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As humankind evolves, we seem to be slowly merging with our phones. We spend less and less time away from them, to the point where many can't even remember how we got by without them. Apple, creator of the iPhone, is aware of this and (to many people's surprise) is trying to curb the problem!
Bloombery reported on Thursday, May 31, that Apple is working on an update to iOS that would include a "Digital Health Initiative." The new programs would focus on "a series of tools to help users monitor how much time they spend on their devices and inside of certain applications."
Apple will reportedly introduce a new feature for iPhones and iPads called "Digital Health," to help users monitor… https://t.co/E892W0XC53— CNBC (@CNBC) 1527863523.0
Soem believe Apple is including the new iOS feature in response to similar initiatives by other companies. The most recent Android updates, for instance, included a "shush" feature, which is meant to stymy phone addiction by silencing notifications when your phone is face-down.
@TheMacalope Apple in the hot seat again. Now that all the other tech companies have fixed tech addiction, “If Appl… https://t.co/tvBFl4wuOE— Philip Speicher (@Philip Speicher) 1527863764.0
Apple hasn't made any announcements concerning how the new "Digital Health" features would work. Some speculate that the new software may limit the amount of time your phone remains unlocked (following preferences you set), or perhaps the amount of time you can access certain apps your designate. Some think the update may simply make the logged amount of time you spend on each app more prominent and less convenient to ignore.
Other major software designers have begun taking similar steps. YouTube recently unveiled its "Take a Break" feature, which reminds users to stop watching hilarious online videos at some point, and Instagram will begin making its users aware of how much time they're spending on the app.
Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive, commented:
We need to have tools and data to allow us to understand how we consume digital media. We need to get finer-grain language and start to understand that an iPhone is just a refrigerator, it's not the addiction.
It would seem Apple wants to make it just a little harder to get to our frozen candy stash...and that might be for the best.
H/T - Mashable, Bloomberg, Getty Images