What exists for parental controls?

Apple has introduced several new features for parental controls in iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. These features are designed to provide more transparency and control over the apps and data on devices, which can be particularly useful for parents managing their children's device usage.

1. Locked and Hidden Apps: Users can now lock apps by requiring Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, and they can also hide apps from the home screen. Organizations can manage these controls on supervised devices, restricting the ability to lock and hide apps on a per-app basis for managed apps. This feature can help parents ensure that sensitive apps and information are protected when their children use their devices. For more details, you can refer to the session What’s new in device management (18:58).

2. App Group Data Container Protection: This feature brings the protections of sandboxing to groups of apps and apps that aren't ready to sandbox all of their data yet. It ensures that data access is always expected by restricting access to protected resources. If one app tries to access another app's container, a prompt is presented to allow or deny access. This can help parents control which apps can share data with each other on their children's devices. For more details, you can refer to the session What’s new in privacy (12:23).

3. Stolen Device Protection: This feature adds a layer of security when an iPhone is away from familiar locations such as home or work, by forcing a security delay of 1 hour to prevent a thief from performing critical operations on the iPhone. This can help parents protect their children's devices from unauthorized access. For more details, you can refer to the session What’s new in device management (19:49).

These features collectively enhance the ability of parents to manage and secure their children's devices, ensuring a safer and more controlled digital environment.