A small device called "Brick" that attaches to the phone is gaining immense popularity
 |
| Brick |
A growing number of young people around the world are turning to combat phone addiction, or what is known as "screen addiction," which has become a troubling problem for many and is stealing increasing amounts of time from their lives. They are searching for ways to overcome this addiction and reduce the time they spend in front of their phone screens.
According to a report published by The Economist and reviewed by Mobi Alo, a small device called "Brick," which attaches to phones, has begun to gain popularity among young people after successfully reducing their screen time.
The report states that the "Brick" device blocks applications for the user, thus reducing screen time by up to three hours per day.
The report also states that this device, which is a gray cube, costs $59 and is about the size of a phone case. The creators of this innovation claim it reduces screen time by an average of three hours per day.
The report concludes that To use this device, the person selects the applications they wish to disable, then they touch the phone with a "Brick" button, after which it is activated, and the device does its work.
Wide popularity
Brick has gained widespread popularity, particularly among those aged 20 to 35. Downloads of the Brick app surged nearly 600% year-over-year in January, reaching 170,000, according to estimates from the research firm Sensor Tower.
This device is part of a broader trend: the rise of anti-tech technologies, as The Economist points out. Tools designed to curb digital distractions are proliferating, such as Opal, which performs the same function and claims to have kept users away from their phones for over 200 million hours since its 2020 launch.
Other apps offer incentives or interactive experiences. For example, with Forest, the longer you stay away from your phone, the more virtual trees grow. If you take good care of them, the company will plant a real sapling in Africa as a token of your appreciation.
Read also : The name and model number of the vivo X300 Ultra phone have been confirmed through a new certification
The Economist also points to another phenomenon in the fight against screen addiction: some people are abandoning flashy phones altogether in favor of "simple" phones without touchscreens. These, once considered a symbol of tech-savvy older people, are now seen as a stylish and sensible choice.
Ilya Knibelhout, from Offline Club, a group that organizes phone-free getaways and meetings, says there is a "strong desire to disconnect from the digital world."
Offline Club has spread to 19 European cities since its launch in Amsterdam in 2014, one indicator of the growing desire to overcome addiction.
Many suffer from what researchers call "digital fatigue." Zina Feldman of King's College London says, "There's a feeling of having to be available, always connected."
According to a recent YouGov survey, most American adults under 30 say their phones are the first and last thing they look at every day. Approximately 40% of them sleep with their phones next to them in bed.
