The shabbos app

“Making your shabbat that much better, one click at a time.”

http://www.shabbosapp.com/

Some context

The goal is to enhance peoples’ shabbat experiences by making shabbat observance easier.

Creators of the app compare it to shabbat clocks, air conditioning, and light usage on shabbat

The appSimilar to shabbat elevator, shabbat app forces consistent battery power – phone doesn’t heat up

Writing: delayed typing option – causes slight and random delay when typing – or “wipe data option” – causes app to reset all new data every hour

Sounds are disabled

User can choose to receive a vibration for new notifications or visual indicators, or both.

forces the screen to stay actively lit the entire Shabbos 

  An indicator light on the screen says when to charge – when green, the user can plug the smartphone in and out of a power charger, as no charging action will occur until the light turns red.

Questions to consider

Is use of this app halakhically permissible?

Should the same apply for Yom Tov?

Is the production of the app something we should endorse?

If used with the right intentions, is it ok?

If permissible, why don’t more in the community use it?

What’s worse, a shomer-shabbos Jew who does it not in the spirit of shabbbat, or a secular Jew who has the right intentions?