Live data from Hacker News

Show HN: iOS Screen Time from a REST API

thescreentimenetwork.com

51–57 of 57 posts

Re: Show HN: iOS Screen Time from a REST API

#51
I've been building ActivityWatch as an open source local-first cross-platform time-tracker that does this too (also with an API).

We even built an app "Thankful" which let's users donate to creators they frequent way back in 2018. Never went anywhere, but I still kinda believe in the idea.

Nice to see you got iOS screen time working! We've tried over the years, but Apple always made it hard. I'll have a look how you approached it.

Re: Show HN: iOS Screen Time from a REST API

#54
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Forcing users to have adtech surveillance platform accounts (and agree to TOS of same) to use your app isn’t a good look.

The alternative is forcing users to create yet another account/password during signup. This always infuriates me as a user - especially in the days before iOS 18 when there was no password manager support on iOS. It doesn't really feel like "forcing users into adtech surveillance platforms" if they're using Android - they already have a Google account it's literally built into the operating system. The goal was and i…

Not everyone that has an Android device has a Google account.

Re: Show HN: iOS Screen Time from a REST API

#55
post #7

As someone who currently "bricks" his phone and has gamified it a bit by sharing my stats with my brother-in-law who also does that, this is cool. I do think "not spending time on your phone" needs to be celebrated more. P.S. "bricks" meaning a very strict screentime set up, only basically phone + text is available M-F

I'd love to hear more about how you gamified it what your process is

Same!

Re: Show HN: iOS Screen Time from a REST API

#56

How (well) does this work cross-device? If I have the Clearspace app on both an iPhone and iPad, does the API aggregate the time as if they were one entity or is it possible to separate the two?

It's up to you. In your Apple devices under Screen time there's a "Share across devices" setting. If that's on, it'll aggregate. If not, it'll just report the screen time from a single entity

Re: Show HN: iOS Screen Time from a REST API

#57
post #7

As someone who currently "bricks" his phone and has gamified it a bit by sharing my stats with my brother-in-law who also does that, this is cool. I do think "not spending time on your phone" needs to be celebrated more. P.S. "bricks" meaning a very strict screentime set up, only basically phone + text is available M-F

I'd love to hear more about how you gamified it what your process is

same.
Post reply on HN