iOS 27 and WWDC 2026 are very much the talk of the tech town right now, and I’m sure their implications will continue to be discussed for quite some time (somehow, Apple’s Liquid Glass aesthetic is still a topic of debate 12 months after its announcement).
Apple paid particular attention to child safety at WWDC 2026, announcing new features for Screen Time that aim to give parents more control over their child’s iPhone-using habits. However, as a longtime Apple fan, I’m surprised to admit that I’m far more taken with the screen time-reducing approach of Android 17 and Pause Point.
In theory, Screen Time is a good idea. The ability to set timers on apps makes sense, and giving parents more granular control over their child’s phone activity feels like a natural extension of that offering, even if existing bugs threaten to unravel Apple’s good intentions.
The problem is, adults need their screen time checked too, and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve set a time limit for Instagram, continuously ignored it, and then removed the restriction completely. Now, with an iPhone 16 in hand, I have no Screen Time limits set up whatsoever.
For me, Screen Time is just too easy to bypass. The concept works best when you’re setting it up for someone else (like your child), as you hold the keys to unrestricted access, but trying to apply those restrictions to yourself feels moot when you’re in the driver’s seat. Unless you change your behaviour in how you interact with your phone and the apps therein, the cycle is doomed to repeat itself.
I used to get irritated with myself if I wasted a good 30 minutes doomscrolling over nothing, but now that I’m a dad, I’m suddenly aware of the fact that my daughter, being delightfully inquisitive, is now watching my every move. This is a habit that I do not want her to pick up. To that end, I think that Google’s Pause Point, which is set to appear in the next big Android update, can fix my mindset.
Why Pause Point feels so important
For those not in the know, Pause Point takes a different approach to smartphone use, instead acting as a barrier that pops up any time you want to access an app that’s known for being a time sink. When it appears, users are encouraged to take 10 seconds to partake in a breathing exercise and to consider why they feel the need to use the app in the first place.
As someone who took up meditation and mindful breathing during the pandemic via the Calm app, I know firsthand how helpful this practice can be in centring yourself in moments when you’re on autopilot and your instinct is to just open up your phone and scroll aimlessly as a means of passing the time.
If, after the moment of reflection, you recognize that there is a genuine need to open the app in question (maybe you need to respond to a message from a friend), then Pause Point lets you set a quick timer so that you don’t get too sucked in. Much like with Screen Time, I’m less enthusiastic about this particular aspect of Pause Point, but what really gives the feature a leg up is how it steers you to use a more fulfilling app.
In one of the images shared by Google at The Android Show 2026, Pause Point is shown to suggest alternative apps like Play Books and Mellow Mindspace. It’s such a simple concept, but it’s a great reminder of how, under the right circumstances, our smartphones can be conduits to learning and self-improvement.
Apple’s next steps and other mindful tech
Apple is already halfway there in the fight to promote more mindful smartphone use, as it has one of the best reading apps in the game: Apple News.
My subscription to Apple News+ and the ability to get lost in tons of great magazines filled with thought-provoking articles are two of the reasons why I’ve stayed with iPhone for so long, and I utilize a massive Apple News widget on my homescreen to try and catch my attention before social media does.
If Apple could bring about its own version of Pause Point, then, in tandem with the revamped Screen Time app, it could have one of the best systems out there when it comes to promoting healthier habits among its users. I just hope that, unlike the much-rumored iPhone Ultra foldable, this isn’t something we have to wait years for.
As a side note, even with all of these guardrails set up, it’s still worth having periods of separation from your smartphone during the day, and I have a few other devices on my person that help to keep those breaks intact.
My go-to device here is the Kindle Paperwhite, as there really isn’t a better antidote to the digital world than getting lost in a good book. The device’s E Ink display is far easier on the eyes than the blue-light-emitting screens of our phones, tablets and laptops.
On the productivity front, the reMarkable Paper Pro Move is perfect for parsing through ideas or writing out your to-do list without getting distracted by the usual barrage of incoming notifications. This miniature digital notebook also uses an E Ink display, but it brilliantly recreates the feeling of using pen and paper, with the modern convenience of having your doodles saved digitally so that you can access them at any time.
If you want to go one step further, here’s how one member of the TechRadar Pro team managed to construct a virtually ‘distraction-free’ work-from-home setup.
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