The real reason Apple and Google want you to spend less time on your phone

This month, Apple released "Screen time" to help people understand how much time they spend on different apps, so as to help people reduce the use of smart devices. Previously, Google also had similar features such as "Dashboard", "Shush" and "App Timers". It seems that overnight, the whole world is advising you to play less with your phone.

Why would the companies that make your phone want you to use it less? Why are these companies now going against their own interests, as some tech critics have suggested? Do they really mean so well? Have the tech giants realized their mistakes, or are they being forced to make these changes by public pressure?

Of course not. According to Nir, a blogger at Quartz, who has studied the complex psychology of how these companies operate, at first glance, their business model appears to be addictive. The more you use your phone, the more money they make from the apps you buy and the ads you view.

However, these moves to get you to use your phone less are not surprising given the long-term interests of these companies. Apple and Google are getting consumers to use their phones less because it is in their long-term interest. Apple and Google don’t want you to get addicted. Addiction is a compulsive, harmful behavior. Instead, they prefer you to form healthy habits with your digital devices.

An interesting example is that in 1968, the federal government required all cars to be equipped with seat belts. However, American automakers had already been offering seat belts in their cars for 19 years before the requirement was introduced because consumers wanted them. Selling safer cars would increase manufacturers' sales.

Likewise, third-party apps are helping users monitor how much time they spend online, reducing distractions by visiting certain sites less often. This is very similar to recent announcements from Apple and Google. Nir started writing about this emerging trend, calling it “attention retention” devices. There are more digital health products out there now than ever before. For example, the app Seven, which became famous for its 7-minute workouts.

When a product is harmful to people, consumers tend to use it less or find better alternatives. The two tech rivals' moves to help users use their devices less and develop healthy habits are actually making their products more competitive. The harsh reality is that they may not care about your health, they just don't want their competitors to attract you through health.

Although their designed functions are indeed great and they are good for users, we should not become slaves to technology. Instead of waiting for technology companies to take measures to prevent users from overusing devices, we should take the initiative to reduce the use of devices and do more meaningful things in life.