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Video shows forthcoming iPhone 14 Pro always-on mode in action

Updated: Jul 30, 2022, 10:44 AM

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Video shows iPhone 14 Pro always-on mode in action

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are tipped to come with an always-on display and now evidence has emerged that the latest version of Apple's smartphone operating system, iOS 16, includes updated wallpapers to work hand-in-hand with the feature.

Last year's iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max were the first iPhones to feature a high refresh rate of 120Hz to allow the display to refresh twice as fast as 60Hz screens to make moving content look smoother and faster.

Since high refresh rates are a battery hog, Apple kitted out the phones with the low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) tech that allows for a dynamic refresh rate that changes depending on what's on the screen.

One limitation is that the phones are only capable of scaling down the refresh rate to 10Hz, which is presumably why they don't have the always-on display feature.

The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to have displays that will allow for a refresh rate of 1Hz, and this bodes well for the rumors about an always-on display.

iOS 16 has introduced a customizable lock screen and this is more proof that Apple is setting the stage for the feature. It's already there on the Apple Watch Series 5 and later models and allows you to view glanceable information such as time even when the wearable is asleep.

On the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max, the always-on functionality will presumably let you view widgets displaying battery levels, alarms, weather, calendars, and other information while the screen remains at a low brightness level. It will be possible to enable a setting to hide sensitive data from appearing on the lock screen.

iPhone 14 Pro always-on feature could be more exciting than Android's implementation

A month back, code snippets revealed that iOS 16 includes support for an always-on mode. It was also revealed that unlike the previous versions, Apple's new mobile platform includes wallpapers that are not static images and are instead rendered in real-time.

9to5Mac has found evidence in iOS 16 code that system wallpapers are all set for the always-on display feature. Always-on has been a staple on Android handsets for years and how it works is that the screen goes black but still lets you see the time, battery percentage, and notifications. Apple will do things a little differently it seems.

Here's how the iPhone 14 Pro's always-on display will work...

Rather than being completely black with just the date/time like on Android, your wallpaper will fade out and still be visible.

(via @9to5mac) pic.twitter.com/DfJV8CTxuR
— AppleTrack (@appltrack) July 29, 2022

The native wallpapers now have a new state called "Sleep" which has dimmed elements. The outlet notes that wallpapers in the sleep state are similar to Apple Watch faces when always-on is enabled.

It appears that when users will turn off the iPhone 14 Pro screen, the sleep version will be enabled. 9to5Mac was successful in reproducing the behavior.

That means that the wallpaper will still be somewhat visible in the always-on mode and the screen will likely also show the clock and widgets and will return to full brightness when the phone is unlocked.

In addition to letting you see quick information when the phone is locked, the always-on display will also help extend battery life, which would be great as the Pros are rumored to have roughly the same capacities as the outgoing models.

The regular models - the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max - will allegedly have 60Hz screens, which rules out the possibility of always-on support.

The 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max will probably also boast a new chip, faster RAM, higher resolution rear camera, and new front design. These upgrades could help them become the best phones of the year.

All the models are tipped to get an improved selfie camera and the normies could have more RAM than the 2021 counterparts. Apple will apparently reveal the new handsets in September.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.