You guys think apple will ever include a LED notification light in the front of screen. I know you can use the flash but not everyone puts their phone face down. Just food for thought.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Notification LED
- Thread starter gsxr1000
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You are not the first to ask this question here.
Let me tell you what is going to happen to your thread as there are two camps here on MR and no middle ground.
The first camp believes it is totally unnecessary and that it will spoil the minimalism Apple goes for and that picking up your phone and lighting the screen to check for notifications is of no significance.
The second camp generally thinks this is a good idea and believes they shouldn't have to pick up the phone to check.
You are going to get more responses from the first camp then you are the second. If you search for 'notification LED' you'll find many posts/threads.
I am of the second camp, but I'm also realistic to know that Apple will never do this. They haven't in the past and with the advent of AMOLED screens coming to the iPhone they won't have to.
AMOLED lets you light up individual pixels of a screen. That's going to be more of an 'Apple' solution than a LED.
Get ready for the haters…
Last edited:
This discussion has come up many times on this forum. I don't believe Apple will ever go that route. They could have if they truly wanted to, and I've always appreciated the convenience of an LED notification when I was with Android years ago. But ultimately, no Apple will never implement something like this. And I've adjusted quite fine without it, even though I do see both sides of the discussion of why and why not someone would want it.
Yeah I know but got to stir the pot every now and then. LolYou are not the first to ask this question here.
Let me tell you what is going to happen to your thread as there two camps here on MR and no middle ground.
The first camp believes it is totally unnecessary and that it will spoil the minimalism Apple goes for and that picking up your phone and lighting the screen to check for notifications is of no significance.
The second camp generally thinks this is a good idea and believes they shouldn't have to pick up the phone to check.
You are going to get more responses from the first camp then you are the second. If you search for 'notification LED' you'll find many posts/threads.
I am of the second camp, but I'm also realistic to know that Apple will never do this. They haven't in the past and with the advent of AMOLED screens coming to the iPhone they won't have to.
AMOLED lets you light up individual pixels of a screen. That's going to be more of an 'Apple' solution than a LED.
Get ready for the haters…
And there's nothing wrong with doing that. As long as the discussion remains civil, there are always two sides to every argument. But it is an interesting topic to discuss to say the least.
It's just interesting that the conversation is one of a handful here that never seems to have any middle ground at all. You're either for it or you're not.
I have wanted for years but have come to realize that Apple will not do it till the year after I am dead.
The LED light is the only thing I miss from old Blackberry. Apple most likely never will do it but one can wish.
Yes exactly. Coming from years of blackberry the led was very helpful. But I know it will never happen with iPhone. Just wishful thinking.
Apple already included an LED notification a couple year ago. It's located on an accessory called the Apple Watch.
Pretty expensive markup on a LED!
And you have to wear it around your wrist. Some people raise their eyebrows at me when they find out I carry two iPhones from time to time. But a second device on your wrist to do the job some people wish the iPhone would do by itself - well, that's ok.
This has been discussed ad nauseum
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-would-iphone-be-impacted-by-adding-led-light.1975911/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/iphone-6s-front-facing-led-flash-wish.1910805/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...notification-led-in-its-iphone-brand.1778986/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/still-no-led-indicator-sigh.1438719/
I wear a watch, and most people do too. It's not a big deal.Pretty expensive markup on a LED!
And you have to wear it around your wrist. Some people raise their eyebrows at me when they find out I carry two iPhones from time to time. But a second device on your wrist to do the job some people wish the iPhone would do by itself - well, that's ok.
It has the added benefit of notifying me something via vibration, when my phone is not visible or within my reach.
As for $$$, who says Apple stuff is cheap to own? Finally, having an iPhone and a Watch is a lot more normal than carrying two phones, at least to me.
Don't see why it needs OLED to have a notification light. Android generally puts it up top and has nothing to do with the screen.
I go back and forth between Android and IOS simply because I can and I like the variety, so not married to one or the other. My current Android is an HTC 10 and there is no way to turn off or disable the notification light. I'm fine either way, with or without. If Apple were to do it tho they should give the end user the option of either on or off, not always on.
I go back and forth between Android and IOS simply because I can and I like the variety, so not married to one or the other. My current Android is an HTC 10 and there is no way to turn off or disable the notification light. I'm fine either way, with or without. If Apple were to do it tho they should give the end user the option of either on or off, not always on.
Is it "Will the iPhone ever get an LED notification light" time of year again?
Where does the time go? Personally I can't wait for "Will the new iPhone get fast charging" season.
Where does the time go? Personally I can't wait for "Will the new iPhone get fast charging" season.
I agree. I'd wear a watch as well if my old one still fit me.
I have vibration on my phone complely disabled, I don't care for it at all. Having it on my watch would make me want to take it off and hurl it as far away from me as I could.
I never said Apple was cheap. I was just commenting that Apple's answer to an LED is to purchase a second device. What it is and where it goes is not relevant. I just believe that I shouldn't have to buy a second device to get a feature I think should already be included in the first device I bought.
But that's a very Apple answer to the problem. And your argument seems to be that since Apple products are expensive anyway - while why complain?
As to being more normal. Sure, I agree. But I've always been ok with not fitting in to what society defines as 'normal'.
In any case…I'm not defending my position to the death. It isn't worth it. Apple has decided already and AMOLED will be here soon. The argument will be moot at that point.
PS. I wasn't targeting my comment about two devices personally at you, I was just being general in nature.
No heat here, just stating my opinions and commenting is all.
[doublepost=1491179435][/doublepost]
No, no, no! That's the case/no case argument next! We haven't have enough of that one yet!!!!!
[doublepost=1491179494][/doublepost]
Because Apple has never wanted to do that. And this late in the game - they won't change their mind.
Last edited:
The problem with an LED notification light is although you can define notification type (call, message, e-mail) by the color of the LED or it's blinking pattern (solid, slow blink, quick blink) there is no way of knowing if the notification is important or not which leaves you no choice other than to walk over to your phone and pick it up to check.
I suppose the LED notification light would be helpful for those who leave their phones across the room for whatever reason? I usually keep mine next to me where I can see the screen or if it's charging in another room I wear my Apple Watch.
What I like about the Blackberry, was you could color coordinate the LED to a specific notification. Green cold flash for E-Mails, Red for Voicemails, Blue for text messages, etc. It was one of my favorite features that worked well. If the LED flashed for something not pertinent, I could easily ignore it without activating the display. And there was a whole array of LED colors to choose from. Blackberry was still one of my favorite phones during that era.
I hear you. For many, adding an LED seems to be an easy thing to do for Apple which can make a lot of people happy. But it has not happened and it likely won't.
Instead, in front is you, it the option of using an Apple Watch. I am NOT trying to defend that it is the better alternative. Instead, it is just an option this is available.
As a happy Apple Watch owner, I find the need of such LED has been completely fulfilled by the Watch. Of course the Watch does more than just notifications. With the price of the Series 0 ones coming down, and availability in the second hand markets, some of you should consider giving it a try.
Who knows? You may really like it. By the way, like on the phone, you can turn off the vibrations on the watch too if you prefer so.
In general, your assessment is on target. You wouldn't know if the notification you are receiving is important, even if you do know what type.
However, if you are EXPECTING one specific notification at a specific time or place such as I do from time to time then this is helpful. Assuming of course you are not the type of person who is ALWAYS receiving notifications of various degress of importance.
As far as across the room…this is an argument I have expressed many times. I work in a two story building and my job often requires me to walk the ads I design up to the front for approval or walk downstairs to check production of our newspapers. I'm not usually bringing my phone along for that. I'd prefer it to sit nice and safe on my desk.
So being able to see if I have a notification from across the room is indeed an option I'd like to have.
I guess you could call me being in the middle ground on this. An LED notification light would be cool, but it's not something I desperately want, and don't really care either way whether Apple implements one or not.
Some of the newer OLED based phones will actually display information full time on the screen, because dimly lighting a few pixels uses almost no power. This may be Apple's route and I'd be all for that.
I guess you could call me being in the middle ground on this. An LED notification light would be cool, but it's not something I desperately want, and don't really care either way whether Apple implements one or not.
Some of the newer OLED based phones will actually display information full time on the screen, because dimly lighting a few pixels uses almost no power. This may be Apple's route and I'd be all for that.
