iPhone 14 Pro's Always-On Display: No Customization Features, Battery Life Saving Techniques, and More

[randyhudson]

it's too early to tell whether or not the always-on display has a material impact on battery life

Or we could rely on the 2 years of experience with Apple Watches to confirm that it clearly does.

 

[the 12th Doctor]

I am in the turning it off camp. I won't be even trying it. I have seen what I need to see.

 

[DotCom2]

I am in the turning it off camp. I won't be even trying it. I have seen what I need to see.

Aren't you glad YOU have the option?

 

[michael31986]

I’d love to know this too. Just mentioning widgets (and no customization) makes it sound like you don’t.

I was hoping you’d be able customize what notifications were available on the AOD display. I wouldn’t want all notifications, but getting them from certain apps (missed calls/VM’s, messages) would be great.

How many times do you pick up your phone just to see if there is something you missed?

I don’t get how some reviews don’t go into these basic functions.

 

[Rychiar]

I only have a S4 but I‘ve seen a S5, S6 and even a S7 from friends showing the AoD as burn-in when the flashlight mode is on.

I’ve had mine for three years and I just turned on flashlight mode and see nothing 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[mjharwaz]

Your watch has burn in? I’ve never seen burn in on any of my oled devices. Thats seems like problems from a decade ago

I only have a S4 but I‘ve seen a S5, S6 and even a S7 from friends showing the AoD as burn-in when the flashlight mode is on.

I can confirm this… I have an S6 and, based on the comment about flashlight mode, decided to test it… sure enough, it’s faint, but the shadow of the complications I have on the Watch face are visible in bright flashlight mode. I never would have thought to check it, and it doesn’t interfere with any usage of the Watch. I could see it becoming an issue with the phone, perhaps, if there’s no pixel refresher or pixel shift. Although maybe the slowdown to 1Hz somehow comes into play?

 

[A Hobo]

So what about a pure black wallpaper? I have one on my 13 pro and the pixels are off anywhere it’s black- Won’t just setting a black wallpaper make this perfect by having the majority of the screen off barring the widgets and time?

 

[Mr.Blacky]

Does always on detect if you set the phone face down and smart disables? That's the feature that makes the most sense.

It does.

 

[alexandr]

As reported earlier this week, the iPhone 14 Pro intelligently detects if a user who's wearing an Apple Watch paired with the iPhone leaves the room, and when they do, it will disable the always-on display.

It's things like this that make my heart smile.

 

[Corsig]

This is the most annoying thing about Macrumors sometimes. Because Apple introduces a new feature that is lacking for people, we can't criticize it?

That is correct

 

[noSpeed]

Bravo Apple. The most useless Always-on display ever.

 

[Mackie924]

So what about a pure black wallpaper? I have one on my 13 pro and the pixels are off anywhere it’s black- Won’t just setting a black wallpaper make this perfect by having the majority of the screen off barring the widgets and time?

That's an option, but ideally, I don't want a black wallpaper when my phone isn't awake. the AOD background can be black and you can have your own background when it's awake. This is how it's been in other AoD implementations for years now, and it's what many had expected from Apple.

 

[SGHinkle]

Not sure why the article states that no customization can be done…I can on mine.

 

[Orizaba]

"too early to tell whether or not the always-on display has a material impact on battery life".

Of course it will.

Agreed, the question then becomes, how much impact does it have?

 

[coolbreeze2]

Not sure why the article states that no customization can be done…I can on mine.

The always-on is only on the 14, right? So do you have a 14?

 

[hans1972]

We can’t customize AOD. Well call me
shocked

It's called "alwys-on display", not "always-on display. and customise it".

 

[Apleeseed84]

Always on Display’s on Iphone 14’s pro = the ultimate Apple TV Remote.

Thank me later

 

[hans1972]

Nah, not me. I love the simplicity of the Galaxy S series lock screen. IMO, it's absolutely the right way to do AoD. And the pixels in Samsung's AOD move around to avoid screen burn-in, not to save battery. I would be concerned about screen burn-in if Apple's AoD doesn't do the same.

But they turn off half the pixels and only show limited stuff

An always-on display, should be always-on. It's in the name!

 

[james_c_1]

We can’t customize AOD. Well call me
shocked

Thats a new feature for ios18!

Does always on detect if you set the phone face down and smart disables? That's the feature that makes the most sense.

Yes, and if it’s in your pocket or you have a case that covers the screen. Zero point in it being on.

For me, I can set my phone down on my desk and just with a glance, I can see the time and any notifications without having to interact with the device at all. My work phone is an S21, thats how I know..

coming onto a Mac forum to tell us you have a Samsung seems highly illogical Spock 🖖

 

[NeoSe7en]

Any word on if Always On can be flipped on/off with Automations?

 

[sleeptodream]

Honestly I think this is a great way to do AOD, it should reduce the visibility of burn-in by having other pixels lit without having to bounce the time all over the screen. Should help even out the wear, as long as you rotate your wallpaper from time to time (which is why I’m guessing they added the multiple home screens feature).

It also let’s your phone be more expressive, people will actually see your lock screen, not just for the 1 second when opening your phone or getting notifications.

The only negative is battery life, but that will always be a problem and they’ve done what they can to reduce the impact ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Marshall73]

The very first review I watched (MKBHD) says he turned off always on display specifically because he noticed an impact on battery life. So I don't think it is "too early to tell".

This is not the right way to do always on display. It is too bright and includes too much.

I would love a very dim view of clock + widgets + some kind of notification indicator on a BLACK BACKGROUND.

Android has done this right forever. There is no excuse for Apple to be messing this up when it took so long to come to the iPhone in the first place.

Nope, why Black the screen out when you have the tech to do it the same as the watch.

 

[Marshall73]

Yeah I’m not going to use this feature. My Ultra will tell me everything I need to know. Also this feature will certainly drain your battery. Always-On Display is an overrated feature that I will never understand.

But the watch has an always on display??

 

[The Game 161]

Does it show your notifications on the always on too? For ex that you have new messages.

Yeah at bottom like your normal lockscreen

 

[The Game 161]

I just need to know if it turns AOD off when in Sleep focus.

It does yeah