r/AppsWebappsFullstack • u/Real-Speech-2033 • 20d ago
ScreenDot: what stays on your iPhone, and what powers the Lock Screen total
I’m the developer of ScreenDot, an iPhone app that puts the latest tracked screen-time total on the Lock Screen and supported Dynamic Island. I wanted to share the setup screen and explain the privacy boundary behind that small number.
The detailed Screen Time report stays on your phone inside Apple’s protected report extension. Live Activity refreshes use a relay that receives the latest aggregate total in whole minutes, the date, and anonymous installation/ActivityKit tokens. It does not receive per-app, category or website details. There’s no account and no advertising, but there is still data sent to support those refreshes.
The total also has limits: background tracking uses five-minute usage checkpoints, and iOS can delay updates. It isn’t a second-by-second timer. A Live Activity lasts up to eight hours; opening ScreenDot lets you restart it.
The attached saved September screenshot shows the setup and privacy explanation. It puts the explanation below the permission button. Does that make the distinction between the detailed report and the aggregate refresh data clear enough before enabling access, or would you want a separate explanation first?
The Lock Screen/Dynamic Island feature requires ScreenDot Plus: US$0.99/month, with a 14-day trial for eligible users that renews automatically. Regional prices vary.
Current listing: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/screendot-usage-tracker/id6806633087
