Touch Grass, a novel app created by British developer Rhys Kentish, aims to curb excessive screen time by encouraging users to step outside. Available for pre-order now, the app will officially launch on the App Store for iPhone users on Friday, March 14. This innovative application seeks to balance digital life with outdoor activity by requiring users to literally touch grass before accessing certain apps.
Kentish developed Touch Grass after realizing his own excessive phone usage. The app operates by blocking two distracting or time-consuming apps for free users. To unlock these apps, users must take a photo of themselves outside, touching grass, and upload it to Touch Grass. The app grants one free skip per month to bypass this requirement. By offering a unique solution to combat screen addiction, Kentish hopes users will find humor and value in the concept.
“I hope it first gives [users] a good laugh, but more importantly I hope it offers them a chance to disconnect from the shackles of the digital world and allow them to connect with nature more,” said Rhys Kentish.
In the U.S., about one in two adults experience "excessive" screen time, clocking over seven hours daily. Notably, 30% of this stems from recreational activities rather than work-related tasks. Touch Grass presents a solution amid growing concerns over digital addiction by incentivizing outdoor activity as a prerequisite for digital access.
Touch Grass is free to download, but upgrading to the pro tier costs $6 per month or $50 annually. The pro version provides an option to block an unlimited number of apps and offers more detailed screen time reports. Kentish's goal is to motivate users to enjoy outdoor experiences, particularly during the winter months when they might need extra encouragement to venture outside.
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