Apple will offer more ways for people to limit the time they spend on iPhones while introducing features designed to make its products even more indispensable.
The paradox emerged Monday as Apple executives previewed new versions of free software due out this fall.
Attendees line up outside of the McEnery Convention Center for the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, Calif., Monday, June 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)The forthcoming controls are aimed at addressing criticism that devices are becoming increasingly addictive and distracting, especially for children. Experts worry that all the flashy colors and beeps give users short-term, feel-good rewards while increasing stress in the long run.
Yet Apple made it clear it also hopes to make its devices and services even more alluring – and potentially irresistible – by creating new avenues for its digital assistant, Siri, to serve as a backup brain for users. The company is also creating more entertainment options and new ways to communicate, including group video chats through FaceTime and more options for the iPhone X’s animated emojis.
People have become so dependent on technology it’s unlikely any company will be able to solve the addiction problem, but they can help keep it from getting worse, Gartner analyst Brian Blau said. The best hope, he said, is for technology to help people enjoy life and then get out of the way.