Somilo

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  Somilo helps people put the phone down at night with a 10-second action. Core bedtime protection is free, with no punishment or streak loss.

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  The user picks apps and a bedtime. At night, DeviceActivity, a monitor extension, and ManagedSettings enforce the intervention on device.

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  Three layers: SwiftUI flow, Apple Screen Time frameworks, and RevenueCat + Layers. Bedtime keeps working even if commerce is unavailable.

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  Bedtime protection is free from the first night. RevenueCat powers Somilo Plus (records, keepsakes) through a single StoreService state.

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  Screen Time path checked on a physical iOS device. RevenueCat purchase/restore and Layers events implemented. App content is never read.

Inspiration

Many people want to stop watching short-form video before bed, but warnings and strict timers often feel like another thing to fight. We wanted to design a gentler exit: a small bedtime ritual that makes putting the phone down feel meaningful.

What it does

Somilo is a bedtime companion for people who keep watching TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts in bed.

The core loop is simple:

1. Notice nighttime scrolling.
2. Choose one small, 10-second exit action.
3. Put the phone down.
4. Somi, the companion pet, falls asleep too.
5. Return in the morning to discover a small reveal: a new expression, a dream, or a sign of growth.

The app connects the nighttime intervention, the user’s exit action, Somi falling asleep, the morning reveal, and long-term records into one continuous experience.

How we built it

We built a working iOS app with SwiftUI, Apple’s Screen Time frameworks, and RevenueCat.

The app includes onboarding, app selection, nighttime intervention, 10-second exit actions, sleep transitions, morning reveals, long-term records, and the purchase flow.

The core experience has been implemented and validated on real devices. We designed the visual system, original character assets, state transitions, and interactions specifically for a calm bedtime context.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was making the intervention feel supportive rather than controlling.

We also had to connect the emotional experience with real Screen Time behavior, while keeping the interaction simple enough to use when the user is already tired and scrolling in bed.

Another challenge was designing the RevenueCat purchase flow so that monetization supports the long-term value of the product without interrupting the core bedtime experience.

Accomplishments we’re proud of

ω We created a working iOS app that turns the moment of leaving short-form video into a shared bedtime event.

The app’s Screen Time integration, real-device experience, 20-screen flow, morning reveal, and RevenueCat purchase flow are all implemented.

We are especially proud of Somilo’s original character and its no-punishment recovery design. Returning to the target app is not treated as failure; the user can simply try again.

What we learned

We learned that an emotional reward only becomes meaningful when it is connected to a specific behavior.

A cute pet alone is not enough. Somi becomes meaningful when the user understands that putting the phone down lets the pet sleep.

We also learned that focusing on one repeated nighttime behavior makes the product promise much clearer.

AI (Claude Code and Codex)

We used Claude Code and Codex to explore the product structure, refine copy, iterate on visual assets, and review the SwiftUI implementation.

Human direction determined the product scope, the no-punishment rules, the character relationship, the technical decisions, and the final experience.

What’s next for Somilo

Somilo’s foundation is now in place: a working iOS experience that combines Screen Time, Somi, morning reveals, long-term records, and RevenueCat.

Our next step is to deepen the relationship between the user’s nighttime behavior and Somi’s growth. We plan to make exit actions more personal, expand Somi’s growth and Dream Gift system, and turn long-term records into gentle reflections that help users understand how their nights are changing.

As Somilo reaches more users, we will continue improving the Screen Time experience and privacy-first architecture while building a sustainable product without putting the core bedtime protection behind a paywall.

Our long-term vision is for Somilo to become a calm, trusted bedtime companion — helping people end the day not by fighting their phone, but by giving them a small reason to put it down.

Built With

• claude
• codex
• revenuecat
• swift
• swiftui