I can’t use Apple’s new Screen Time on my daughter’s iPhone because my son won’t update his MacBook

After suffering years of frustration with Apple's parental control features, I've been eagerly anticipating the revamped Screen Time that launched last month with iOS 27. Unfortunately, I can't use it.

Technically, this is because my 18-year-old son hasn't got round to updating his MacBook. But mostly, it's because Apple's rollout of the new feature has been confusing and frustrating, with fiddly requirements that might have you digging through drawers for your old devices.

I'm not even trying to use Screen Time on my son's devices. He's 18, away …