UPDATED—"Investors Push Apple to Develop Tools to Respond to Smartphone Addiction in Youth" (AAPL)

Update below.
Original post:

Getting some traction on the neurotransmitter (vs. anti-trust) front.

From The Verge:

Two large Apple shareholders with a $2 billion have written an open letter to the company

Two large Apple shareholders are questioning the smartphone maker, saying it needs to respond to what’s seen as a “growing public health crisis” of smartphone addiction in young people, reports The Wall Street Journal. Activist investors Jana Partners and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (Calstrs) pension fund own $2 billion worth of Apple shares. They wrote a letter to Apple asking it to help parents limit phone use through developing new software tools, and to also investigate the impact of using phones too much on mental health.

The letter cites studies that show American teenagers receive their first smartphone at the age of 10, and spends an average of 4.5 hours a day on it (excluding texting and talking times). It further states that 78 percent of teens check their phones at least hourly, with half reporting they feel “addicted” to their phones. Jana Partners and Calstrs noted that if Apple doesn’t take note and take appropriate action, its share price and standing could be hurt. 

Apple’s market capitalization is nearly $900 billion, so the $2 billion stake is relatively small, making up some 0.2 percent....MORE

It's a very long letter that begins:

 Open Letter from JANA Partners and CALSTRS to APPLE INC.

January 6, 2018
Board of Directors
Apple Inc.
1 Infinite Loop
Cupertino, California 95014

Ladies & Gentlemen,

JANA Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (“we” or “us”) collectively own approximately $2 billion in value of shares of Apple Inc. (“Apple” or “you”).  As shareholders, we recognize your unique role in the history of innovation and the fact that Apple is one of the most valuable brand names in the world.  In partnership with experts including Dr. Michael Rich, founding director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Boston Children’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, and Professor Jean M. Twenge, psychologist at San Diego State University and author of the book iGen, we have reviewed the evidence and we believe there is a clear need for Apple to offer parents more choices and tools to help them ensure that young consumers are using your products in an optimal manner.....

Update:  Counterpoint: "No, Apple Is Not Responsible For Your Kids' Smartphone Addiction