Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

iiiiiMAC!!!!!

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2020
52
22
I went into a shop to use the dynamic island, and after getting to use it for a few apps I couldn’t really tell if this would be useful or not.

Is this just a novelty 2nd screen, or have people really begun to get use out of it after using it for a few weeks? I only used it for 10 mins at the shops so it’s hard to tell when you don’t have real world use.
 
This is not something you "use". And as long as people don't get it, they'll be disappointed and say it's just a gimmick and worthless.
 
Last edited:
I’m withholding judgment until I see more, but so far I’m not convinced the pill/DI are the best UX choice.
 
This is not something you "use". And as long as people don't get it, they'll be disappointed and say it's just a gimmick and worthless.
Great then, this is why I’ve asked the question, so can you give me a more elaborate answer?
 
It's one of those whimsical features that I don't see becoming much of a thing unless we start to see the same camera cutout layout on all iPhone models next year.

It's a feature that will heavily depend on developer support for making good use of it and being limited to a few models there's not a huge incentive for devs to start doing something with it.

But in the end it's not much more than a cool way to hide the cutout and so far doesn't truly make an impact on how you use your phone.
 
Is this just a novelty 2nd screen…

it is a very, very clever way of giving people the illusion that there is a “2nd screen” where in reality there is only a black hole.

It is indeed very clever, but at the end of the day a hole is a hole is a hole, so if at any point you see through the illusion, that’s all you’re going so see.
 
Last edited:
To me it looks like a notch, a smaller notch with things in it, yet a a notch nevertheless 😊
 
  • Haha
Reactions: doboy
Ultimately it is just a notification system that happens to disguise some dead space. It is not a standalone feature.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KRG
Anything is better than the dumb notch, that was a bigger eye sore with the two ears sticking out either side. Never got used to that.
 
I think it's a clever and useful way of providing info/access but it's not a WOW feature that would drive an upgrade for many.
 
Said users of 3D touch and the touchbar.... lets see how long this one lasts.
I think it's a gimmick just like those mentioned features.
FWIW, I thought the Touch Bar was pointless. Not even close to being in the same category as the others. I may be completely wrong here, but I think the island is here to stay.
 
I find it useful. Some examples where I used the island.

* At the gym, I have my fitness app active and Apple Music playing in the background. I use the dynamic island if I wear something interesting and I want to know about it.
* Using Maps directions. I set a destination on Maps and switch to a different app while I am walking. The persisted next direction on the screen is nice; I don’t have to wait until the notification pops up or switch back to the Map app.
* I was using Strava the other day while general commute cycling, had Maps set to a destination, and the phone on a mount. Having Strava active with maps persisting on the screen (via DI) was useful to me. I tend to use audio prompts to get direction info, but being able to glance on the screen and see the info alongside the fitness app I was using was a nice experience.

I don’t think this feature is revolutionary, but I am definitely making use out of it.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.