9 ways to make your iPhone less addictive

July 23, 2022

I'm terrified to check my Screen Time stats, because I know they'll basically say, "You spend way too much time staring at your iPhone."

That's why I'm itching to try out some of the helpful and creative tips in this week's top how-to, "9 ways to make your iPhone less addictive."

Check it out if you, too, would like to spend a little less time tapping away on that tiny screen. After you read this newsletter, of course.

Have a great weekend.

— Lewis Wallace, managing editor

How-tos

If you feel the impulse to unlock your iPhone at every empty moment, or scroll through an app when you feel like you should be getting to bed, here are some handy tips for making your phone a bit more boring.

The new feature coming in iOS 16 will generate subtitles of any audio playing in any app on your iPhone. Here's how it works.

News and opinion

Beta testing on iOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5 is over, and these updates are now available for anyone to install. They bring a number of small tweaks to iPhone and Mac.

Plus, more on iOS 15.6:

A support page went live after Apple added a “Leaving Arcade Soon” section to the App Store, highlighting 15 games due to exit the program.

Imagine if Apple sold AirPods for $5,000, and they were so buggy they kept disconnecting from your iPhone. Sounds crazy, right? But that’s the reality faced by me and millions of other hearing aid users today.

The stunning rainbow wallpaper sports a design inspired by the real-life, six-color structure at Apple Park.

The guy who brought us the world’s first USB-C iPhone (and sold it for $86,001 on eBay) trains his soldering pen on the AirPods charging case.

A major Thread networking standard update brings the Matter home-automation standard a step closer to reality.

Plus, more gadget news:

Deals

All-in-one productivity app Lunatask bundles a to-do list, a notebook, a habit tracker, a Pomodoro timer and a journaling app into one neat hub to keep you focused. And for a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription for only $49 (regularly $180).

Have you ever wanted to build games like the ones you fell in love with when you first started playing? Learning to design your own titles might be more involved than playing them, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it.

Tired of being tied down by a short charging cable that’s barely long enough to use your phone with? You can wirelessly charge at a distance with this 10-foot magnetic USB-C charging cable.

This cloud-based download manager gives you total control over content you could barely access before.

Reviews and recommendations

Trying, the Apple TV+ series that offers a smug and naggingly pleasant look at two well-to-do narcissists who want to raise children for some reason, finally fulfills Jason and Nikki’s dream of parenthood after watching them not earn it for two seasons.

Plus, more Apple TV+ recaps:

The Satechi USB-C Slim Dock for 24-inch iMac sits on the stand for Apple’s all-in-one desktop and adds six frequently used ports. It also sports an enclosure for user-installed SSDs.

Metal Apple Watch bands are where high tech meets durability, style and comfort. And Speidel makes some exceptional examples, including its Stainless Steel Linked Watchband.

Plus, more Apple Watch bands from our store:

In the ongoing mania for wireless earbuds and headphones, it’s easy to forget that their older, wired siblings still offer distinct advantages — namely, great sound for less money.

Setups

You might think you’d give your right arm for one of those stunning, 49-inch curved ultra-wide monitors to use with your Mac. But then again, you might end up begging for your appendage back, as well as your old display.

Some of the best computer setups look a little boring at a glance. But that’s just because they include only essential gear and they keep it well lit and free of cable (and other) clutter.

He runs his ax into a Focusrite audio interface and listens to his musical creations on a killer set of cans, too.