2018 is poised to be an inflection point in technology. Not just because of all the new innovations and advances, but because more and more consumers are looking for technology infused with humanity that can be used in natural, healthy, and productive ways. So this is the year when we can strike a better balance between the two—and discover ways technology can help us focus, think, be present, be creative, and connect with ourselves.
That’s why I’m so thrilled to announce the launch of the THRIVE App, available for Galaxy Note8 users today, in partnership with Samsung.
The THRIVE App helps you take control of your time and your life by making it easy to take a break from your phone. Finding that balance allows you to connect more deeply with yourself, your family and friends, and the world around you. To that end, today we’re also thrilled to be launching a section on Thrive Global, in partnership with Samsung dedicated to exploring the relationship between Technology and Humanity.
Our smartphones are of course an essential part of the way we live today. According to a study, the top ten percent of smartphone users touch their phones an average of 5,427 times each day. The rest of us clock in at 2,617 touches per day. And over 70 percent of Americans sleep next to their phones. Technology is an amazing tool. And it is even more amazing when you are in control of your time and your life. That’s why we created the THRIVE App to put you in charge. You decide when to put your phone into “Thrive Mode,” which limits all notifications, calls, and texts except for those from people you’ve specified on your VIP List.
Thrive Mode is also bi-directional, designed not only for you, but also the people who reach out to you. If you’re in Thrive Mode for the next hour, and I text you, I’ll get a text back letting me know that you’re in Thrive Mode, and when you’ll be available again. That text also has the effect of reminding me to take advantage of opportunities to have some family time—or some “me” time, or some time for deep work. I think of it as creating a new kind of positive FOMO—one where we’re all encouraging each other to put our phones down from time to time to reconnect more deeply with our loved ones and with ourselves.
That’s why we envision the THRIVE App as more than just a product—it’s a lifestyle choice that harnesses the multiplier effects of our networks to help create new cultural norms about what we value. Through the THRIVE App, we can make technology work for us—and ensure that we value recharging and focusing just as much as we value staying updated and informed.
Another way the THRIVE App puts you in charge is by helping you set goals. Its App Control dashboard provides you with a mirror of your app usage – so you can see how much time you spent on Instagram, or Candy Crush, or any app you use a lot – and makes it easy to set goals and limits.
If you’re a parent, the THRIVE App will allow you to reclaim the family meal, or spend time more fully present with your child. If you’re at an event, the THRIVE App will allow you to not only capture the moment but to truly experience it. And if you just want to get some focused work done, the THRIVE App empowers you to create the time and space you need to be at your most productive and creative—minus all the notifications, alerts, and temptations that interrupt us.
We believe this is the perfect time for the THRIVE App. The global conversation about our relationship with technology is intensifying. New role models like Ashton Kutcher, Selena Gomez and Rashida Jones are taking steps to take control of the technology in their lives. And people all over the world are hungry to have a relationship with technology that’s healthy, balanced and fulfilling.
We’re at an inflection point – and this is the perfect moment for human-centered technology that’s not just about what people want to do, but about who they want to be. What better way could there be to start the new year than by reclaiming your attention, your time, and your life?
Samsung Galaxy Note8 users can download the THRIVE App here.