Apple: Integrate f.lux functionality in IOS8
- by: Henrik Larsson
- recipient: Apple Inc.
It's been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that exposure to blue light frequencies in the evening is uniquely harmful to our natural circadian rhythm, making it harder to get to sleep as well as making the sleep less restful and restorative. This also interferes with morning wakefulness and daytime energy levels, concentration and general well-being.
On both PC and Mac computers, as well as on Android mobile devices, there are apps available that gradually filter out blue light frequencies as the sun sets. The most well known of these is the free app f.lux, which is also available as a jailbreak tweak for hacked IOS devices. Being able to use F.lux is a commonly cited reason for opting to jailbreak IOS devices.
With this in mind, it's hard to see why Apple has not decided to include this kind of functionality in IOS, or to allow third party developers to do so. In IOS 8, gray-scale mode and color inversion options are available as accessibility tools, with questionable usefulness except for a small percentage of users. Blue-light suppression of melatonin production affects all individuals with eyesight, as well as a percentage of individuals without, and yet is not included. This certainly cannot be because it would be difficult to implement, so one has to assume it has to do with a simple lack of awareness of the problem from Apple's side.
So this petition - while not aiming to change the world in a dramatic way, and being concerned with an issue that affects a lucky minority of people who can afford to buy these high-tech products - does at least hope to generate awareness of the impact of evening blue-light exposure on health. If Apple can prevent even one workplace or traffic accident due to drowsiness caused by evening browsing or reading on their devices, this should be reason enough to implement a configurable blue-light blocking evening mode in IOS. Please sign this petition and pass it on if you agree! If we reach a thousand signatures (or more!) the petition will be sent to Tim Cook.
Links with more info and evidence to support the claims above:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/harvard_health_letter/2012/may/blue-light-has-a-dark-side/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-michael-j-breus/blue-light-sleep_b_4993859.html
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201309/blocking-blue-light-helps-sleep
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24124400
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23509952
Dear Mr. Cook,
It's been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that exposure to blue light frequencies in the evening is uniquely harmful to our natural circadian rhythm, making it harder to get to sleep as well as making the sleep less restful and restorative. This also interferes with morning wakefulness and daytime energy levels, concentration and general well-being.
On both PC and Mac computers, as well as on Android mobile devices, there are apps available that gradually filter out blue light frequencies as the sun sets. The most well known of these is the free app f.lux, which is also available as a jailbreak tweak for hacked IOS devices. Being able to use F.lux is a commonly cited reason for opting to jailbreak IOS devices.
With this in mind, it's hard to see why Apple has not decided to include this kind of functionality in IOS, or to allow third party developers to do so. In IOS 8, you have included gray-scale mode and color inversion options are available as accessibility tools, with questionable usefulness except for a small percentage of users. Blue-light suppression of melatonin production affects all individuals with eyesight, as well as a percentage of individuals without, and yet is not included. This certainly cannot be because it would be difficult to implement, so one has to assume it has to do with a simple lack of awareness of the problem from Apple's side. Now that you have been made aware of this, I hope you decide to take action immediately!
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