Wired:
All of us, adults and children, have had our lives transformed in the decade since the iPhone was unveiled. Now we have always-connected email, messaging, shopping, banking and so on, in addition to social, gaming and entertainment apps. Many of these seem benign, but we use them more than we know.
What does a healthy, moderate digital life look like?
I believe that for Apple to maintain and even grow its customer base it can solve this problem at the platform level, by empowering users to understand more about how they use their devices. To do this, it should let people track their digital activity in detail and across all devices.
Considering the market share, I always bristle whenever a pundit says, “Apple needs to solve this problem…” instead of at least including Google and Android in the discussion. But there’s no doubt that Apple, with its stated concerns about user privacy and demonstrated control over all aspects of the iPhone, is uniquely situated to at least begin the discussion on these issues.
People climb atop this soapbox as if it’s a widespread crisis, the solution to which is so necessary… but… seriously, once it arrives, how many people will even care.
“… by empowering users to understand more about how they use their devices. To do this, it should let people track their digital activity in detail and across all devices.”
I want them to go ask 10 normal people (not people who work in tech or track it) whether they would spend real effort, over a long period of time, to do this. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be there but my hunch is that very few people would review this information or take actions based on it.
I also dislike the use of ‘addiction’ here. For example, I went out for breakfast this morning. I immediately looked for my iPhone. Due to addiction? Nope. When I go out for a weekend breakfast solo, I read the news. Before iPhones, I’d grab a NY Times paper and bring it to read. In 2018, the iPhone is just the current version of doing that.
I almost always have my phone with me because it’s a Swiss Army Knife-style tool. Is there an emergency? I can call help. I’m stuck in traffic? I can tell Siri to text the person I’m meeting to let them know I’ll be late (and I can ask her for directions that might show alternate routes). I have some downtime here or there? I can catch up on email, Facebook, read the news, read or listen to an ebook, catch up on a podcast, whatever.
It’s like that picture from last year that went around showing all of the gadgets we had in the 80s and early 90s or this list that shows everything we used to have that can be replaced with a smartphone.
Many of us have lived with friends and family members who have real addictions. It’s not a word that I would bandy around so lightly.
Is it a habit? Yup. Can it be annoying? Most certainly. Is this click bait? You betcha.
It’s up to Apple. Want hide it. Why? Android doesn’t give a shit.
And quit being so sanctimonious bout Apple.
“Apple needs to” is pretty much my go-to monologue when I run out of toilet paper and box wine.
Obviously Apple needs to cut off your access to the internet. 😉
My first thought on this was “I look for toilet paper every time I’m going into the bathroom, does this mean I’m addicted to toilet paper?”
Well, maybe I am.
That’s silly. If you have an addiction, there are plenty of programs for it. Most of them involve admitting you have an addiction, I believe.
Kind of hard for a phone to do on your behalf.
Yup, a smartphone is the towel of the digital world.
I don’t think this is a matter of “should” as much as it is a matter of “could”. Apple clearly has interest in their customers health and have released several features related directly to health. The kind of usage tracking that would be used for this is the same that could be used for parental controls.
APPLE NEEDS TO FIX THIS!
Which is why if I have mine, I don’t panic.
This is yet another example of weak-minded people blaming others and/or the wrong parties for situations.
It’s not only NOT an addiction, it’s NOT Apple’s responsibility. Of course, this is not to say that Apple doesn’t or shouldn’t care. They do. But they’ve already gone farther than other manufacturers to enable users to control (and put in controls on) their devices.
I think there’s a decent idea behind it all. Perhaps toss out the word “addiction,” there is some (in my mind, valid) consternation of calling it an addiction. And there is (in my mind, knee-jerk) reaction to the suggestion that Apple “needs” to do this. But I have trusted Apple for decades now to create hardware and software that makes a positive impact in my life…Apple is a good place to look for this kind of thing. I trust that if there is a means to improve (some of) our lives by creating tools that help us curb our most obsessive impulses without ruining the experience, then Apple could definitely be the one to find it.