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No matter which side of the smartphone OS barricade you’re on, it’s hard to deny that Apple’s (ridiculously named) Dynamic Island software-hardware feature is trying really hard to change the way we view display cutouts on phones.
I still remember watching the iPhone 14 Pro announcement nearly a year ago, and being blown away by Apple’s creative approach to the first punch-hole display on iPhone, which finally replaced the infamous notch. What also made the Dynamic Island appear very special is that it was pretty much the only major upgrade to the iPhone 14 Pro that no one saw coming - we had no leaks and not even rumors about it.
But about a year later and with the launch of the iPhone 15 series knocking on the door, it’s about time we have a “Dynamic Island reality check”. Especially, considering that all iPhone 15 models are now expected to adopt this polarizing design change. Is it a game-changing feature; is it better than the notch, can it get any better, and is it a reason to upgrade? Well, the answer to the last question is easy - absolutely not.
But let’s dive in a little deeper…
A year after the debut of Apple's ingenious notch replacement, all iPhone 15 models are getting Dynamic Islands - but is this a reason to be excited?
Dynamic Islands. iPhone 15 (top), iPhone 15 Pro (bottom).
Let’s start with the cons about the Dynamic Island, and some of them haven’t changed since the first article I ever wrote about the feature after it debuted in 2022…
I predicted that using the Dynamic Island won’t feel nearly as natural and intuitive as Apple is making it seem because it’s positioned way too high up on the iPhone, and I might’ve been right - at least if you have an iPhone 14 Pro Max (although this works just fine with my smaller iPhone 14 Pro)
I also predicted that the Dynamic Island wouldn’t play nicely with videos and games, and (unfortunately) I got that right too - the Island cuts into YouTube videos more than the notch used to do, which makes watching videos (especially those shot in a wider format) a less immersive
The obvious question to ask is whether the Dynamic Island actually looks better than the notch, and while I think it makes my iPhone 14 Pro look a bit more futuristic, I actually notice it more than the notch. Perhaps that's not all that surprising, since the Dynamic Island is essentially a black hole in the display, which makes it stick out more (in my experience). On the other hand, the notch on my iPhone 13 mini “disappears” more easily when I’m not paying attention to it, because it sort of becomes part of the display borders.
But the Dynamic Island isn’t all bad (at all) - in fact it’s more functional than ever now
All that being said, the Dynamic Island still looks “alive”, and it’s now more functional than the notch ever was, and that’s awesome (and underrated). A year after it became part of the iPhone 14 Pro, it’s more useful than ever, which makes it feel like part of the iOS software experience rather than a hardware “flaw”.
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As you can see from the screengrabs above, the future of the Dynamic Island doesn’t solely depend on the functionality Apple decides to give it, but also on app makers who are expected to develop Dynamic Island widgets for their apps.
Major music, podcast, and audiobook streaming apps like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music (duh!) support the Dynamic Island, which is useful for quick audio controls without having to open the actual app, while transport related apps like Uber and Flighty (the latter seems to be US exclusive) will give you live updates on your Uber and flight.
There are some more “random” apps that can interact with the Dynamic Island like the “Hit the island” game, the Steps activity tracker, the Pestle recipe organizer, the Smart Gym (home workout app), and Apollo (for Reddit) that lets you have a little pixelated animal pet “living” on your Dynamic Island. Frankly, I don’t see any of these apps as being useful but that’s clearly because they aren’t made for me. But also… following a recipe on the Dynamic Island… Really?!
Of course, most of Apple’s own apps support Live activities in the Dynamic Island, and so does iOS, which uses the Dynamic Island to display notifications, alerts, and other pop-ups, which used to take over your screen before. Which leads me to what’s hands down my favorite Dynamic Island “feature”, which is the new Low battery warning pop-up that now has a place to go instead of taking over my entire screen until I press “cancel” (so annoying).
Did Apple forget about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro, or is it going to get better with iOS 17 and iPhone 15?
Speaking of Island development, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Apple missed on upgrading the Dynamic Island with extra features during WWDC, which was quite strange, considering WWDC is a software-focused conference, and Dynamic Island was the leading, flashiest software feature on the iPhone 14 Pro upon the debut of the phone.
Regardless, WWDC is long gone now, which leaves us with hopes that Apple will take the opportunity to update the Dynamic Island with the launch of the iPhone 15 series, which is expected to take place on September 12. Since all iPhone 15 models are now expected to adopt the Dynamic notch replacement, it makes sense to put some effort into making this the Island even better and more useful than before.
So here are some Dynamic Island features I’d like to see in the final version of iOS 17 and iPhone 15…
Live activities on the Dynamic Island on the Always-on display of iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro would be really cool to see, since Apple’s approach to the Always-on display is already quite “lively” anyway; being able to control your music, timers, follow directions, and perhaps even interact with notifications while only a small portion of the display is on sounds delicious; bear in mind, even if Apple went in that direction, it’d be impossible for the vanilla iPhone 15 to get this feature since it’s expected to use a 60Hz display, as opposed to the 1-120Hz variable panel of the Pro models
Dynamic Island volume controls - I know this one might be slightly “controversial” but I don’t see why the volume slider that pops up every time you try to adjust your volume can’t move into the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15’s Dynamic Island; sure, adjusting the volume using the slider would be less convenient that way, but I tend to never really do that and use the buttons instead; moreover, don’t forget that future iPhones (16, 17) are now expected to remove the conventional buttons and replace them with 3D touch tech, which should (technically) allow you to gradually adjust your volume in granular/stepless fashion
Dynamic Island screenshots - here’s a good one, Apple - how about my screenshot goes to the Dynamic Island after I take it; I click the screenshot; it lets me “copy” it from the Dynamic Island, or “copy and delete” it; or if you want to get crazy, the screenshots go to the Dynamic Island and stay there until I open iMessage/Messenger and drag and drop into the chat
Why isn’t Siri living on the Dynamic Island, Apple? Is she special? Does she need her own space? Can she not afford it? What is it? I say make some room for her there - it's a massive cutout... I mean island
Apple is certainly underusing the Dynamic Island, but I’m not sure if this is to keep it less busy, or because developing Dynamic Island features takes a lot of work. Are there any other uses for the Dynamic Island I haven’t thought of? Feel free to shout out your suggestions in the comments.
All iPhone 15 models are getting the Dynamic Island but the display cutout isn’t really here to stay: When is Apple going to “fix” it?
According to display analyst Ross Young the Dynamic Island is not here to stay. At least as far as the Pro iPhone is concerned.
In the end, I’d like to quickly remind everyone that despite the fact that Apple seems to be leaning heavily into the whole Dynamic Island thing (essentially turning a hardware flaw into a software feature), apparently the Island isn’t really here to stay for long.
According to reputable display analyst Ross Young, Apple will try to make the Dynamic Island a little bit less annoying to look at. Still, despite Young’s high success rate at outing Apple’s secrets, you should take the rumors with a grain of salt, because they are looking quite far into the future…
According to reliable tipster and display analyst Ross Young iPhone 16 Pro is rumored to keep the Dynamic Island but gain a taller display aspect ratio, meaning this could address the problem with watching videos where the Dynamic Island cutout cuts into your content more than the notch
Again, according to Young, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro are expected to reduce the size of the Dynamic Island by hiding the Face ID sensors underneath the display, leaving a smaller punch-hole for the selfie camera
If it all goes to plan, according to Ross Young, Apple's 2027 iPhone, which I believe will be called iPhone XX, should have a 100% screen without any cutouts (so under-display Face ID and selfie camera)
And then it’s over, because the iPhone will be perfect, so Apple will retire it and stick to selling VR headsets…
Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.
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