Apple Wants to Help You Focus With iOS 15

New Focus features can help you control relevant contacts and notifications

By
Rob Rich
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Rob Rich
News Reporter
  • College for Creative Studies
Rob is a freelance tech reporter with experience writing for a variety of outlets, including IGN, Unwinnable, 148Apps, Gamezebo, Pocket Gamer, Fanbolt, Zam, and more.
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Updated on June 7, 2021 04:23PM EDT
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Rich Scherr
Rich Scherr
Fact checked by Rich Scherr
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County
Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire.
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Apple has just revealed Focus for iOS 15, which will give you added control over your notifications and contacts throughout the course of your day.

The new Focus feature is a sort of evolution of Apple's Do Not Disturb mode. While you can still make use of Do Not Disturb, Focus will give you more nuanced control. For example, if you attempt to send a message to someone who has Do Not Disturb enabled, you'll be informed of it. If you think the message is important, you then have the option to send it through.

iOS 15 Focus
Image: Apple.

Apple

Beyond text notifications, Focus also will allow you to create and schedule your own custom Do Not Disturb options multiple times throughout the day. One possible scenario would give you the ability to only receive alerts and messages from people and apps that are relevant to your job during work hours. Another would let you block out all non-emergency contact from work, but allow friends and family through, in order to focus on socializing and leisure time. These settings can then be scheduled and repeated so that they enable and disable themselves at the relevant times.

You'll also have the option of having Focus generating Do Not Disturb criteria for you. The feature will use information such as your device's location, the time of day, and your own habits to make suggestions for who/what to turn off and when. Presumably, you also could allow Focus to automatically generate an option set, then go in and make edits, if needed.

Focus will release as part of iOS 15 in the fall.

See all the coverage of WWDC 2021 here.

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