Why Apple's Video That Imagines a World Without Apps Makes Me Sad It's not for the reasons you think.

By Stephen J. Bronner

To open its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple showed a video that imagines what the world would be like if people suddenly lost access to all the apps on their iPhones. In short: pure chaos.

In the three-minute spot, people lose the ability to navigate roads and cause accidents, one crazed woman hands out selfies and a couple actually swap faces by visiting a plastic surgeon. Funny, right? The point of the video was to show that the world, and of course Apple, needs developers to make the little programs that now dominate our lives.

But watching the video, I couldn't help but feel that it's a fairly accurate portrayal of our increasing dependence on our pocket computers. According to data from Pew Research Center, 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone, and seven in 10 are on social media. And if you think that this trend is just linked to millennials, think again: Nielsen found that people between the ages of 35 and 49 spend an average of six hours and 58 minutes a week on social media, compared with six hours and 19 minutes for 18- to 34-year-olds. Those over 50 only spend an average of four hours and nine minutes a week on social media.

Related: Feeling Depressed? Stay Off Instagram and Watch YouTube Instead.

A different study, by the Royal Society for Public Health, revealed that 91 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds use the internet for social networking, and found a connection between social media use and increased rates of anxiety, depression and poor sleep. It points out that rates of anxiety and depression have increased 70 percent in the past 25 years (which is longer than smartphones have been ubiquitous). The organization is calling for social media companies to introduce "heavy usage" warnings on their platforms.

"Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol, and is now so entrenched in the lives of young people that it is no longer possible to ignore it when talking about young people's mental health issues," RSPH Chief Executive Shirley Cramer said in a statement accompanying the findings.

For many people, the smartphone in their hand is an extension of themselves. They just wouldn't be them without it. And that's what this Apple video brings to light.

But if you find this video speaks to you on a deeper level, do yourself a favor and take a break from technology every once in a while. Turn your phone off, explore the world without any help and resist that urge to take a picture and share it. And hey, maybe learn to navigate with a map.

Stephen J. Bronner

Entrepreneur Staff

News Director

Stephen J. Bronner writes mostly about packaged foods. His weekly column is The Digest. He is very much on top of his email.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Elon Musk Gives Profanity-Laden Tirade During DealBook Interview: "Go F--- Yourself'

Musk addressed the companies that have pulled advertising from the X platform at the 2023 DealBook Summit in New York on Wednesday. Watch the interview, here.

Living

Get a Heated Scarf with Power Bank for $34.97 for Cyber Monday

Don't miss your chance to grab a Helios Heated Scarf for this exclusive price (regularly $79).

Living

'I Haven't Ticked All the Boxes Yet.' Hilary Duff Reveals Her Next Venture After More Than 2 Decades in the Spotlight — and the Surprisingly Relatable Key to Her Enduring Success

The actor talks entrepreneurship, secrets to success and her latest role as chief brand director for Below 60°, a product line of air fragrances.

Business Ideas

This Teacher Sells Digital Downloads for $10. Her Side Hustle Now Makes Six Figures a Month: 'It Seems Too Good to Be True, But It's Not.'

When one middle school teacher needed to make some extra income, she started a remote side hustle with no physical products and incredibly low overhead. Now she brings in six figures each month, and offers courses teaching others how to do the same.

Leadership

Do You Have a Strong Identity? 5 Ways to Uncover the Core of Your Organization — And Why It Matters

Understanding and carefully adapting organization identity in concert with emergent realities provides the balance our organizations need in our present turbulent climate.

Growing a Business

Why the Satellite Tech Market is Poised to Dominate Many Sectors

The satellite technology market presents several challenges and opportunities, but it isn't just for rocket scientists – it's also fertile ground for entrepreneurs looking to innovate.