What is Pause Point?
Why not jump to a more productive app instead? | Image by Google
Users can enable Pause Point on Android 17 to stop them from endlessly scrolling through apps on their phones. Pause Point kicks in when you open a “distracting” app and gives you 10 seconds to reassess whether you really need to be using this app or not.During those 10 seconds, you can do a breathing exercise to focus, or you can set a timer which will remind you to close the app after a while. You can also choose to jump to a more productive app or even just look at some of your favorite photos instead.
Google means business
You can view some of your favorite photos instead. | Image by Google
It would be relatively easy to ignore a timer or to swipe away any of the suggestions presented to you by Pause Point. Google understands that addictive tendencies can often turn self-destructive.
Which is why Pause Point has a brilliant way to discourage you from disabling the feature once you’ve activated it. If you try to disable Pause Point, your phone will require a restart, forcing you to stop and think about whether you actually want to do this or not.
The psychology checks out
Pause Point will make you rethink opening that app. | Image by Google
Users who are seeking quick dopamine hits will usually find the process of having to restart their phones very demanding. It will be much easier to just leave Pause Point turned on and perhaps actually decrease the amount of time they spend scrolling through social media.
This pause to reflect on whether restarting your phone is worth the time invested or not will be enough to deter a good number of people. Which is why Pause Point is a much better way of battling timewasting apps than many other solutions, in my opinion.
People like me will stay away
Personally, I like having control over how long and for what purpose I use my phone, so Pause Point isn’t for me.
I do recognize just how helpful it will be for many people. It would probably benefit me a good amount too. I just don’t like being told what I can or cannot do, but good on Google for looking out for its user base.
