Apple and Google released tools to keep track of how many hours one spends on their phone in hopes to reduce the amount of time one spends on their phone.
“I think its sad that we’re at the point where our operating systems are putting on our time… it bothers me that there is an addictive point to our phones and that we can’t monitor it ourselves,” psychology professor Carolyn Reill, said.
On Tuesday, Sept. 18, Apple released this as part of the free iOS 12 software update for their iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch. Google’s controls are being tested on their Android phones as well.
This new tool is supposed to help people manage their time on their smartphones. It keeps track of how many apps people use each day and how long they are on them.
“I think for me, and I’m guessing other people too, that it might have you spend more time on your phone, because you’re checking to see how much time you’re spending on there,” Reilly said.
Although the intention is to help people, not everyone is on board about the update.
“Honestly I’ve looked at that new screen time setting twice and I hated it because I don’t like to admit when I’m doing something wrong so… I just choose to ignore that setting is there,” Monzerath Baeza, sophomore math and finance major, said. “Personally, I use my phone a lot and I know I’m on social media way too much but I also don’t like to admit that so I don’t use this setting at all.”
From checking and sending emails to checking your Snapchat at 1 a.m., this new feature helps people keep track of it all.
According to Apple,”New tools empower you to understand and make choices about how much time you spend using apps and websites. Get reports weekly or check Today View anytime to see app usage, notifications, and device pickups.
The controls cater to both adults and children. For children, it allows parents to control how long you want your child to be on their electronics as well as what apps they are using from your iPhone.
There is also a “Downtime” feature as well as a new “Screen Time” feature Apple has released.
Apple has also announces that for kids, you can use your family’s Apple IDs to set up Screen Time an eye on how much time kids spend on apps and websites.
“They can request more time for you to approve. Set the amount of time you and your kids can spend each day on specific apps and websites. Set a specific time, like bedtime, when apps and notifications are blocked. You can choose which apps are on and off limits,” Apple stated.
Apple’s ultimate intention for this is to make it easier for children to be off their electronic devices. They believe that this can be more efficient than just taking the phone away in general.
As for adults, you can set time limits on your phone as well. However, it can be much easier for you to get more time on your phone as you are the one controlling your own time. If you want more time on Instagram, all you have to do is just tap and you’ll get more time. Although that is not the ideal way of using the new controls, there is a loophole to the control.
Even though Professor Reilly was unaware of the software update, she believes that it’s not fair to be monitored, as many people do more than just social media.
“I do most things through my phone,” Reilly stated. “I do all my emails, I do everything, responding to people at work, my students… it’s not like I’m surfing the web all day long.”
Ultimately, it does take a lot of self-discipline to learn how to not be on your phone as much. Once again, these updates to your phone are to help guide people into that direction.
