iPad & iPhone User - USA (2019-08)

OPINION

accounts on Screen Time, parents could get a more

accurate picture of how children are using their iPads.

I’d love to see multi-user support on the iPad even

in an office context. When a colleague wants to run

benchmarks or handle an iPad I’ve been using for

specific apps, I have to wipe the entire device clean so

they don’t have to deal with seeing my stuff. I shouldn’t

have to act like such a big machine is just as private as

my phone. The only real option Apple allows for privacy

while sharing iPads is a little-known Accessibility

feature called Guided Access, but it simply keeps the

person you hand the iPhone or iPad to from looking at

anything besides that specific app.

We’re not asking for some sci-fi feature. Macs have

worked this way for years, so I can pass a MacBook to a

colleague because I know they’ll be fine using the guest

account. Windows PCs work this way. Other tablets and

even some Android phones work this way.

Administrative leave

Much as it did with so much else about iPadOS, Apple

should take a cue from the Mac and allow one account

to serve as an administrator. That would allow the

person to access all the privileges and settings, and

so use the iPad as they would now. That person could

control which other accounts have access to the data

plans in cellular models, and they could better control

which apps their children have access to through Screen

Time. That person could decide which accounts can buy

or download apps from the App Store (which will help

with concerns about running out of storage space), and

choose which apps to share with Family Sharing.

OPINION

accountsonScreenTime,parentscouldgeta more
accuratepictureofhowchildrenareusingtheiriPads.
I’dlovetoseemulti-usersupportontheiPadeven
inanofficecontext.Whenacolleaguewantstorun
benchmarksorhandleaniPadI’vebeenusingfor
specificapps,Ihavetowipetheentiredevicecleanso
theydon’thavetodealwithseeingmystuff.Ishouldn’t
havetoactlikesucha bigmachineisjustasprivateas
myphone.TheonlyrealoptionAppleallowsforprivacy
whilesharingiPadsisa little-knownAccessibility
featurecalledGuidedAccess,butitsimplykeepsthe
personyouhandtheiPhoneoriPadtofromlookingat
anythingbesidesthatspecificapp.
We’renotaskingforsomesci-fifeature.Macshave
workedthiswayforyears,soIcanpassaMacBooktoa
colleaguebecauseIknowthey’llbefineusingtheguest
account.WindowsPCsworkthisway.Othertabletsand
evensomeAndroidphonesworkthisway.

Administrative leave
Muchasit didwithsomuchelseaboutiPadOS,Apple
shouldtakeacuefromtheMacandallowoneaccount
toserveasanadministrator.Thatwouldallowthe
persontoaccessalltheprivilegesandsettings,and
sousetheiPadastheywouldnow.Thatpersoncould
control which other accounts have access to the data
plans in cellular models, and they could better control
whichappstheirchildrenhaveaccesstothroughScreen
Time.Thatpersoncoulddecidewhichaccountscanbuy
ordownloadappsfromtheAppStore(whichwillhelp
withconcernsaboutrunningoutofstoragespace),and
choosewhichappstosharewithFamilySharing.