One-liner: An iPhone app that cuts down which apps you reach for, in the spirit of Blank Spaces (iOS) and Minimalist Launcher (Android).
Origin: Asked 2026-10-04 how hard this would be to build. Nothing built; this is an effort estimate only.
Why iOS is different from Android: Android minimalist launchers replace the home screen, which is a normal app. iOS has no custom launchers. Blank Spaces combines system widgets, URL schemes, Shortcuts and the Screen Time API, and blocks apps through Screen Time shields. Hidden apps are still reachable via the App Library or Spotlight.
SwiftUI app, ManagedSettings and DeviceActivity extensions, custom shield screen, widgets/Shortcuts for the minimal home-screen feel
Effort estimate:
Personal-use version: roughly 1–2 weeks of evenings (picker, daily limits, pause screen, a few widgets)
Polished App Store product: roughly 4–8 weeks part-time, including onboarding, subscription and submission
Risks:
Apple must approve the com.apple.developer.family-controls entitlement, and each extension’s bundle ID needs its own request. Delays are common. Biggest schedule risk for a public app.
Can’t change the home screen layout or hide icons, only block apps. Spotlight and App Library remain workarounds.
App/category selections are opaque tokens, so no app names in your own UI or custom usage analytics.
Needs a real iPhone; Screen Time APIs don’t work properly in the simulator.
Open questions:
Personal tool or something to sell?
Does the entitlement work on a development build sideloaded to your own phone? (Not verified.)
Android version too? (Not researched; likely easier.)