Apple's Greg Joswiak argues most people will keep iOS 12's Screen Time on, change behavior...

AppleInsider

Screen Time, one of the key additions in iOS 12, is meant to give people access to data that can influence their behavior without imposing hard limits, Apple marketing VP Greg Joswiak said in a recent podcast interview.

"If you ask people how much they're using their devices, they can only guess," Greg Joswiak told Arianna Huffington on "The Thrive Global Podcast."

"If you ask them how much they're using a particular app or category of app, they can only guess," he continued. "I almost guarantee you their guesses are wrong. So what we wanted to do was provide people with the real information about how much they're using devices, apps, categories of apps, and how many notifications they're getting. These things are very measurable."

The executive said he believes most people will turn Screen Time on, and control how they use iPhones and iPads as a result.

"For me, I couldn't imagine leaving my home in the morning without my iPhone. I think like most people," Joswiak commented. "I still found it fascinating to be able to open up the Screen Time app and see where I was spending my time... That information was useful for me to regulate myself to the behavior that I want. I didn't need limits, I just needed that information."

One of the features of Screen Time is the ability for parents to monitor their children and impose restrictions, but Joswiak suggested that parents will be able to have an "intelligent conversation" about usage before resorting to harsh rules.

Screen Time should continue to evolve in future updates. "We know there's lots more we'll want to do over time," Joswiak hinted.

seankill

I have it on but it will result in 0 change in use habits for me. Doubt it’ll change anyone I know. 

dwi

I have it on and it has changed my behavior. As soon as my social media apps reach their daily limit, I stop using them.

strangedays

I think it will result in changes in habits, because it informs people with real data, like how the Activity Rings work. They don't force you to do anything, but once you have the data you can make good decisions. 

This is what critics of mobile tech have been complaining about and asking for. Hopefully we won't see the axe grinders now complaining about having the data, roll eyes...

hodar

My behavior changed as soon as I saw it was on.

I disabled it.  If I want a babysitter - I'll hire one.

ascii

Why would he have to guess, wouldn't Apple have analytics as to how many people are using it?

dcj0001

"Apple's Greg Joswiak argues most people will keep iOS 12's Screen Time on, change behavior"

I will never use, or even ever look at Screen Time. 

g4waldo

I turned it on and find the info quite interesting. I would say it makes me think more about how much I'm looking at my phone, and sometimes I'm amazed how much time is spent on certain items. He's right, I would have guessed wrong on my own usage. However, I can finally prove to my wife she's on her phone much more than I am. That alone makes it my favorite iOS 12 feature.

macplusplus

The most useless feature of iOS 12. A focus on the Health app would be more useful.

strangedays

macplusplus said:

The most useless feature of iOS 12. A focus on the Health app would be more useful.

How do you figure it’s the most useless feature, when people have already said here they find it useful? In addition, even if it isn’t useful to you doesn’t mean it isn’t useful to others, especially the people that have asked for better monitoring tools. 

chasm

macplusplus said:

The most useless feature of iOS 12. A focus on the Health app would be more useful.

It is part of a focus on the health app. Not looking at your phone so much = probably moving around doing things = healthier, or at least a better real life/internet balance. I haven't gotten into the app deeply yet, but I do appreciate the weekly reports and the ability to see what apps I'm using most. I like it when the app reports that my screen time is down from last week. I like it when the app I spend the most time in is News rather than Facebook.

ScreenTime is helping me be more conscious of my effort to lower my FB usage, and it is helping. I'll know I've really made best use of ScreenTime on the great and glorious day it tells me that my most-used app is the Activity app.

eightzero

Pretty sure private employers would like this data. 

damians

I use and specifically use it to limit my social media and game time. I only hit my limits once. I find having it makes me consciously think about usage, so I've only hit my daily limits once. I'd love to see the feature come to MacOS.

laytech

I use it to control my daughter's iPhone usage via the restrictions options and its absolutely brilliant. A must for any parent. What makes it nice, is she simply accepts it once her limit is up, no big arguments if was to try and take the phone from her. By far one of the best additions apple has added to the IOS system.

soli

I hope it's successful enough that they can add it to macOS. I tried this app out awhile back, but I would like something less to a time suck for setting up and reading data.

• https://timingapp.com/

anome

I'm getting the reports, but I have no intention of changing my behaviour. The whole "everyone keeps looking at their phones" thing has been pissing me off for a while, now. (I may have mentioned it previously.) I'd rather look at my phone than interact with the people around me, as a general rule. At least on my phone I have some choices about who I talk to or listen to on the bus, without my phone I might have to listen to the people around me who think they're interesting enough to be worth my attention.

jbdragon

I have mine on, but I think I've only looked at it only once. Maybe once in a while I'll take a peek but it's not going to change my behavior. For one thing, I'm pretty much OFF of social media. Having a Apple Watch, it helps keep me off the phone. You know when you go and pull out your phone to do one thing like to see what that ding was, and while it's now out, go off and do something else spending more time on your phone. I just take a quick glance at my watch and move on. Only anything of any real importance will pop up on my watch. Everything else, low priority and can wait.

sagan_student

It’s helpful for those that are interested in making changes in their behaviour as it provides them information that wasn’t readily assessable. But for those that don’t think they have a problem, it’ll make no change. Just thinking of how many people are deterred from smoking by looking at the pictures of the health risks found covering half of the packaging (at least it’s that way in Canada). That is an in your face stat, but it didn’t take long for my few friends that do smoke to ignore it. And in the odd case it becomes a topic of conversation; ‘has anyone seen the picture of the guy with...’. 

I definitely think this is a good thing, as there should be a way for people to get that info, but I don’t think it’s gonna change many people’s habits. 

atomic101

Great little addition that has value for many people, if only to better understand what features and utility their smartphones provide them.  Those who are vehemently against it or apathetic to it might just be afraid of a little self reflection. 

Just like activity rings, fitness trackers, calorie counters, and game achievements, relevant information provided in an intuitive fashion can indeed change behavior. I don’t see how Screen Time won’t assist some people in making better decisions for themselves. Information can assist in self control.  And at the very least, it’s a fun treasure trove for stats geeks. 

matrix077

StrangeDays said:

I think it will result in changes in habits, because it informs people with real data, like how the Activity Rings work. They don't force you to do anything, but once you have the data you can make good decisions. 

This is what critics of mobile tech have been complaining about and asking for. Hopefully we won't see the axe grinders now complaining about having the data, roll eyes...

Agree. People who’d like to manage themselves based on real data now they have a tool to based their decision on. Obviously it already changed me but I’m still fine tuning it to get the best balance of my life. 

edited October 2018

davgreg

Turned it off during setup. Have no intention of using it.
Same for Face ID for Apple Pay.