Apple has introduced the Screen Distance feature in iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, with which it warns the user that they are using the device too close to the screen, for which it uses the TrueDepth camera, with the aim of protecting the view.
The American technology company continues to implement features on its devices focused on user health care. In this case, with functions that seek to protect eyesight to reduce diseases such as myopia, which, according to Apple, is the main cause of visual impairment in the world.
In this sense, iPhones and iPads integrate an option that launches a notification to users in the form of a warning when it detects that they are using the ‘smartphone’ or tablet too close to the screen, as explained by Apple through a communicated on its website.
This is the Screen Distance function that, when active, uses the TrueDepth camera -with FaceID- to encourage users to “move their device away” after detecting that has been held within 30cm of the eyes for “an extended period of time”.
The Screen Distance, which sand optionally activatesl, will warn users by setting the background of the screen to white with a central message stating that “iPad is too close”, accompanied by the explanation that “Keeping your iPad at a distance can protect your eyesight”.
After the device has been moved away from the user’s face, the screen changes and a verification message appears explaining that the device “It’s at a safe distance.” Below, a ‘Continue’ button appears to continue carrying out the activities that the user was carrying out.
In this way, the function reminds users to “adopt healthy viewing habits” that can reduce the risk of visual diseases such as myopia. Likewise, Apple has indicated that it offers adult users the option to reduce “digital eyestrain”.
According to Apple, it is estimated that myopia currently affects more than 30 percent of the population. In addition, this figure will continue to increase to 50 percent of the population in the year 2050, as he stressed. In order to deal with this disease, options such as spending more time outdoors in daylight and increasing the distance at which one reads, whether in a book or on a device, are recommended.
In fact, with watchOS 10, Apple also includes an option in the Apple Watch that makes it possible to measure the time that the user has spent in daylight, through an ambient light sensor. With this function, users can know the amount of time they have been active outside during the day.
