Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

Google Unveils Six New Apps to Cure Your Phone Addiction

Clever tools for improving your digital wellbeing. If you want to curb your smartphone usage, Google has released six free Android apps designed just for that. They are rather clever, playing on different principles to make you less dependent and anxious about your digital life - in other words, to help you actually live.

Google and Apple have been focusing on digital wellbeing, adding screen time statistics and limits so you can set some boundaries for yourself and if you have them your kids. But Google believes this isn’t good enough and it is taking the next step with these six smart pieces of software.


We Flip

We Flip is pretty neat if you're constantly trying to get your kids or spouse to put their phone down at dinner time or if your friends spend more time staring at their screens than you when you're out. It works on the same principle of the game that makes the first person to pick their phone at the dinner table to pay the tab for everyone sitting down. Everyone at the table needs to install the app, all the phones connect through Bluetooth and the moment someone falls for the temptation of looking into his or her phone, everyone will automatically know.


Unlock Clock

This works on the principle of just shaming yourself. The Unlock Clock is a live wallpaper that updates itself with the number of times you have unlocked the phone through the day. Every time you pick up your phone to check something up, boom, it goes up. It will surprise you how many times you do this through the day. A more useful thing, however, would be to actually display the time you have spent in the phone.


Post Box

Post Box is more aggressive than the self-shaming Unlock Clock reminder. Instead of being a passive reminder, you can use this app to collect all your notifications in one place, silencing your phone until a specific time of your choosing. When that time comes, Post Box will present you the notifications arranged in a neat way so can go through them quickly.


Morph

Here's another rather useful app that will make your phone look different according to profiles you set. It’s very simple: you set up different modes (work, personal, play, etc.) and choose which apps are needed for each. Then you set a time or a place for each of these modes to activate. For example, when you get to your office, your phone will “morph” into work mode, hiding all the apps except the ones needed in that environment.


Desert Island

If someone has ever asked you which movie, book or album would you take to a desert island, you already can imagine how Desert Island works. This app allows you to select the apps you truly find essential to go through the day and hides the rest for 24 hours. It’s one step removed from quitting your phone cold turkey style.


Paper Phone

Which brings us to Paper Phone, which actually gets rid of your phone altogether. It works by allowing you to choose your favorite contacts, maps, meetings, and whatever other info you need to go through the next day, organizing it in a small booklet that you can actually print and put in your pocket. The idea is that you leave the phone at home and go 100% analog so you are more focused.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×