f.lux is a medical NECESSITY...Why won't Apple approve?

[dontpannic]

What development effort will it take? Barely any, if any.

Quite a lot. It's not quite as simple as it looks, plus there are much more important issues to sort out before considering a screen tint.

and a reason why I don't let my son use the iPad up to an hour before bedtime.

He shouldn't be using the iPad up to an hour before bedtime anyway not just because of the screen tint issue. He needs time to wind down before bed and if his mind is active for that long he's going to have problems sleeping anyway.

I do wonder how much of this issue is related to the tint of the screen and how much is simply down to not giving yourself time to wind down before bed.

And what if it is something at least close to that to someone?

It isn't! Simple as that. If you have an issue that has been professionally diagnosed you are likely to need a bigger aid than a colour temperature tint on your iPad.

Look - let me finish by summarising my points.

Yes - f.lux is a good application. I didn't notice any benefits to sleep myself however the tint was easier on the eyes.
No - I don't think that the inability to sleep because your iPad's colour temperature is showing too much blue is either a disability or necessitates the need for Apple to implement f.lux.
No - I also don't think it's a good use of resources.

Why?

- Those who rely on f.lux will hold off on upgrading their OS and losing their jailbreak if they consider f.lux to be a necessity.
- Those who have never jailbroken their iOS device have no idea of the use or benefit of f.lux having never used it before.
- iOS7 still needs a lot of work to iron out inconsistencies and bugs, I think the engineering need to be concentrating on those first rather than implementing a feature that the vast majority of iOS users won't use.

Should they allow it into the App Store? Yes, absolutely. This is the logical place to do it. If opening up the API requires a vast amount of in depth iOS rewriting, then no.

Let me open this up a little more then...

Are you guys campaigning your TV manufacturer to integrate f.lux into your TV set? Surely if it's a "medical necessity" then ALL devices with LCD screens need it integrated, no?

 

[Parise]

Quite a lot. It's not quite as simple as it looks, plus there are much more important issues to sort out before considering a screen tint.

You sure about that? Please, walk me through the process of adding a switch to the accessibility screen to warm up the display. I'd say month. And thats giving them a ton of time to develop it. Why can't they "consider" it? You seem to think that adding items to a backlog for consideration takes a ton of time. Spoiler: it doesn't.

Look - let me finish by summarising my points.

Yes - f.lux is a good application. I didn't notice any benefits to sleep myself however the tint was easier on the eyes.
No - I don't think that the inability to sleep because your iPad's colour temperature is showing too much blue is either a disability or necessitates the need for Apple to implement f.lux.
No - I also don't think it's a good use of resources.

The American Medical Association has claimed that this is a quickly growing problem causing inability to sleep. I'll probably lean towards trusting their opinion more than yours, but thats great that YOU personally don't notice any benefits. I took some antibiotics the other day by mistake, I didnt notice any benefit to taking them. You know who probably did though? Someone who's sick.

Unless you're a project manager or development manager, don't speak about any hindrance this may have on resources. I am currently a development manager, with 10+ years of exp. While I agree 100% that right now there's MUCH more important things to iron out, there's no reason that this can't be placed in the enhancement backlog as a "nice to have" item. In the software world, we build **** DAILY that we don't consider a good use of resources. But you know who do? The majority of our customers and at the end of the day that's all that matters.

Are you guys campaigning your TV manufacturer to integrate f.lux into your TV set? Surely if it's a "medical necessity" then ALL devices with LCD screens need it integrated, no?

My television has this. I will gladly take a picture of the options and associated screen color for you if you would like. Please advise.

 

[Menneisyys2]

iOS7 still needs a lot of work to iron out inconsistencies and bugs, I think the engineering need to be concentrating on those first rather than implementing a feature that the vast majority of iOS users won't use.

How do you know the majority won't use it? Let me remind you that f.lux is in the top 10 list of many JB lists and is very popular among JB'ers. I've already linked to some "name your most fav JB tweak" threads here at MR - a LOT of people named f.lux as their most favourite tweak there; most of them not posting in this # (except for me). That's a very sizable portion (I'd say even the majority) of all JB'ers. Why do you think the case would be the opposite (we'd be in the absolute minority) if Apple actually allowed / implemented it?

For me, it's essential - it's so much better on my eyes. I won't upgrade my currently-JB'n iPads until I confirm f.lux (or something like that) runs on the new OS version.

 

[C DM]

Quite a lot. It's not quite as simple as it looks, plus there are much more important issues to sort out before considering a screen tint.



He shouldn't be using the iPad up to an hour before bedtime anyway not just because of the screen tint issue. He needs time to wind down before bed and if his mind is active for that long he's going to have problems sleeping anyway.

I do wonder how much of this issue is related to the tint of the screen and how much is simply down to not giving yourself time to wind down before bed.



It isn't! Simple as that. If you have an issue that has been professionally diagnosed you are likely to need a bigger aid than a colour temperature tint on your iPad.

Look - let me finish by summarising my points.

Yes - f.lux is a good application. I didn't notice any benefits to sleep myself however the tint was easier on the eyes.
No - I don't think that the inability to sleep because your iPad's colour temperature is showing too much blue is either a disability or necessitates the need for Apple to implement f.lux.
No - I also don't think it's a good use of resources.

Why?

- Those who rely on f.lux will hold off on upgrading their OS and losing their jailbreak if they consider f.lux to be a necessity.
- Those who have never jailbroken their iOS device have no idea of the use or benefit of f.lux having never used it before.
- iOS7 still needs a lot of work to iron out inconsistencies and bugs, I think the engineering need to be concentrating on those first rather than implementing a feature that the vast majority of iOS users won't use.

Should they allow it into the App Store? Yes, absolutely. This is the logical place to do it. If opening up the API requires a vast amount of in depth iOS rewriting, then no.

Let me open this up a little more then...

Are you guys campaigning your TV manufacturer to integrate f.lux into your TV set? Surely if it's a "medical necessity" then ALL devices with LCD screens need it integrated, no?

By the way, the whole TV thing has already been brought up and addressed earlier in the thread a few times.

 

[I7guy]

And what if it is something at least close to that to someone?

Insulin to cite one example, if you are a type 2 diabetic is medical necessity. Don't confuse a program with devices and medicines that actually are medical necessities.

This program is not as the fix is simple: don't look at any led device including TVs that use leds to light the screen before you go to bed.

I tried flux under windows and uninstalled the program. As to why apple won't have a simple slider in accessibility nobody here can answer for them. Maybe the absolute percentage of people who j/b their phones to use this app to the total number of iphones on the market is very, very small.

 

[Parise]

Maybe the absolute percentage of people who j/b their phones to use this app to the total number of iphones on the market is very, very small.

As was the absolute percentage of those who j/b their phones to use SBSettings or the like.

Look where that got us.

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This program is not as the fix is simple: don't look at any led device including TVs that use leds to light the screen before you go to bed.

I'll also make sure to tell my job and employees in Washington that we can't have EOD video conference's on GotoMeeting anymore because I would prefer not to stare at my screen before I try to get some sleep. Those occur usually at 9-10 pm my time. Point is, in 2013 (almost 2014) thats not a practical solution.

 

[I7guy]

As was the absolute percentage of those who j/b their phones to use SBSettings or the like.

Look where that got us.

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I'll also make sure to tell my job and employees in Washington that we can't have EOD video conference's on GotoMeeting anymore because I would prefer not to stare at my screen before I try to get some sleep. Those occur usually at 9-10 pm my time. Point is, in 2013 (almost 2014) thats not a practical solution.

If you need to stare at a screen, why don't you stare at one that provides the best possible solution for whatever condition you may have? There are other choices than an iphone or ipad as inconvenient as those solutions may potentially be, you have to take of yourself.

 

[Menneisyys2]

Maybe the absolute percentage of people who j/b their phones to use this app to the total number of iphones on the market is very, very small.

The majority of Top 10 JB tweak lists on the Web & forum threads show the opposite. f.lux is the most important & favourite tweak for / of many JB'ers; here at MR too.

 

[I7guy]

The majority of Top 10 JB tweak lists on the Web & forum threads show the opposite. f.lux is the most important & favourite tweak for / of many JB'ers; here at MR too.

There have been 421 million iphones and 17 plus million ipads sold by apple. Out of those 438 million, can you hazard a guess of how many require a white balance shifting program. CNET reports almost 16k downloads of f.lux. Let's see: 16000/438000000 is .000036%. Maybe that is why apple has not included it as a standard feature.

Of course it could be in the works...nobody knows.

 

[Parise]

There have been 421 million iphones and 17 plus million ipads sold by apple. Out of those 438 million, can you hazard a guess of how many require a white balance shifting program. CNET reports almost 16k downloads of f.lux. Let's see: 16000/438000000 is .000036%. Maybe that is why apple has not included it as a standard feature.

Horrible logic.

 

[GoCubsGo]

There have been 421 million iphones and 17 plus million ipads sold by apple. Out of those 438 million, can you hazard a guess of how many require a white balance shifting program. CNET reports almost 16k downloads of f.lux. Let's see: 16000/438000000 is .000036%. Maybe that is why apple has not included it as a standard feature.

Of course it could be in the works...nobody knows.

I don't think the app approvers over at Apple thought that out that far. It goes against the TOS of an App due to the API it needs and therefore, cannot be approved.


I guess after reading this thread, most of it, I don't seem to see why people can't just not look at their phones right before bed. I assume looking at it long enough to set a alarm is not causing damage, but please, correct me when I am wrong.

I turn brightness down to about 1/10th of the slider's length after I set my alarm. This way if I do get up to use the bathroom or something then looking at it is not blinding me right away. It is not distracting really and the distractions I am met with overnight that keep me awake are my own fault. I'll start browsing the internet and reading crap that is less important than sleep. So while I understand this whole concept of this horrible purported disability, I just don't understand why the solution is not to limit yourself.

I guess the other side of it why would anyone have to limit themselves when an app can help them? I suppose there is that.

 

[I7guy]

Horrible logic.

At least I have numbers that can be web searches. Rather than using adjectives like majority or popular to determine an operating system requirement.

I only object to the use of the word necessity, which puts it on the same playing field as pacemakers, insulin pumps, etc.

 

[C DM]

Insulin to cite one example, if you are a type 2 diabetic is medical necessity. Don't confuse a program with devices and medicines that actually are medical necessities.

This program is not as the fix is simple: don't look at any led device including TVs that use leds to light the screen before you go to bed.

I tried flux under windows and uninstalled the program. As to why apple won't have a simple slider in accessibility nobody here can answer for them. Maybe the absolute percentage of people who j/b their phones to use this app to the total number of iphones on the market is very, very small.

Not doing something isn't a solution, it's merely a workaround, especially in light when a solution does exist but simply hasn't been made available by the manufacturers. This would pretty much be equivalent to coming to see a doctor because it hurts when you bend your leg a certain (normally fairly typical) way and the doctor simply telling you not to do it and that's it, without even trying to deal with and treat whatever it is that's actually causing the pain. In vast majority of cases any normal doctor wouldn't do something like that.

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At least I have numbers that can be web searches. Rather than using adjectives like majority or popular to determine an operating system requirement.

I only object to the use of the word necessity, which puts it on the same playing field as pacemakers, insulin pumps, etc.

While necessity might be a bit on the hyperbole side of things, there's absolutely no way you can rule out that someone might be affected by something like this to a large enough degree that a simple already existing solution like that wouldn't be far off from almost being a necessity when it comes to use mobile devices. And saying something overly simpleton like "just don't use it" is certainly not a solution, even it might be a workaround of sorts (as mentioned earlier).

----------

...

I guess the other side of it why would anyone have to limit themselves when an app can help them? I suppose there is that.

And that certainly plays a good part in all of this too, especially in this age when technology should be doing things for us and helping us and not getting in the way or limiting, especially for no real good reason.

 

[Parise]

At least I have numbers that can be web searches. Rather than using adjectives like majority or popular to determine an operating system requirement.

I only object to the use of the word necessity, which puts it on the same playing field as pacemakers, insulin pumps, etc.

The numbers are skewed, because they're only limited to a subset of users. And yes, I mentioned earlier too that the use of "necessity" might be a bit much.

 

[fizz7283]

Okay I would just like to post a response to this thread, even if it gets people riled up again and throwing insults and judgmental, hateful comments.

I have posted in a few threads before that flux helped eliminate the daily migraines I was getting almost completely. I could not go back to using an iPhone without it. The screen is far too harsh at night. And not just at night as in past 8pm.... It's currently getting dark in California before 5 pm. Do you all bashing flux and saying it's not a logical "cure" or "fix" really expect people who benefit from this tweak not to use their phones past 5 pm? I am still at work for Christ sakes and I will be until 8 pm. Then I drive home and that is an hour and 15 minutes. And I have to have a few hours to unwind before I can even think about trying to fall asleep. On most nights I don't go to sleep until one or two am. So is it a good logical fix to my daily migraines and lack of sleep to really not use my iPhone from 5 pm until midnight or one am when I go to bed? Absolutely not.

Flux starts working when it begins to get dark out. It is dark now. It started warming the temperature on my screen around 4:30 so it gradually changes it so it's not drastic and you don't notice. On top of flux I still keep the brightness extremely low because not only do I suffer from migraines, I also have Tourette's syndrome and photophobia. I had eye surgery on both eyes to repair bilateral strabismus when I was three years old so I have had extremely sensitive eyes since then. When I am stressed out, excited, annoyed, etc I get really bad facial tics and blink a lot, wrinkle my forehead, grind my teeth, clench my jaw, tense up my neck and shoulders. And you guess it... The harsh lighting from the iPhone screen causes a headache, I get stressed and annoyed from the headache, this causes facial tics, then I can't go to sleep because I am focusing on trying to get rid of my headache and trying to focus on something other than my tics and twitches, I get even less sleep than I normally do, I wake up annoyed and stressed because now I have to go to work looking like a damn crack head because I am having all of these tics and that stresses me out more. It is a viscous ongoing cycle.

And guess what? Since I have discovered flux it has been diminished significantly. It might sound stupid to say that a jailbreak tweak has made such a positive impact on my life, but it really has. Now I can use my phone the way it was meant to be used - WHENEVER I want to, however I want to and not have to worry about it turning me into a twitching, insomniac mess with a migraine. I actually fall asleep playing words with friends, scrolling through Facebook, looking at forums on tapatalk. Before flux, there would have been no way in hell I could fall asleep unless I turned the phone off and put it on the nightstand and then it would still take me forever to actually go to sleep.

So for some people it could really be seen as a medical necessity. I understand it might be a small minority, but apple would gain a lot of brownie points if they would help that small minority of people out and implement something like flux into iOS or allow you to purchase it through the App Store somehow.

And I really do believe more people would benefit from this tweak if they knew it existed or if they would give it a try. On some days when I feel myself getting a migraine or my tics are getting worse I even turn the temperature down in the middle of the day for the daytime setting.

I am sorry for the long response, but I felt like you all needed to know that there are people out there with true medical conditions that really do benefit from this tweak. And not everyone works a normal schedule where they can put their phone down at 7 pm so they can be to sleep at 8 or 9 pm. Some people don't even get off work until late at night and some people work night shifts. Everyone's life and everyone's body is different. So why not implement this tweak into iOS or allow it into the App Store so everyone can be happy and benefit? If you want it and need it, you can have it. If you don't want to use it, don't need it... Don't download it or turn it on.

Another thing.. I should not have to wear sunglasses or put a screen protector on my phone just because I don't want my eyes to suffer from the harsh light. I should not have to go to android either. If you all feel that way and apple feels that way then that is a sad way to look at things. If apple fails to implement things that people want and/or need in their daily life, then people will quit buying their products and then what do you think will happen? They will quit supporting them and quit producing them. Of course I know that wont happen because apple is such a big company, but that is what happens to other companies when they neglect their customers. With that said, I would not buy an android or a screen protector, I will just stay with my jailbroken iPhone 5 so I can keep flux.

 

[I7guy]

My wife suffers from migraines so I do empathize. I know how light just makes it worse. I myself suffer from a symptom of migraines, although i dont get headaches; and that is continual flashing lights dancing in my eyes. Bright light exacerbates the issue.

My own definition of a medical necessity is when you die without it.

No matter what you think of android, you have options, until and if apple allows the white balance to be altered you still have alternatives. Both my ipad and iphone I find to be harsh in dark low light. My solution is to turn down the brightness, but it doesn't go down far enough. Apple should address this as well.

Good luck to you. I dont think people are intentionally mean spirited, there is hyperbole on all sides, especially when there are alternatives.

 

[Bathplug]

do you have to turn auto brightness off when using f.lux for best results?

 

[Menneisyys2]

do you have to turn auto brightness off when using f.lux for best results?

Nope - in my experience, it's always works great, regardless of the setting. After all, it doesn't significantly decrease the overall brightness requiring a significant brightness increase, "only" makes the screen much warmer.

 

[ElectronGuru]

Yeah, it basically turns your screen the color of fire. You can have a bright fire or dim fire, be it manually so or automatic.

 

[Patrick J]

It's great that we can finally use F.lux again it's my only reason to jailbreak. 5S and iPad Mini 1st gen working fine.

 

[darngooddesign]

At least I have numbers that can be web searches. Rather than using adjectives like majority or popular to determine an operating system requirement.

Your use of numbers was flawed.

When talking about the percentage of iPads with RealRacing, you do not talk about iPhones.

You should be looking at the number of jailbroken devices compared to the number of flux installs; not the number of total iOS devices.

But there needs to be a way to eliminate older, unused devices because my jailbroken 2G and 3G phones are not relevant to the popularity of flux on currently used devices.

 

[BR3W]

I used f.lux for years but became concerned with battery and screen life so now I don't use it anymore. I'm not sure if those are two things that are impacted by f.lux but I haven't seen any discussions either way.

 

[Patrick J]

I used f.lux for years but became concerned with battery and screen life so now I don't use it anymore. I'm not sure if those are two things that are impacted by f.lux but I haven't seen any discussions either way.

I very much doubt that you will notice any effect on battery life due to F.lux.

It's a tiny program, and does a single tiny task.

I only jailbreak and install f.lux, absolutely no other hacks, and I have never noticed a drop in battery life.

 

[FelicityW]

While I would like this for me, it would be GREAT for all the teenagers who use their phones before going to bed. It is brilliant. And no, you can't just tell a teenager not to look at his/her phone before bed. You either have to take it away and deal with the flack (and I go to bed first so not practical), or ...

Anyhow, onward to make this an enhancement in iOS.

 

[MacMan988]

I've been blinded by xenon car head-lights when driving in the night and by some strong flash lights in certain occasions. But never by a phone display!