Last Updated on August 2, 2022 by srinivas
An always-on display was one of the most wanted features for the iPhone 13 that never came out, but it looks like the wait will be over soon. Evidence has accumulated in recent months that makes an always-on screen in the next iPhone indisputable, although unfortunately it’s only the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max that get the new feature.
It took a long time, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman made predictions about an always-on display in the iPhone 13 in July 2021, while leaker Max Weinbach also said the 2021 iPhone would get an always-on display. However, the feature hasn’t made its way to the 2021 iPhones, despite an always-on display having been a standard feature on Android phones for quite some time now. No doubt Apple waited to make sure having an always-on screen wouldn’t be too detrimental to battery life, and it looks like it’s finally got the hang of it.
Having an always-on display would mean that the iPhone can display information such as the time, date, widgets and notifications when the phone is not in use. To avoid screen drain, battery brightness should be low and colors muted, but it seems Apple is planning even more. Here’s everything we know about the always-on display feature in the next iPhone.
How Apple’s Always-On iPhone Works
In his May 2022 prediction ahead of iOS 16’s unveiling at WWDC that the update will include an extensive refresh of the iPhone lock screen, Gurman reported that iOS 16 “builds into future support for an always-on lock screen. Now in the betas With the release of iOS 16 and Xcode, more and more information is emerging about how Apple is tackling the always-on challenge.We already know that Apple has drastically changed the lock screen in iOS 16, which appears to be a precursor to an always-on screen.
Lock screen wake up
The latest Xcode 14 beta has revealed how Apple could change the lock screen interface to eliminate details from on-screen widgets. MacRumors contributor Steve Moser wrote on Twitter that the beta 4 Simulator app is showing a version that removes texture from an image that would normally appear on the screen upon waking up.
Changes to widget display
After Steve Moser’s tweet (above) developer rhogelleim (@rhogelleim) tweeted an image of a widget that would normally be in color, but now appears in black and white on the locked screen. As MacRumors reports, these findings indicate that the iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on screen removes color and details from widgets and other content when the iPhone is locked.”
Low frame rate
Gurman also noted in May 2022 that Apple will “significantly lower the frame rate on the lock screen and quickly display granular information”
Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants, tweeted in May that he expects Apple to use an LPTO display, similar to the Apple Watch, that lowers the refresh rate to 1 Hz when not in use. This would be an improvement over the iPhone 13’s OLED screen, which can only be reduced to 10 Hz. A refresh rate of 1 Hz should make it possible to display information such as the time, widgets and notifications while the iPhone is ‘sleeping’.
Muted Wallpapers
Internal files in the fourth beta of iOS 16 allowed 9to5Mac to mimic the transition of iPhone wallpapers between normal and sleep mode on the iPhone 14 Pro. It looks like Apple plans to create custom sleep versions of each wallpaper with muted colors and low-brightness display, which will help them consume less power.
9to5Mac
Which iPhones get an always-on display?
Several reports indicate that the feature will be exclusive to Apple’s flagship iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, so if you want the feature, you’ll have to buy Apple’s most expensive phone. The iPhone 14 Pro is also expected to get several other upgrades, including a new camera and a notched design, which you can read about in our complete guide to the 2022 iPhone 14.