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lancastor

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Jun 25, 2011
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Is it technical possible to add a "always on" information on the display when upcoming iPhones are suited with an OLED display?

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Is it technical possible to add a "always on" information on the display when upcoming iPhones are suited with an OLED display?

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OLED has the capabilities to turn each pixel off, but always on display is something that wouldn't appeal to me due to image retention. I personally would rather have an LED notification light, but that will never happen either, which isn't an issue for me.
 
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Galaxy S7/8 has Always On Display. It works around the "Image retention" problem by moving the information around by 1 pixel every minute, and several pixels every hour, along with displaying the information using less colours or in B/W.

That is true with Pixel shifting. But why is it being reported with some users suffering from image retention with the S7? I have observed a few of them And it looks terrible with the burn in on the display.
 
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That is true with Pixel shifting. But why is it being reported with some users suffering from image retention with the S7? I have observed a few of them And it looks terrible with the burn in on the display.
Both my parents have had S7’s for about a year now and don’t have problems with the always on display. Sounds like defective displays.
 
I think if it moves only one pixel away, there will still be image retention because there will be pixels that will never move.
The idea is a good start, but far from perfect.
 
I think if it moves only one pixel away, there will still be image retention because there will be pixels that will never move.
The idea is a good start, but far from perfect.

It moves all the pixels that the information displayed is using, not just one pixel. The only pixels not moved are the ones that are turned off to show true black.
 
Both my parents have had S7’s for about a year now and don’t have problems with the always on display. Sounds like defective displays.

No it's inherent to the technology. Blue phosphors have a very low life (More than 10x less) compared to red and green with red having the longest life. You will get a color shift over time even if the screen was used uniformly. Higher the brightness the faster the burn in happens (more like fade out) especially where white and blue areas are predominant like the clock, WiFi emblem and clock area which are constant. If you want to look for it it's most noticeable on a pure blue/white background but I doubt you will notice it in regular usage unless you are looking for it. Basically don't keep the same wallpaper forever and don't use max brightness all the time which will accelerate it, like the display model phones in stores where you see it in like less than a month thanks to 24x7 full brightness. People who use their phones more than average and have static blue/white items like in some apps which are used a lot, you will see it in those areas.
 
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No it's inherent to the technology. Blue phosphors have a very low life (More than 10x less) compared to red and greeen with red having the longest life. You will get a color shift over time even if the screen was used uniformly. Higher the brightness the faster the burn in happens (more like fade out) especially where white and blue areas are predominant like the clock, WiFi emblem and clock area which are constant. If you want to look for it it's most noticeable on a pure blue/white background but I doubt you will notice it in regular usage unless you are looking for it. Basically don't keep the same wallpaper forever and don't use max brightness all the time which will accelerate it, like the display model phones in stores where you see it in like less than a month thanks to 24x7 full brightness. People who use their phones more than average and have static blue/white items like in some apps which are used a lot, you will see it in those areas.
Thanks for the detailed explaination! Yeah, I read about OLED’s having trouble with this stuff in the earlier days, but I thought they fixed a lot of it. Guess they actually can’t!
 
What’s the point? All the modern iPhones support “Raise to wake” feature and technically “Always on” will just increase the risk of a screen burn or some other weird artifacts over a long period of time.
 
That would probably be a 11.1 or 11.2 feature for the new iPhone. Or they will wait until IOS 12 when all the new iPhones will have the screen.
 
It moves all the pixels that the information displayed is using, not just one pixel. The only pixels not moved are the ones that are turned off to show true black.
Exactly. Which means some pixels will always remain the same color.
Say you have a white font that weighs 3px large, if it moves one pixel on either side, the middle pixel will remain white.
 
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Exactly. Which means some pixels will always remain the same color.
Say you have a white font that weighs 3px large, if it moves one pixel on either side, the middle pixel will remain white.

Yes, but it also moves all pixels by more than 1 pixels every hour. So 1px every minute and more than 1px every hour.

Also it moves 1 px every minute which means what you said wont be true when the pixels are moved again a minute later. That centre pixel will also be affected.

Overall, all pixels are affected and moved around so there’s no burn in.
 
What’s the point? All the modern iPhones support “Raise to wake” feature and technically “Always on” will just increase the risk of a screen burn or some other weird artifacts over a long period of time.

Agree with this. When I'm not using my phone I'm not looking at it and when I'm looking at my phone I'm using it.
 
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unless we have a lcd + e-ink combo screen, always on would not be feasible due to battery issues

Plenty of Android phones with OLED displays have always on screens without adversely impacting battery life so I don't see how it wouldn't be feasible on iOS too


Agree with this. When I'm not using my phone I'm not looking at it and when I'm looking at my phone I'm using it.

I thought the same until I got an S8 and enabled the always on display to see what it was like: I've found it incredibly useful as it shows the time, date and battery level as well as alerting me to notifications, lets me check my calendar and control music all without having to power up the full screen display.

As long as Apple allow it to be disabled for people who don't want it, I can't see a negative in them including it to be honest
 
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Plenty of Android phones with OLED displays have always on screens without adversely impacting battery life so I don't see how it wouldn't be feasible on iOS too
Sure. and look at the number of people carrying battery packs along with their android phones all the time.
 
Sure. and look at the number of people carrying battery packs along with their android phones all the time.

Probably about the same number as carry them for iOS to be fair. There are lots of things that can flatten your battery, but the always on display is really not a battery hog and will make very little real world difference to your battery life - have a read of this article for some tested figures
 
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Probably about the same number as carry them for iOS to be fair. There are lots of things that can flatten your battery, but the always on display is really not a battery hog and will make very little real world difference to your battery life - have a read of this article for some tested figures

lol. IMHO, no, but your experience may be different. If always on is not a strain on battery life I don't know what is.
 
I saw a friend wearing a Garmin watch with color e-ink which is always on and has a backlight, from what I understand, when using it. The watch display looked good from a distance when it was "inactive."

I don't see Apple going the e-ink route but there are creative solutions possible and I was really impressed with what I saw.
 
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What a bunch of crap you guys all know that when Apple adds it, it will be the greatest thing since sliced bread so just knock it off.
 
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