In a newsletter devoted to the new features of iOS 16, journalist Mark Gurman understands that Apple will add support for “always-on-display” to its iPhones. Like on most Android smartphones, the time would soon no longer disappear on a sleeping iPhone.
Since 2016, almost all Android smartphones come equipped with a function called “Always-on-display”. Thanks to their OLED screens (each pixel is independent, which exempts the device from backlighting), these terminals can display the time even when they are on standby. Some even allow you to read notifications without waking up your screen, while others go further and allow you to leave an image or a drawing on the screen.
At the end of 2022, Apple could finally get started. Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, in his May 29, 2022 newsletter, says he has learned that the iPhone 14 Pro will be the first compatible with this technology.
The screen saver, star of iOS 16?
Monday, June 6, Apple organizes the WWDC. On the occasion of this event dedicated to developers, the Californian brand should unveil iOS 16, the future operating system for the iPhone. According to Mark Gurman, the main novelty of this update will be the introduction of a new lock screen. The journalist thinks that iOS 16 will encourage you to no longer unlock your iPhone since you can do a lot more things directly on the screen saver. Smarter wallpapers, with integrated widgets, would be included in the program.
Why redesign the lock screen? Mark Gurman says a future version of iOS 16 will bring always-on display support, which should be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. On these models, the new lock screen should be available in a black and white version when the device is not in use. It remains to be seen what will be displayed in this mode. The time of course, but what about notifications or widgets?
An iPhone 14 Pro exclusive, why?
As the journalist recalls in his newsletter, rumors were already announcing thealways-on-display on the iPhone 13 Pro. However, this novelty had not been announced by Apple. Equipped with an LTPO panel, that is to say capable of switching between a refresh rate of 120 Hz and 10 Hz, the iPhone 13 Pro is however perfectly capable of displaying information such as the time permanently without consume too much energy (at 10 Hz, its screen consumes almost nothing). The first compatible Samsung, the Galaxy S7, always on at 60 Hz, lost approximately 3% of battery per day with this function.
Why reserve this novelty for the iPhone 14 Pro and not offer it to the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 Pro? For the first, the decision is technological. The iPhone 14 would not have an LTPO panel and, like the iPhone 13, would continue to offer a fixed refresh rate at 60 Hz. Apple, which does not like to do like everyone else, has good reason to deprive its future device of this technology. On the other hand, for the iPhone 13 Pro, it is difficult to find a non-commercial reason. Even if the refresh of the 14 Pro goes lower (we are talking about 1 Hz instead of 10 Hz), the difference would be too slight for there to be a significant difference.
Finally, what about screen burns? As you may know, OLED technology has millions of advantages and one drawback: some pixels mark. If a screen is left on too long, pixels may remain visible even when you’re in another application. This problem was of great concern when the first always-on-displays appeared.
What about today ? Already, OLED screens have really improved. It is not easy to burn them. Then, if Apple does like Samsung, Huawei, Oppo, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Google and the others, the time will never stay in the same place. By moving it a few pixels from time to time, the brand should be able to remain calm.