Why aren't all iPad kids tech-savvy?

Technology’s UI has come a long way. From systems without a GUI that relied on super specific instruction to devices that are so easy to use that 3-year-olds can independently operate them. Some find it unsettling to see toddlers grabbing smart devices and using the intuitive design to play their favorite mobile games or watch videos on YouTube. What I find unsettling is how many of these iPad children fail to develop their technical skills as they age.

iPad Kids

iPad kid is a term to describe a child who spends so much time using a tablet that it is their primary source of entertainment. Their behavior borderlines on addictive, staring at a screen while sitting in supermarket shopping carts, at public gatherings, and in private. Many have raised concerns over parents using tablets as a parenting device because of fears that it will damage a child's development.

Failure to Develop Skills

Apple devices are intentionally restrictive. For that reason, they are a great starter device for children since it is nearly impossible for the software to be damaged. Children growing up in the Apple ecosystem don’t have as many opportunities to educate themselves about the devices they use because Apple doesn’t encourage that learning. While not necessarily part of this generation myself, I have noticed that my peers, who have all been using technology from a relatively early age, have difficulty installing applications from the web. Understanding that apps can be downloaded from a browser manages to be a foreign concept to them by the time they are in college.

Encouraging Users to Learn New Use Cases

To combat this problem, it is the responsibility of companies that are making tech to encourage their users to explore a device's use cases. A phone does not have to be a mindless scrolling device. It is much more than a text message machine. It is a tool that can be used to learn, to tell stories, to change the world. Manufacturers must emphasize simplicity and convenience to reach a broad audience, but then evolve the narrative once that audience has the device.

Attempting to look at my computer screen through inexperienced eyes; it became overwhelming. Edge and Firefox have settings in two different locations. Shortcuts are hard to find in apps and require Google searches to learn. The control panel looks like it hasn’t been updated in ten years. There are so many smaller menus within the control panel that it is easy to get lost unless you know the exact location of what you are looking for. I want to play games on Steam, but the platform doesn’t appear in the Microsoft Store. Why doesn’t the software teach me how to use it instead of making it convoluted at times and forcing me to go to Google with questions?

Why are thousands of people still typing “google” into the search bar on Edge?

Conclusions

As far as iPad parenting impairing a child’s development of social/life skills, I'm not qualified to give judgment. After all, my social skills were already underdeveloped by the time I got a personal screen. What I can say confidently is that working to increase user's awareness when it comes to the technology they use could lead to a generation of truly tech-savvy consumers.

My original plan was to write about how people aren’t getting lost in technology because UI doesn’t encourage users to do so. I wanted to talk about the Microsoft Store being a feature that prevents users from comprehending the full capabilities of their Windows machine but as I explored this idea I kept concluding that these design choices were to prevent unfamiliar users from getting overwhelmed and messing up their devices. I believe the above is a good foundation to build off later. I don’t want to rush through this topic because of how much it aligns with my mission for technology.