Apple’s Introduces Features to Beat Addiction

In a bid to keep abreast of the competition, Apple has decided to join in the fight to curb technological addiction which has become a subject of contentious debate in the modern day era. The giant computing company made the declaration in San Jose, California on the first day of the 2018 edition of its annual Worldwide Developer Conference.

Simply known as the WWDC, the conference brings together people from all corners of the country- and the world- and it presents a global stage on which Apple showcases the latest products. iOS updates are also normally on the agenda as well and so too are developer customizable features which let relevant parties known what tools they’ll have at their disposal as far as app creation for the iPhone and other devices go.

Craig Federighi who holds the title of Top Software Executive at the company said that Apple was going to be the unveiling the iOS 12 with the new operating system coming with a wave of new functionalities geared at reducing time spent on mobile phones. Craig said that the decision was reached after much and careful deliberation.

Further elaborating on the new found desire to battle over dependency on technology, Federighi explained that apps are now one of the major reasons why many have become glued to their smartphones. They are called to the screen like a moth to the flame with enticing alerts or notifications imploring users to start scrolling for minutes and minutes on end. Craig says it is a habit that has been subconsciously cultivated into our minds and that it passes for normal habit when it should instead be considered a concern.

Apple was nudged down this path of digital wellness by two-billion-dollar joint shareholders Jana Partners who were keen on setting right a matter that could have, in the long run, impacted reputation- and thereby stock- adversely. In a letter to the company in January, Jana elaborated the need for parental control over children phone activity and also the necessity to create mental health awareness resulting from the use of technology.

Apple released a statement in the week thereafter stating that they’ve “always cared for kids” but it wasn’t until June when the industry’s leading light revealed specific plans to combat what was becoming a growing worry.

Much to the delight of Jana Partners who issued a reply in the aftermath of the announcement thanking the company for its leadership and accountability in taking up the challenge put forth. The counter report heralded the move as a win for not only stakeholders but also for parents everywhere.

Federighi described that the core of the changes hinged on bettering time accountability whilst alleviating common distractions and improving focus. First up on the menu of new capabilities includes a revised Do Not Disturb Feature which can now be set specifically to quiet any and all notifications during bedtime hours. Users can also set a timer feature which blocks notifications entirely during that time when they need to be away from their phones to get some work done.

En masse message dismissal is also a thing as iPhone users will now be saved the hassle of ticking off various alerts on a one-on-one basis courtesy of a grouped notifications feature.

In addition to the aforementioned, Apple will also be releasing educative pieces to those with handheld devices touching on the frequency and duration of usage.

This weekly update also entails activity reports- which are useful for parental monitoring- and will also avail the option to set app thresholds so as to limit overuse.

Federighi believes that these new set of features will help families balance time more appropriately and also ensure that those addicted to their phones are yanked free and ushered in the way of other constructive things.

Google’s Android P had set precedence the month before affording similar features to the aforementioned as the SEO heavyweight offered its contribution to the mission of breaking the shackles of technological enslavement. It was therefore online a matter of time before rivals Apple followed in their footsteps.

Fast forward to the present day and the iOS 12 is now a reality having been released to the public on September 17th, 2018 as the twelfth instalment of the exclusive mobile operating system. It already has four iterations in place.