Apple is rolling out new features to help iPhone users track their smartphone use.
The company announced the iOS 12 features Monday, which allow you to keep tabs on how much you use your phone throughout the day and how often you use certain applications like Facebook.
University of Washington researcher Kai Lukoff is studying cell phone use and the most effective to curb addiction.
“Little hoops in a way we have to jump over to force us to step back and say, ‘Hey wait a minute. Is this how I want to spend my time?’” he said.
Study participants tried different methods to limit their use, like charging their phone in another room at night. Other approaches were more drastic, like using a time-locking food container to act as a smartphone time-out.
Lukoff, a doctoral student who used to work as a product manager in the technology industry, said another strategy is to grayscale your phone, which turns your phone’s vibrant colors to black and white.
“Steve Jobs once said that we made the buttons on the screen look so good you want to lick them,” he said.
“Smartphones are an incredibly useful tool in our everyday lives. Yet at the same time, many Americans now feel increasingly dissatisfied with that time they spend on their devices.”
Lukoff said his research will be completed in the next few months.
iOS 12 will be at the core of the next new iPhones that likely will be announced in September. The software will also freshen up the iPhone (and iPad) you already own.
