Moment (iOS)
In order to track overall phone usage, Moment is an app that records all instances that the phone is used and then records this. Beyond simply being able to track all of the times that the phone is used, Moment, also tracks the amount of time is spent between different apps. In doing so, users can see exactly what they are doing on their phone and which apps should be used less. As a highly versatile tool, the app also helps its users to reduce screen time by allow limits and goals to be set at which point the phone turns off once the limit has been reached. One of the best features of Moment is that controls can be shared among a specified group of people which makes it highly applicable to families. For example, within a family, controls can be set in order to deter members from using their phone during dinner or family time. Doubling as a tool that can be used for increased parental controls where parents and children are able to work out phone usage limits, Moment is a highly recommended app for those who want to better control the amount of time they and their family members are spending on their phone.
App Usage – Manage/Track Usage (Android)
As Moment is only available for iOS users, App Usage is an equivalent app for Android devices which allow users to track the specific app on their device. In forming a timeline of all of the apps that are opened as well as the number of times that the phone is checked, users get a comprehensive understanding of which apps are taking the most time while they are on their device. Furthermore, on screen notifications remind the user of their usage activity and how much of their quota they have used once they set limits for themselves. With all of these metrics tracked in easy-to-understand graphs, it becomes significantly easier to identify where the most time is being dedicated on the phone to reduce overall usage.
For those who wish to reduce the amount of time that is wasted on the phone, these apps are able to identify usage patterns to see where time is being spent. Beyond this, being able to set limits enables mechanisms which force users to reduce and ultimately improve their habits with moderating phone usage.
