Getting Back at The Blue-Light Bullies

The company might be mashing the plans of marketers hoping to keep viewers glued to their smartphones 24/7.  But in the process, it may be contributing to a more alert humanity.

Getting Back at The Blue-Light Bullies

For its latest generation of the iOS 9.3 operating system, Apple has integrated a particularly useful new feature. This innovation just happens to sync with the sleeping habits of human beings. Known as Night Shift, the feature adjusts the screen color of iPods and iPhones according to the time of day.

And what does screen color have to do with catching zzz’s? Plenty, according to scientific research. During the day, people utilize blue wavelength light contained in sunlight to stimulate energy and wakefulness. Problem is, many light sources, including mobile devices, generate blue spectrum light incessantly – even after the owls start hooting.  So instead of drifting off to Slumberland at the proper time, people exposed to this light often feel less inclined to sleep. Thus, they greet the new day with an insufficient number of sleep hours under their belts. The result? Lower energy levels, general drowsiness, and plunging productivity.

Getting Back at The Blue-Light Bullies

With the Night Shift feature, screen lighting automatically changes from high-energy blue to the warmer, sleep-promoting oranges and reds readily embraced by human biology.  Once the sun brings a new morning, Night Shift modulates the light back to an energizing blue. Guiding the shifting light is a sophisticated geo-location system synchronized with an internal clock.
What’s great about Night Shift is that it allows users to gobble up an evening video or create a final Facebook post without wreaking havoc with normal sleep patterns. Something for mobile marketers to think about when developing strategies for mobile videos and other digital content.

If you have any questions or comments about mobile marketing technologies, or about any other brand-related topic, feel free to send them our way.