Sophia Ko - Product Designer

NEW

Case Study

Apple

Apple Alarm

I led the redesign of the Apple alarm – this new feature improves users' sleep quality and enhances their waking experience by optimizing the alarm system.

Apple Alarm

Product

Apple - Alarm

Project Type

Case Study

Skills

Product design

UX Strategy

User research & testing

Interactive prototyping

Timeline

Q2 2024

Problem

Out of the 293 participants in the survey, 85.7% reported using external devices (such as smartphones or alarm clocks) to wake up in the morning. Among them, 70.5% said they frequently use the snooze function on their smartphones mainly to alleviate anxiety about oversleeping.

However, snoozing can impair cognitive abilities due to sleep inertia. Sleep inertia can weaken focus, memory, and decision-making skills, and snoozing only exacerbates these effects. Continuously turning off the alarm and going back to sleep causes sleep to become more fragmented, leading to a feeling of mental sluggishness immediately after waking.

Recognizing this issue, we saw it as a great opportunity to encourage users to develop the habit of getting up at the first alarm.

Research

Defining individuals' sleep patterns proved to be quite challenging. So, we interviewed and surveyed over 20 participants to understand their use cases and struggles.

Common painpoints

Desensitization to the Alarm Sound

Even if the alarm sound is changed or its volume is increased, users often become desensitized to the sound over time. This leads to continued use of the snooze function.

Limitations of the Alarm Effect

Users may realize that changing the alarm sound, volume, or method is only a temporary solution, leading to stress about their lack of willpower or habits.

Loss of Self-Control

Even after changing the alarm and increasing the volume, the inability to wake up can lead users to feel a sense of lost self-control.

First Approch

What if we make the way to dismiss the alarm a bit trickier, adding some friction?

The first approach is to offer a tricky alarm dismissal method that helps users wake up with the first alarm, enabling them to take control of their sleep.

What if we make the alarm dismissal require Face ID?

Advantages

Increased Engagement

Unlike simply pressing a button or swiping, using Face ID requires the user to physically align their face with the device, which can help trigger a more alert state and make the user more aware of their surroundings.

Disadvantages

Technical Issues

If the Face ID recognition system fails due to lighting and angle, it may prevent the alarm from being turned off, leading to frustration.

Still easy to close

When the alarm goes off and the brain wakes up from sleep, it takes some time for the brain to become fully alert. Even if the alarm is dismissed through a process like facial recognition, there may still be a tendency to fall back asleep without fully transitioning out of the sleep state.

What if we make the alarm dismissal method more complex?

Complex patterns

The method requires focus, but if the pattern is drawn incorrectly, it may need to be tried multiple times, which could cause stress for some users.

Emoji facial expression imitation

The method is fun and intuitive, but some facial expressions may feel uncomfortable or unnatural for certain users, making it less effective for everyone.

Quiz

The method provides mental stimulation and a sense of accomplishment, but it can take time, and overly difficult quizzes may become a burden for users.

Solution

The new Apple alarm system offers a sustainable, innovative way to wake up, providing an effective and refreshing wake-up experience.

When you hear the first alarm

If there is no snooze button

You have to go through a tricky step to turn off the alarm.

If there is snooze button

When you click snooze, it shows the loss of time you aimed for.

Principle

Design a sustainable alarm environment

From the beginning, I insisted on requiring users to take action to disable the alarm. However, I soon realized that while this approach works well for some users, it has a negative impact on others. To address this, we decided to offer various options based on different user types.

This goes beyond simply improving the existing app – by providing choices tailored to the user's level of self-control, we aimed to promote sustainable usage.

If you can't control it yourself,

here's something that will make you think twice before hitting snooze...

This method, which requires users to solve a quiz to turn off the alarm, encourages them to focus and engage their mind. By doing so, it stimulates the brain until they fully wake up, turning the process of stopping the alarm into an intentional action.

The mental challenge of the quiz helps users become more consciously awake, strengthening their motivation to get up rather than simply turning off the alarm.

You can unlock the alarm with a simple swipe,

but what you see next might make you rethink hitting snooze...

This strategy uses the principle of loss aversion, where showing the loss of wake-up time triggers the desire to avoid further loss. By visualizing the time lost, users are more likely to get up and minimize that loss, rather than snooze and fall back asleep.

So, while unlocking the alarm only requires a simple swipe, the awareness of time lost motivates users to act and get up.

Impact

Through one month of prototype user testing:

62%