Get Off the Line

Limit screen time by putting a '90s modem in front of distracting apps. Your chosen apps are blocked by default; dial up to unblock. Don't take too long! You're tying up the phone line and running up the bill (yes, there is one). THE MODEM Dial up for 3, 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Going online takes about 30 seconds, anticipation building as the modem cheerfully blinks, chirps and warbles just as you (or your parents) remember. It also… vibrates? THE PHONE BILL Every dial-up is added to the phone bill, shown front and centre (and optionally as a home screen widget). The currency? Only your time. This helps you be intentional about how often you use distracting apps, and for how long. FEW FEATURES, DONE RIGHT You dial up, and the phone bill shows your usage. See remaining session time in the Dynamic Island and on the lock screen. Push notifications let you know when time's up, or nearly up. There's not much more to it. SOME SELF-CONTROL REQUIRED The app assumes you can be trusted to manage it. Pause all blocking with a few taps when you need to, or change the set of blocked apps – it's not locked down. NO SUBSCRIPTION The free app has 3-minute dial-ups. You can pay once to unlock 10- and 15-minute dial-ups. That's it.