When The Always-On Display Was Announced, I Didn’t Think I’d Use It.
iOS 16 and the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have a new feature this year, an always-on display. Although dimmed, the phone displays the information on the lock screen such as date, time, screen widgets, and a background photo if being used.
When the always-on screen was first announced at the Apple Event on September 7, I thought, “that’s a feature I’ll never use.” I was unimpressed and thought, why do I need that when I have an Apple Watch? I was so convinced that I wouldn’t use it that I saved an article that told me how to turn it off.
However, since receiving my iPhone 14 Pro, I’ve found myself using the always-on display all the time. I’m even using a new iPhone stand for a better view of the iPhone always-display on my desk. Once again, I’ve illustrated the validity of the saying, “never say never.”
How I Use the Always-On Display
When I set up my customizable lock screen, I chose for the phone to automatically choose and cycle featured photos of nature and people. I hike and backpack and take a lot of scenery photos.
For some time, I’ve placed my iPhone on the right side of my desk as I work at my Mac Studio and Studio Display. It’s convenient to be able to pick it up and make a phone call if I need to.
When I received my iPhone 14 Pro, I continued the practice of placing my iPhone to the right of my workspace. With the always-on screen, I found myself increasingly glancing at it to check the time (big block numbers), weather, notifications, and music playing, along with the screen photo.
With my older eyes, I find it more of a hassle to look up into the upper-right corner of my Mac display, where the date and time are displayed in small letters. I have to focus to see what the time is.
I find it much easier to glance slightly to the right and easily read the time on my always-on iPhone display than having to focus to read the time on my Mac display. In addition, though dimmed, I can make out the photo (which changes hourly).
It’s sometimes delightful to tap on the screen and make the photo bright. The photos, which I have set to change every hour, remind me of good memories and make me happy. Yes, they do cause a minor distraction, but it’s not a major interruption and I can quickly return to focus on what I was working on.
I like having my iPhone 14 with an always-on display in view so much that I started talking about purchasing a stand for it that would match the brushed aluminum of my Mac Studio and Studio Display.
My wife surprised me by finding and ordering a stand that I now have just to the right of my Studio Display. It raises the iPhone and can be angled to give me my preferred display angle. I love it!
Give It A Try For A Month
If you think you won’t like the always-on display (as I did), I encourage you to give it a try for a month. See if you don’t find it as useful as I did.
If you decide you still don’t like it after a month, you can easily turn it off. Go to Settings, Display and Brightness, and slide the toggle switch for “always on” to the off position.
For more information about the always-on display, see the article in the Verge, and also the article in Apple Support.