Apple unveiled the new iPhone 16 last week, and the focus was clear. CEO Tim Cook described the new model as “designed from the ground up” for AI, with the new ‘Apple Intelligence’ features including a direct collaboration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The technology available in the palm of our hands has been advancing at a rapid rate ever since the advent of the smartphone, but there is now a growing resistance to the impact that all this technology is having on our health and wellbeing.
To illustrate this point, HMD, the makers of Nokia phones, launched a non-smartphone a couple of weeks ago, to help encourage children to spend less time looking at their phones and on the internet. While the device was a brand promotion tie-in with Mattel’s Barbie, the overall point remains: there are growing concerns around what impact high levels of screen time have on our health.
What does the data say?
- Globally, people average 6 hours and 40 minutes of screen time per day, an increase of more than 30 minutes in the last decade.
- HMD’s international survey of 10,000 parents, including 2,000 in the UK, found that more than half regretted giving a smartphone to their child.
- One in five children between 8 and 12 years old spends eight hours a day looking at screens, despite a study by the University of Queensland finding that two hours is the optimal maximum limit for children.
Given how integral smartphones have become to our everyday lives, whether for banking, exercise, directions or communication, it’s difficult to imagine a return to these more basic devices. In the Telegraph reviews of the HMD ‘brick’, all three generations of testers decided that, despite the positives, the flip phone couldn’t replace their existing smartphone. While The Economist reports that demand for these ‘dumb’ phones is growing, for the vast majority of people it is not complete digital detox, but a digital balance that is required.
Striking a digital balance
Mobile phone usage is an inherently personal issue, and for those of us who use devices for work, abstinence is not an option. But the case for prioritising wellbeing is firmly established and gaining traction:
Google Trends data for the topic ‘Digital Wellbeing’ shows a sustained increase since 2021
Research has found that excessive smartphone use can sap concentration, reduce sleep and sleep quality, and exacerbate mental health concerns like stress, anxiety or depression. As the technology in our devices advances, they become even more essential and even harder to put down. All major smartphone operating systems now include built-in digital wellbeing tools, and people are increasingly encouraged to take control of their relationships with technology, such as with screen time limits, mini detoxes, and device-free zones.
While some are looking at restricting smartphone usage completely, like one school group that is going phone-free for its 35,000 pupils across the country, there is also a growing industry of support services to help people find the balance that works for them. The first step, as ever, is to start the conversation. For those looking to dig a little deeper into their digital habits, we highly recommend Mind Over Tech’s free quiz as a good place to start.
Come back for next week’s Your Weekly Antidote, another dose of data-driven news analysis on one of the biggest stories of the week from your favourite comms tech agency.
