iPhone 14 Pro Always-On Display: How it Works, What It Looks Like, Impact on Battery Life, and More

[AirunJae]

Let's keep in mind that this is the first version of AOD for the iPhone. It may not be as customizable as we'd like, if so just shut it off, but hopefully it should improve in the future.

 

[AirunJae]

I'm curious as to the reasoning for this feature. I can't seem to figure out why anyone would want this. Is it simply so you can just look at your phone without touching it? How hard is a double tap on the screen to wake it for a few seconds or lift it? Basically we are going from the user requesting the phone to be visible to the phone dictating when it is visible itself. So now everyone with these models will be in locations with their phones lit up simply because it never turns off? Seems incredibly annoying in my mind.

I bet that the phone screen being on/off will be influenced by any Focus Mode usage. So think like Theatre Mode from the Watch. That said, Android phones have had AOD displays for years now, and I've yet to find those too annoying.

 

[adrianlondon]

I'm assuming (that's all we can do atm) that this'll either be tied to Focus modes (and hence lock screens) and/or Automations.

As well as an overall toggle.

 

[MTD's Mac]

One thing I'm wondering about:

Will it have "pocket detection" to shut down the display entirely when stores in a pocket, bag, or car console for an extended period of time? I can see wanting it on when sitting on my desk, visible in the open, but would prefer the battery gains (even if they're minimal) from having it shut down entirely overnight, or when it's in my pocket.

 

[lcs101]

I'm curious as to the reasoning for this feature. I can't seem to figure out why anyone would want this. Is it simply so you can just look at your phone without touching it? How hard is a double tap on the screen to wake it for a few seconds or lift it? Basically we are going from the user requesting the phone to be visible to the phone dictating when it is visible itself. So now everyone with these models will be in locations with their phones lit up simply because it never turns off? Seems incredibly annoying in my mind.

Don't knock it until you try it. It's quite convenient to able to quickly glance at your phone on your desk to check the time or notifications while you are in the middle of working (or while replying in a discussion forum while you should be working).

I get that a lot of people may not care about it, but I like it enough that I haven't considered going back to iPhone until they added it.

 

[lcs101]

One thing I'm wondering about:

Will it have "pocket detection" to shut down the display entirely when stores in a pocket, bag, or car console for an extended period of time? I can see wanting it on when sitting on my desk, visible in the open, but would prefer the battery gains (even if they're minimal) from having it shut down entirely overnight, or when it's in my pocket.

I'd be very surprised if it does not have a pocket detection mode and a way to schedule it to turn off overnight. If not, that would be a major fail by Apple IMO.

 

[Htsi]

I loved AOD with my S7 edge, And missed it terribly when i got the 11Pro, I am super happy that its on iOS.

 

[Station Grey]

Will it be on all night while charging? Haven’t found this info anywhere.

Hopefully we can actually turn it all the way off. Don’t need a nightlight while sleeping.

If there's an option to only enable it while the phone is charging, then I might have it on as a nightstand clock. Otherwise I'll just disable it outright, as my Apple Watch tells the time and notifications anyways.

(I don't sleep with a watch on)

"When iPhone is turned face down or in your pocket, it goes dark to save battery life." - Apple website

Not sure how pocket detection works (upside down in the dark?) but if it's face down at night anyway then it'll be off off.

 

[soaddk]

One thing I'm wondering about:

Will it have "pocket detection" to shut down the display entirely when stores in a pocket, bag, or car console for an extended period of time? I can see wanting it on when sitting on my desk, visible in the open, but would prefer the battery gains (even if they're minimal) from having it shut down entirely overnight, or when it's in my pocket.

Apple's website says that it will turn off when laying face down on in you pocket to save battery. It uses the proximity sensor for this.

 

[klasma]

Hopefully we can actually turn it all the way off. Don’t need a nightlight while sleeping.

It probably uses auto-brightness, but yes.

 

[Dorv]

Hopefully we can actually turn it all the way off. Don’t need a nightlight while sleeping.

I don't really grok this. Do we really think Apple has designed this such that it's bright enough to bother people at night?

My watch -- which essentially has the same feature -- is not bright enough to bother anyone.

 

[TVreporter]

Why not wait for MaxTech to post a video showing him recording for 60 hours and detecting the phone got warm and declaring "There's Something Wrong with the iPhone 14 models!"

 

[talosman]

Anyone else wish/hope you can have a version with just the clock and widgets but no wallpaper?

Always on display is supposed to be minimally distracting. So you can have it on in a dark room without feeling like your phone screen is on. That’s how it’s worked on every Android phone I’ve ever tried. I’m don’t like the look of this AoD that is just a dimmer version of your regular Lock Screen. That is kind of missing the point.

Oh well. Not a major concern (I’d probably just leave it off) but I personally find it a curious design decision that reeks of doing something different just to be different when android has figured out the right way to do this over many iterations.

you can already do that in iOS16, you can set a solid color as the wallpaper

 

[falkon-engine]

I just want to

I'm curious as to the reasoning for this feature. I can't seem to figure out why anyone would want this. Is it simply so you can just look at your phone without touching it? How hard is a double tap on the screen to wake it for a few seconds or lift it? Basically we are going from the user requesting the phone to be visible to the phone dictating when it is visible itself. So now everyone with these models will be in locations with their phones lit up simply because it never turns off? Seems incredibly annoying in my mind.

I agree. Android phones have had an always on display for years, and I have an S21+ and I never use it. I set it to only come on if I tap the display first, and then it goes off 3 seconds later. But some people apparently find it to be useful. If I get the 14 Pro Max, I will turn off the always on display (assuming there is an option to turn it off, you know how Apple is).

 

[MaxBurn]

The great thing that gets everyone a "win" with this feature is they put in more battery to deal with AOD. So even if you don't care about AOD you will be getting an even bigger boost in battery life due to the bigger battery and AOD you aren't using. For that group that could be the biggest difference in battery life on a iphone we've seen in years.

 

[rub3n]

Anyone else wish/hope you can have a version with just the clock and widgets but no wallpaper?

Always on display is supposed to be minimally distracting. So you can have it on in a dark room without feeling like your phone screen is on. That’s how it’s worked on every Android phone I’ve ever tried. I’m don’t like the look of this AoD that is just a dimmer version of your regular Lock Screen. That is kind of missing the point.

Oh well. Not a major concern (I’d probably just leave it off) but I personally find it a curious design decision that reeks of doing something different just to be different when android has figured out the right way to do this over many iterations.

You can just use a totally black colored image as wallpaper to have 'no' wallpaper.

 

[rub3n]

I really hope you can turn it off in the settings. Otherwise I'll return it as soon as I get my hands on it...

 

[phillypharm]

My watch -- which essentially has the same feature -- is not bright enough to bother anyone.

That’s your experience and assumption, not everyone else’s. Some people don’t want even a dim light level at night.

Luckily, as others have posted, you can at least shut it off when the phone is face down. Also, some people don’t want the power drain even in that 1Hz refresh rate.

I don’t know why people feel the need to gate keep something that doesn’t affect them. If I want my screen off at night, you can still have yours on. It’s not one or the other. If you check the thread, I’m not the only one with this opinion.

 

[Jamo12]

Are we sure about it going down to 1 Hz? The product page says it goes down to 10Hz. It completely turns off when the proximity sensor is covered (such as when facedown on a table or in your pocket) for those wondering.

 

[stiligFox]

Yeah, on my Watch 7, I have to toggle on the little theater masks icon at night. I like sleeping with the watch on, but not the always-on display. Maybe the new phones will get that icon in the lock screen for quick toggling.

A coupe things you can do that I’ve done - one is turning on Sleep mode while you’re sleeping with the watch on will automatically turn the screen off and actually lock it so that you can’t accidentally press something while you’re sleeping.


I also set an automation on my phone that turns off Always On Display at sundown, and turns it back on at sunrise. You can configure it any time you like, as well. That way it’s not gleaming at me when I’m getting ready for bed

 

[stiligFox]

Hopefully we can actually turn it all the way off. Don’t need a nightlight while sleeping.

I imagine it’ll be like the Apple Watch, and it’ll turn off when the phone is in Sleep focus mode, along with what other users have said.

 

[phillypharm]

View attachment 2053574 Are we sure about it going down to 1 Hz? The product page says it goes down to 10Hz. It completely turns off when the proximity sensor is covered (such as when facedown on a table or in your pocket) for those wondering.

That’s what MR and 9to5 are reporting at least.

 

[phillypharm]

View attachment 2053574 Are we sure about it going down to 1 Hz? The product page says it goes down to 10Hz. It completely turns off when the proximity sensor is covered (such as when facedown on a table or in your pocket) for those wondering

Found it in the press release.

 

[CTHarrryH]

As others have stated - will turn it off immediately. If I can't then probably wouldn't buy this version of iPHone

 

[SenorWhyMe]

Will Older iPhones Get the Always-On Display?

No. The always-on display on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max is enabled thanks to the more advanced display hardware. As a result, it won't be coming to older iPhones, including last year's iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Last year's iPhone, however, will benefit from the redesigned iOS 16 Lock Screen from which the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display design stems.

my old samsung phones S5-S8 were able to do it but somehow my Iphone 10 and 13 pro max can’t come now