Apple has confirmed and vowed to rectify an issue within its iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices, which may impinge on the Screen Time limitations set for children, according to The Wall Street Journal. The glitch pertains to the Downtime feature, which enables parents to specify hours when their children are not permitted to use their devices.
“A problem where Screen Time configurations are unexpectedly resetting has been reported by some of our users,” an Apple spokesperson informed the WSJ. “We are taking these reports with utmost seriousness, and we are dedicated to continually updating and enhancing the situation.”
Parents utilizing this feature have found that pre-set timings have either reverted back to prior settings or have been entirely erased—thus granting children unrestricted usage of their devices. Despite changing his password to ensure his kids hadn’t deduced it, one user reported having to reinstate the feature “two or three times a week.” It’s worth noting that children are not always prompt in reporting these glitches. Approximately 2,300 people on an Apple discussion forum mentioned encountering the same problem.
Although Apple was previously aware of this issue and claimed to have resolved it with the launch of iOS 16.5 in May, WSJ journalists discovered the same problem in subsequent versions, including the iOS 17 beta.
Apple first introduced Screen Time in 2018 at its developers’ conference. This feature allows parents to remotely monitor their children’s Activity Report and control their app usage duration. Parents also have the ability to set specific time limits for each app that cannot be extended by the children, or to schedule a Downtime that restricts all but selected apps and phone calls for a particular timeframe. Apple hasn’t yet provided a timeline for the bug fix.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Screen Time restrictions
Question: What is the bug that Apple is addressing in iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch devices?
Answer: The bug affects the Screen Time restrictions for kids, specifically the Downtime feature, which allows parents to remotely set hours when their children can’t use the devices.
Question: How is Apple responding to this bug?
Answer: Apple has acknowledged the issue and promised to fix it. They are taking reports of the bug seriously and have been working on updates to improve the situation.
Question: How does the bug impact parents using Screen Time settings?
Answer: The bug causes scheduled Screen Time settings to either revert to older configurations or be removed altogether. As a result, kids can use their devices at will during those times, defeating the purpose of the restrictions.
Question: Have other users experienced this bug?
Answer: Yes, around 2,300 people on an Apple discussion page reported experiencing the same bug with Screen Time restrictions.
Question: When did Apple first address the bug, and has it been resolved?
Answer: Apple initially reported fixing the bug with the release of iOS 16.5 in May. However, subsequent releases and even the iOS 17 beta still exhibit the same issue.
Question: What is the purpose of Screen Time and Downtime features?
Answer: Screen Time was introduced by Apple in 2018, allowing parents to remotely check their kid’s Activity Report and manage their app usage time. Downtime allows parents to block all apps and calls, except for selected software, during specific hours.
Question: When can users expect the bug fix to be released?
Answer: Apple has not provided a specific timeline for the bug fix release yet. Users will have to wait for further updates from Apple regarding the resolution of the issue.
More about Screen Time restrictions
- The Wall Street Journal: [Apple says it’s aware of a bug that may affect Screen Time restrictions for kids](insert link here)
- Apple Support Forum: [Discussion page on the Screen Time bug](insert link here)
- iOS Release Notes: [iOS 16.5 release notes](insert link here)
- BuyTechBlog: [Editorial team’s product recommendations](insert link here) (Note: The exact link was not provided in the original text)
