The Tame Apple Press claims that it will save Apple fanboys from Myopia which is on the rise for today’s kids. One risk factor theorised to be partially to blame is holding a screen too close to the face—an iPhone or iPad screen. However it could be argued that shortsightedness and the inability to see proper phones in the shop might be why a person buys an iPhone in the first place.
Apple highlighted this issue during its WWDC event in June, and, as the manufacturer of the iPhones and iPads that are so popular with kids, wants to help. With iOS 17, Apple is introducing a new Screen Distance feature that prompts you to move your device farther away from your face when you’ve held it too close for too long.
Screen Distance uses your device’s TrueDepth camera to check if you’re holding it at least 12 inches away from your eyes, which is why the feature requires an iPhone or an iPad with Face ID: Only those devices have the sensors needed to check this distance. Apple says it doesn’t capture any photos or videos and that Screen Distance data remains on your device, never to be shared with the company.
If you or your child holds their iPhone or iPad too close to their face, they’ll see a warning on screen, and will be unable to use the device until they move it farther away and press the Continue button. However, this warning doesn’t show up immediately: You’ll need to keep the phone or tablet too close to your face for about five minutes for the warning to appear.