Parents are concerned about the time their kids are spending online –– as they should be. Studies have revealed links between screen time and cognitive function, and in turn, tech companies are making it easier for users to set boundaries with their devices. That’s why, when Apple announced its new Screen Time feature, parents around the world took note, excited about the new capability to set limits on their children’s tech use.
But according to Greg Jozwiak, the VP of Apple’s Product Marketing, the new features weren’t actually created for parents alone. When Jozwiak joined Arianna Huffington on the Thrive Global Podcast, in partnership with iHeartRadio and Sleep Number, he opened up about the initial idea behind the buzzy iOS update.
“We didn’t set it up to just create solutions to have parents lock down their kids’ devices,” he explains. “It was really about coming up with a solution to give all of us information about how we’re using our devices.” Jozwiak says that although parents have jumped at the opportunity to implement Screen Time limits on their kids’ devices, Apple initially created the feature as an information tool. “It was really about coming up with a solution to give all of us information about how we’re using our devices, [and] then manage what we do with our devices, based on that information.”
Jozwiak said that the update was originally built as a tool to empower users with information about their own habits. “We started this,” he explains, “With the idea that we want to empower people with information.” And although parents have adopted the tools as a way to improve their kids’ well-being, the tools should serve as a reminder that everyone needs the occasional reminder to unplug –– not just kids. “We didn’t look at this as a kids’ thing,” he explains. “We saw this as everybody’s thing.”
To find out more, listen to the full conversation on iHeartRadio, here. You can also listen to the Thrive Global podcast internationally for free on iTunes.