status updates during emergencies

Google’s Personal Safety app, which is available exclusively for Pixel phones, has introduced a new section called “Emergency Sharing.” In that new section is a settings page called “Status updates,” which will alert emergency contacts when a certain action is taken.

For example, you can alert an emergency contact when a phone call is made, when an emergency phone call is made, and when your battery dips below 15%. Real-time location sharing is turned on by default, because it’s the core purpose of the Personal Safety app.

For anyone who used the outgoing Trusted Contacts app, the new features in the Personal Safety app will sound familiar. Google’s Trusted Contacts app contained a lot of neat features, including the ability to schedule location alerts. Google ultimately announced it would discontinue Trusted Contacts, with the location tracking feature being integrated into Google Maps.

The images are via Android Police.

In addition to features like real-time location sharing and safety checks, the Personal Safety app also features notifications for natural disasters and public emergencies, and can detect when you’ve been in a car crash. You can also input medical info that could be helpful to first responders. While we’re happy to see the Personal Safety app receive more updates, we’re a little upset they’re exclusive to Pixel devices, especially when the Trusted Contacts app could be downloaded by many other Android phones.

Even still, the new status updates are a great way for friends and family to keep in touch, especially with winter approaching. You might not have plans to travel this holiday season, but you can still keep a close eye on someone from across the country and take appropriate action thanks to these new alerts.

The new status updates are arriving following a recent update, so you might not need to do anything in order to see the new features.

Personal Safety (Free, Google Play) →

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