Mishaal RahmanDec 15, 2022

The Nothing Phone 1's Android 13 update also brings the Personal Safety app, joining the ranks of several other devices to ship the once Pixel-exclusive safety app. Personal Safety is a new optional preload available in the GMS package for Android 13.

Image credits: 9to5Google (https://9to5google.com/2022/12/15/nothing-phone-personal-safety-pixel/)

Nothing Phone (1) is first non-Pixel with Google's Personal Safety app, no crash detection

In a beta update to Android 13, Nothing Phone (1) has become first non-Pixel Android device with Google's Personal Safety app.

9to5Google
Show threadMishaal RahmanDec 15, 2022
The Personal Safety app for OEMs requires the build to declare the com.google.android.feature.PERSONAL_SAFETY feature. The Nothing Phone 1 joins the Xperia 1 IV (https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=318&v=m7W-zxcr4tc&feature=youtu.be), the Xperia 5 IV, and a bunch of Vivo phones (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FkDfhqJXoAAf5ca?format=jpg&name=large) on Android 13 to ship with the Personal Safety app.
Xperia 1 IV - Android 13 Update - What's new?

YouTube
Show threadMishaal RahmanDec 15, 2022
If you were wondering whether this means the Nothing Phone 1 will support car crash detection like Pixels, you'll need to temper your expectations. I first reported (https://twitter.com/MishaalRahman/status/1541864236359553025) earlier this year that Google was working to bring car crash detection to non-Pixel smartphones, but as noted in this article (https://9to5google.com/2022/12/15/nothing-phone-personal-safety-pixel/), that isn't enabled on the Nothing Phone 1 yet.
Mishaal Rahman on Twitter

“Personal Safety 2022.05.25 is rolling out, and it hints at the Pixel's car crash detection feature coming to non-Pixels!”

Twitter
Show threadMishaal RahmanDec 15, 2022
Furthermore, at least in the current release, it doesn't look like the Nothing Phone 1 can even support Google's car crash detection implementation. That's because the car crash detection nanoapp isn't there (/vendor/etc/chre/cc.so). More importantly, Nothing hasn't implemented support for Android's Context Hub Runtime Environment (android.hardware.context_hub = false).
Show threadMishaal RahmanDec 15, 2022

I doubt Google would completely reimplement the way car crash detection on Pixel works just for OEMs, so unless the Nothing Phone 1 (and other non-Pixel phones with the Personal Safety app) implements support for the CHRE API in a future release, the Pixel's car crash detection likely won't be added.

At least Phone 1 and other non-Pixel users can enjoy the other safety features of the Personal Safety app!

Show threadMishaal RahmanDec 15, 2022
By the way, if you want to learn more about how the Pixel's car crash detection works (CHRE, nanoapps, etc.), check out this article I wrote that covers it (https://blog.esper.io/android-dessert-bites-12-sensor-hub-chre-7491376/).
How the Android CHRE saves battery and detects car crashes

Ever wonder how phones can process so much sensor data while having such great battery life? It's thanks to something called a sensor hub.

Esper Blog
Show threadCArmstrong_,UK
@MishaalRahman I love how you always explain stuff like this so well that me, the layman tech lover, can actually understand 🤣 Thanks for doing such incredible work Mishaal, I deeply appreciate your articles and insight. As an AAA fan on Twit, great to see you there too, thanks!
Dec 16, 2022 at 9:08amWeb