Designing a Better Way to Disconnect
Client
Apple
Year
2026
Apple Pause was a set brief from Interstate Creative Agency, based around the idea of taking a brand beyond its product. I chose Apple and explored how the brand could encourage people to step away from their phones and spend more time in the real world. From this, I developed Apple Pause — a concept built around screen-free events and experiences that give people a reason to put their phone down.
I worked on the UX/UI and overall experience, looking at how someone would discover an event, book a place and take part without relying on their phone. The idea was to make disconnecting feel less like something you’re being told to do, and more like something you actually want to do.
Scope of Work
01 — The Challenge
People spend increasingly more time on their phones, but digital wellbeing tools often feel restrictive — like you're being punished for using technology.
02 — The Opportunity
Instead of simply telling people to use their phones less, I explored how Apple could give people something better to disconnect for.
03 — The Idea: Apple Pause
A campaign and experience that encourages people to put their phones away and reconnect with the world around them through exclusive, phone-free experiences.
04 — How it works
The experience included:
Discover Experiences — Find curated real-world events and experiences.
Commit to Disconnect — Choose to take part and consciously step away from your device.
Lock In — Your phone becomes unavailable during the experience, removing temptation.
Reconnect — Focus on the people, environment and experience around you.
Earn Rewards — Encouraging behaviour change through incentives and exclusive access.
After developing the concept, I brought everything together into one complete journey. I wanted the experience to feel simple and natural, taking users from finding something they want to do to actually putting their phone down and being part of it.
It starts with an introduction to Pause, explaining how it works and making it clear that you're always in control. Calls and messages are still available, and you can leave an experience whenever you need to.
Users can then browse nearby events and experiences. The idea was to make putting your phone away feel less like a restriction and more like choosing to do something worthwhile instead.
Once an event is chosen, users can see what it's about, who's going and what to expect. They can also add things like food and drinks, making the experience feel more like a complete event journey.
The final screens take users through a simple checkout before confirming their place.
As the project developed, my thinking moved away from simply trying to reduce screen time. Instead, I focused on giving people a genuine reason to step away from their phones, turning disconnecting into something you actually want to do.
