Apple’s Focus mode will be a win, eventually

Apple’s Focus mode will be a win, eventually

When iOS 15 came out, Apple released a new mode called Focus, designed so you can customize your phone setup for different contexts. For example, you’d be able to set a time so that you don’t get work calls after the workday is done or receive any email alerts during your quiet morning time.

It’s a tricky balance to strike, though – it’s a lot better to have on hand all the emails or messages you don’t want than to miss out on the one you really need. If there’s some kind of emergency, for example, Focus may filter that out, which isn’t exactly ideal.

The flip side of this is that Focus doesn’t let you restrict things quite as much as you may want. And honestly, it can just be a hassle to set up.

The good news is that Apple is working on it, and a new and improved version of Focus is expected to be in the iOS 16 update coming out this fall. The hope is that one day we can have different Focus modes for work and home but also for things like driving or vacation days. Ideally, these different modes could automatically change statuses in apps, display things differently on your phone according to the situation and even block access to those addictive apps you don’t want to be distracted with while you’re relaxing. And the hope is that day comes sooner rather than later.