iOS 12 Public Beta: The revelations (and frustrations) of living with Apple's Screen Time

3 hours, 18 minutes screen a day
23 hours, 6 minutes of weekly screen
2 hours, 50 minutes of screen time in the time off

If I hoped Apple Time 12 Screen Time feature will be insightful , so I could have been to underestimate my reliance on the smartphone. In fact, of all the features of iOS 12, Screen Time was the feature that I wanted to use the most and the main reason I did not get eyelid before downloading iOS 12 Public Beta on my main phone. Screen Time is the new Apple software that gathers data on how you interact with your iOS devices and on all devices. So, it looks behavior through your iPhones and iPads, provided that they are all linked to the same Apple ID. I only connected the main iPhone and the data was pretty scary.

For example, I had no idea that my use of the app was the most important with WhatsApp. I would have thought it would have been the browser. In fact, Twitter was second followed by Chrome. So, clearly, I had no idea of ​​my behavior of the user. And Facebook is far fifth with only 49 minutes of average usage per day, just one-fifth of the time I spend on Twitter. It's an eyeopener for sure. In fact, I think this data could really debunk myths about many applications. The behavior of the user on the devices can actually be very different from what the MAU and the DAU make us believe. But it's a whole different story and keep it for another day

Screen Time is the new Apple software that collects data on the interaction with your iOS devices and on all devices.

Now, Screen Time is very easy to set up. You find it in the settings and activate it. You then set Time to Shutdown, when you want the operating system to limit the activity of your phone. Then set the limits of the application, indicating the time you want to devote (ideally) to a certain type of application, for example productivity or social media. There is also a Content and Privacy tab where you can set a password and set other restrictions on the phone – like defining which apps your child can use and with what time limits.

While Screen Time records all your activity during the day, it also locks applications as soon as your shutdown time starts or when you have exceeded the time limit set for this type of application. Initially, I put from 11 am to 7 am my time off. But then life can not be so idealistic or idealistic. In the first day, I was frustrated at not being able to open applications with just one tap. It's despite having put WhatsApp, Google Analytics etc. as an application that will not lock. There are things you want to do late at night and things you want to know early in the morning. Restrictions can be a serious obstacle for the same – and this is clearly the idea.

Apple iOS 12 Public Beta Review: Screen Time is very easy to set up You then set the time to shutdown, when you want the operating system to limit the activity of your phone.

For example, if I want to open the Indian Express application during downtime, I have to allow it for 15 minutes or all day. . It's just another extra step, but definitely a junk. What I'm not sure of is how it will put people off: open the app or disable the screen time itself. It's something you'll have to wait to see. For example, I need access to my applications. A late-night message, which must be immediately posted, can be displayed on Facebook Instant Messenger. After all, we live in a time when even resignations are sent via WhatsApp.

Apple iOS 12 Screen Time also locks applications as soon as your shutdown time starts or when you have exceeded the time limit set for this type of application

Here's what I learned using Screen Time for a week:

Did that give me any useful information about the use of applications?

. The kind of data that tells me that my priorities are all wrong

Will Screen Time be able to dissuade people from using their devices too much?

Yes. But this might not happen solely because of the analysis. The restricted access of Downtime will be the dealbreaker here.

Will I use it?

Yes, but the downtime will only be for limited periods when I know I sleep well. I could use it more to give restricted access to apps to my son.

It's good to see that Apple, just like Google, is working on features like Screen Time that allow users to understand and control their online behavior. However, what needs to be seen, is how many users are brave enough to activate these restrictions on their phones. I'm afraid that many of us just limit the restrictions in the end.

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