Development Updates

A small polish release for Step to Unlock.

• Removed the temporary Meter diagnostics (for support) panel from the Step to Unlock screen. Usage allowance metering, progress, and in-app guidance are unchanged.

This release introduces Step to Unlock (Premium) and improves reliability for daily quotes and Screen Time metering. Step to Unlock is documented in the FAQs; the in-app Settings → How It Works guide still covers the core check-in and Screen Time unlock flow (also on How Before You Scroll works).

• Step to Unlock (Premium, optional) — Tie unlock policy to Apple Health steps and real Screen Time on your lock list (apps, categories, and websites you chose in Settings—not idle phone time).
  • Three-step setup when you turn it on: choose Full-day goal or Incremental rewards, set your app usage allowance, then configure step goals or reward milestones. Mode, allowance, and incremental settings stay fixed until you turn Step to Unlock off and on again.
  • Full-day goal: Reach your step target for longer unlocks after check-in. Until then, unlock windows follow your app usage allowance.
  • Incremental rewards: Earn bonus Screen Time in chunks as you walk, on top of your default allowance, up to a daily max you set. Notifications tell you when bonus time is added or when you need to check in again.
  • Usage allowance meter — A progress bar shows Screen Time usage toward today’s allowance (updates can lag about a minute; best tested on a physical iPhone).
  • Check-in gates — When today’s allowance is used up (or, in full-day mode, before your step goal is met), check-in may be blocked until you walk more or reach your goal.
  • Step to Unlock achievements — Earn badges for enabling the feature, syncing steps, hitting goals, using your allowance, earning incremental bonuses, and trying both unlock modes.
  • How it works with other locks — Daily, hourly, and weekly schedules, Lock Now, and usage thresholds stay independent. Emergency Unlock always works; if Step to Unlock was on, it turns off until you enable it again. If an intention reminder locks your apps, you can check in as usual; if Step to Unlock already locked your apps, you still need to satisfy step policy before check-in unlocks them.
  • First visit to Step to Unlock shows a quick guide with both mode descriptions. In-app info buttons explain app usage allowance, progress, and compatibility with other locks.
• Usage Thresholds detail — Optional created date for thresholds added after this update; “limit reached over time” remains a simple line chart for the last 30 days.
• Reliability improvements
  • Step to Unlock metering — Fixes for the usage meter getting stuck, locking apps before the progress bar is full (especially in Incremental Rewards), and apps staying locked at the start of a new day after midnight rollover.
  • Quote of the Day — Better deduplication so the same quote is less likely to appear again within a year; cleaner display without doubled quotation marks; improved handling when the quote service is temporarily unavailable.

• How Before You Scroll works — New in-app guide (Settings) explaining check-in styles (mood quote only, breathing only, or both), where to change them (Reset My Mind → Unlock after mood check-in), and how Screen Time locking fits the unlock flow. Copy is localized for English, Spanish, French, and German. The same information is on the website: How Before You Scroll works.
• Refined launch experience with a brief branded splash screen (logo and app name) shown for about 1.5 seconds, then fading into the main content.
• Updated logo animation on the initial onboarding screen.
• Improved the Premium screen with a simpler layout; dismiss by swiping down.
• Enhanced Quote of the Day so attributions may include fictional characters (alongside real figures and proverbs).
• Usage thresholds — Minimum limit adjusted for reliable Screen Time behavior; when a limit is reached you can choose Gentle reminder only, Lock this limit’s selection, or Lock selected apps from Settings (your main app lock list). Thresholds can include apps, categories, and websites from Apple’s picker (per Screen Time / Family Controls). Typically one reminder per threshold per budget period, with duplicate protection so alerts aren’t repeated rapidly. See FAQs for details. Added clarity that reminders use Apple’s Screen Time data and may feel approximate at times.
• Mood Trends — expanded analytics for the timeframe you select (last 7, 30, or 90 days). The 30-day and 90-day tabs unlock after you’ve logged moods on enough separate days (they stay grayed out until then).
  • Current sentiment with a trend indicator and a daily mood sparkline.
  • Pattern Analysis: pattern label, average mood, and total check-ins in the window.
  • Mood Mix This Period: share of check-ins for each mood.
  • Consistency (requires at least three check-ins in the window): longest run of days with any check-in; longest harmony streak—consecutive calendar days where every check-in that day was Good or Great; longest rough patch—consecutive tough days (Down or Struggling).
  • Day of Week Pattern: for weekdays you’ve used, how many check-ins and what percentage were Good or Great.
  • Best weekday and challenging weekday cards appear when there’s enough spread across weekdays (they hide if the data is too thin).
  • Optional Time Pattern (time-of-day), Weekly Pattern (weekend vs weekday mood), and—on 30- and 90-day views only—Period Comparison (average mood in the first half vs second half of the window).
• Usage Threshold insight — On a threshold’s detail screen (from Usage Thresholds → a limit), an optional Insight line may relate days you hit that limit to how you tended to feel, when the statistics support it.

Initial public release on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

Key features:

• Flexible check-in options — Unlock with mood quote only, breathing exercise only, or both
• App locking — Lock selected apps via Apple's Screen Time API until you complete a mindful check-in
• Personalized mood quotes — AI-generated quotes based on how you're feeling
• Quote of the Day — Daily inspiration, shown after every check-in
• Guided breathing exercises — Quick Breathe, Deep Reset, Box, 4-7-8, and more with calming visual themes
• Intent Library — Set intentions with reminders, recurrence, and optional Apple Calendar sync
• Brain Dump — Capture thoughts and notes, organize in folders, convert to intentions
• Streaks & achievements — Build consistency and earn badges
• Usage thresholds — Set time budgets for selected apps, categories, or websites; choose reminder-only or locking behavior when you hit your limit (premium; separate from scheduled locking)
• Lock scheduling — One-time, daily, or recurring lock times