App Limits in iOS 12 lets users manage device time & parents set allowances

In introducing iOS 12 on Monday, Apple revealed a collection of tools designed to better temper how people use their devices, including App Limits, notification changes, and upgrades to Do Not Disturb.

An addition to Do Not Disturb is "Do Not Disturb During Bedtime," which will prevent barrages of overnight notifications creating distractions. Instead notifications will be muted until the morning, at which point people can tap their screen to see what they missed.

Notifications will also be grouped by app, topic, or thread, much as on Android. A swipe will open options to manage or clear items en masse. Another feature, "Instant Tuning," will let people press into a notification and choose to turn off alerts from a particular app or push them straight to the Notification Center without hitting the lockscreen.

A new app, Screen Time, will deliver weekly activity summaries showing how much time was spent on a device and in which apps, as well as which apps send the most notifications. Critically, users will be able to impose limits on how long an app can be used, which will also sync between iPhones and iPads to stay consistent. Through Family Sharing parents will be able to create time allowances for children, including downtimes.

25 Comments

nht 4491 comments · 14 Years

About 6 years ago

Screen Time will be a great help for parents in managing usage. Judgmental jerks with no kids of their own or raised teens before 2010 need not comment on how modern parents don't need more effective tools because you have no clue.

If this works well then it is the best new feature in iOS 12 for many many families.

Fortunately, I'm the primary account so my wife can't use it on me.

StrangeDays 12959 comments · 8 Years

Not for me, but this is what parents say they've been clamoring for. Let the improved child rearing begin!

Rayz2016 6957 comments · 8 Years

StrangeDays said:

Not for me, but this is what parents say they've been clamoring for. Let the improved child rearing begin!

Now their kids are only out of control before bedtime.

gatorguy 24608 comments · 13 Years

Sometimes Apple does those things that some of the biggest fans say they won't.

Apple ticks to their own clock.

steven n. 1229 comments · 13 Years

nht said:

Screen Time will be a great help for parents in managing usage. Judgmental jerks with no kids of their own or raised teens before 2010 need not comment on how modern parents don't need more effective tools because you have no clue.

If this works well then it is the best new feature in iOS 12 for many many families.

Fortunately, I'm the primary account so my wife can't use it on me.

I think this is the biggest announcement for iOS 12. There are so many people expecting the "End world hunger" or some other super feature (not that they know what it is but they will recognize it when they see it) that they overlook this feature. Highly granular and easy device management for parental control is BIG. Apple's target is not the .5% of users reading tech blogs but the 99.5% of the other users and this will be a beneficial feature for a large number of them.