If iPhone or iPad ‘too close’ alert interrupts you, don’t turn it off!!!

Half the world’s population (nearly 5 billion) will be short-sighted (myopic) by 2050, with up to one-fifth of them (1 billion) at a significantly increased risk of blindness if current trends continue. Researchers and the world are mobilized to find ways to manage myopia and if possible stop an epidemic from progressing. In iOS 17, the Distance Feature, also known as Screen Distance, is a functionality designed to alert users when their iPhone or iPad is held too close to their face. This feature is intended to reduce eyestrain and promote healthy device usage habits. When the device detects that it is too close to the user, it triggers an alert, encouraging them to maintain a safer viewing distance.

For users under 13 in Family Sharing, the Screen Distance feature is turned on by default. Eventhough it can be toggled on/off in the device’s settings, it is recommended to keep the feature switched on.

To manage this feature, users can navigate to Settings, then Screen Time, and finally, Screen Distance. The overall goal is to enhance user experience by encouraging a healthy and comfortable interaction with the device.

Screen Distance is only available on devices with a TrueDepth camera, the same camera used for Face ID, updated to iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later.