Apple admits screen time bug
Apple has admitted a flaw with its parental controls feature Screen Time on the iPhone and iPad. The Wall Street Journal reported that the screen time bug on iPhone and iPad will be fixed soon, and Apple is already working on it.
Parents can remotely manage a child's device using the Screen Time settings, which let them limit a child's device usage to specific times, limit the amount of time an app can be used, and block undesirable content. However, some parents have expressed frustration that the Screen Time settings occasionally fail to sync across all devices in a Family Sharing group or are reset.
This implies that these kids are allowed to engage in activities like playing video games and using social media at a higher rate than what their parents think appropriate.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the screen time bug
According to the article, some parents have reportedly continued to encounter the issue on devices updated to iOS 16.6 and the iOS 17 public beta despite Apple having already fixed an issue with Screen Time settings failing to persist with iOS 16.5, which was published in May. When Apple will introduce new Screen Time enhancements is unknown.
"We are aware that some users may be experiencing an issue where Screen Time settings are unexpectedly reset. We take these reports very seriously and we have been, and will continue, making updates to improve the situation," an Apple spokesperson said to The Wall Street Journal.
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Parents now have a built-in alternative for the kind of controls that were previously only available through third-party apps thanks to the 2018 debut of Screen Time as part of iOS 12.
In case this doesn't work or you want to wait for an update from Apple, the good news is that Apple is aware of the problem, which is a significant one for many parents who worry that their kids may become addicted to their mobile devices.
Additionally, the issue with screen time is not brand-new. The problem began in October of last year, according to a parent who goes by the handle Drmorin and filed a message on the Apple Community website in December.
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