Google is expanding ‘school hours’ to phones and tablets

Google will soon allow parents to limit the functionality of their child’s phone or tablet while they are at school. O company announced on Thursday which is expanding its “School Time” feature to select Android phones, tablets and Samsung Galaxy watches next year.

The company first launched School Hours on its Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch in May, and bringing the feature to a wider range of devices should help keep any additional distractions out of the classroom. In addition to allowing parents to block their children from accessing certain apps, School Hours can also limit calls and message notifications from certain contacts. Parents can adjust these settings through Google’s Family Link app.

As noted by Google, teens who are not supervised by Google’s Family Link app can still use the device’s Focus mode to block notifications when they need to focus. Later this summer, Google will also begin allowing parents to link their YouTube accounts to their teens’, allowing them to track their activities.

While it’s good to see Google expanding School Hours beyond its wearables, the company isn’t saying which Android phones or tablets will support the feature. We’ll also have to see if Apple follows suit, as the company has a similarly branded Schooltime feature This is only available on their smartwatches.