Apple, Android Add iOS 26 and Android 16 Tools to Curb 5-Hour Doomscrolling
Updated
Updated · CNET · Aug 7
Apple, Android Add iOS 26 and Android 16 Tools to Curb 5-Hour Doomscrolling
3 articles · Updated · CNET · Aug 7
Summary
57% of U.S. adults spend at least 5 hours a day on their phones, driving renewed attention to built-in Apple and Android tools meant to curb doomscrolling.
iOS 26 and Android 16 expand digital-wellness options that let users set app timers, schedule downtime or bedtime mode, and receive alerts before limits kick in.
Apple’s Screen Time can cap individual apps on iPhone, iPad and Mac, warning users with 5 minutes left and graying out apps after the daily limit is reached.
Android’s Digital Wellbeing offers similar per-app limits on phones, with timers resetting at midnight, while bedtime mode on phones, tablets and Chromebooks prompts users to disconnect on schedule.
The tools are positioned as a way to set firmer device boundaries without giving up screens entirely, aiming to protect focus as well as physical and mental health.