In this episode, I sit down with Ali Waseem, the creator of FOQOS, a free and open source app helping people regain control over their smartphones—without breaking the bank.

We chat about why digital minimalism shouldn’t be seen as a luxury, the philosophy behind creating free tech resources, and how community-driven development has shaped Focus into a powerful tool for 50,000+ users.

Ali shares his personal journey with tech addiction, what led him to make the app open source, the surprising features inspired by user feedback, and how Foqos has improved his real-life interactions and sleep. If you’re curious about free ways to simplify your digital life and want real stories on building for community rather than profit, this conversation is a must-listen!

Timestamps:

00:04 — Why Ali built Foqos

01:59 — Why it’s free + open source

04:44 — How Foqos works

10:05 — Ali’s transformation

17:18 — Reducing tech dependency

20:01 — AI + future of tech

24:57 — Final thoughts

Try It Out:If you’re on iOS and looking for a free way to control your phone habits, check out Foqos. Android user? Look into Switchly.

If you want to go a level deep, try Apple Configurator for iOS or ADB App Control for Android to permanently remove distractions from your smartphone.

Finally, you could get a dumbphone if those methods are insufficient. But try finding a second hand one or a free one from a friend first :)

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