Apple's Tool That Cuts You Off if You Spend Too Much Time on the Phone

Apple has announced its iOS12, which is an update that will be made available to both iPad and iPhone users. Of course, the iOS12 comes with a number of new features that are meant to make it even more useful for said individuals. However, it is interesting to note that one of those new features is something called Activity Report, which can see people make less rather than more use of their Apple devices.

What Does Activity Report Do?

First and foremost, Activity Report is what it sounds like. In short, it provides interested individuals with information about how they make use of their Apple device. For example, Activity Report can be used to figure out how much time people are spending on particular apps as well as particular kinds of apps. Likewise, Activity Report can be used to figure out the number of times that the user has picked up the Apple device over a specific period of time. With that said, the most interesting features of Activity Report might be what are called App Limits and Downtime.

App Limits lets interested individuals set limits on the amount of time that people can use on particular apps. Of course, it is not a perfect solution for people who believe that they are spending too much time on particular apps, seeing as how said individuals can change their limits at will. However, when the App Limits is combined with some willpower on the part of Apple users, it is not unreasonable to believe that it will have a positive effect on the over-use of Apple devices.

Meanwhile, Downtime is a bit more drastic in the sense that the user won’t be able to access their Apple device at all during the designated periods of time. However, Downtown has some flexibility built into it, seeing as how some apps can be granted the status of “Always Allowed,” meaning that they will continue to function during designated downtime. This is important because it helps people take their attention off of their Apple devices while still letting particularly important functions through.

On the whole, Activity Report is nothing that hasn’t been seen before. However, the fact that these capabilities are now built into iOS is important because the smaller the barrier to their use, the more the people who will make use of them. As a result, it seems probable that there will be a notable increase in the number of people using the aforementioned features to help themselves control their fondness for their Apple devices under control, which should help them make their lives that much better.

Further Considerations

For those who are curious about why Apple is including features that will help people make less use of its devices, it seems probable that one motivating factor is PR. Simply put, the addiction to devices is becoming more and more prominent as more and more people become afflicted by it, which has had a rather unpleasant effect on the reputation of device-makers. In this light, Apple is making a smart and sensible move by helping people make responsible use of their devices sooner rather than later, thus putting them ahead of the times.

As for the issue of device addiction, well, suffice to say that it is rather serious. In short, people can become addicted to their devices in much the same manner that they can become addicted to a wide range of other things. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the results are just as devastating in the case of this particular addiction when compared with other potential addictions.

For example, some cases of device addiction can see people becoming anxious whenever they are separated from their device, which can be rather unpleasant. Even worse, device addiction can cause people to overspend on their devices, make use of their devices in ill-advised situations, and even become so reliant on mobile communication that they started neglecting other possibilities. These problems can pose serious risks to a person’s well-being, as shown by the numerous stories of people who have gotten into car accidents as a result of texting and otherwise using their devices while they were driving. Based on this, it is clear that device addiction can be a huge problem under certain circumstances, meaning that Apple’s choice shows a fair amount of forethought on its part.

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