IPhone 14 Pro’s Always-On Display Is a Big Deal: Here’s What to Know

This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET’s collection of news, tips and advice around Apple’s most popular product.

iPhone versus Android? For those of you who buy the new iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max, there’s finally one missing feature you can cross off your wishlist. After years of rival Samsung phones flaunting displays that never completely time out, the two highest-end iPhones that Apple announced this week have finally caught up. They’re the first iPhones to carry the new-to-Apple always-on display.

An always-on screen that stays illuminated after the initial timeout period is a technology that’s been on Android phones (especially Samsung Galaxy devices) for years. Seeing it on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Plus now signals a possible adoption in the whole iPhone range down the line. In fact, many Apple Watch models already have the always-on feature integrated.

Alongside the 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max (which you can buy in deep purple), Apple also unveiled the new iPhone 14, 14 Plus, a supercharged Apple Watch UltraApple Watch 8 and AirPods Pro 2. Apple also announced that iOS 16 will launch Sept. 12 (check out the best new iOS 16 features here).

We’ll explain what iPhone 14’s version of the always-on display feature is and how it will work. For more iPhone news, don’t miss how the new Dynamic Island notch redesign works in iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max.

How does the iPhone’s always-on display work?

Normally, when you lock your iPhone, the lock screen shuts off and you either have to press a button, raise your phone or tap your screen to make it active again. With an always-on display, your lock screen doesn’t turn off — it stays dim — so you can easily glance at the time, widgets and live activities without touching your phone.

For instance, when you get a text message, you generally have only a few seconds to look it over before your iPhone screen turns off. With an always-on display, you have unlimited time to view the message.

When you turn the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max face down on a surface or put it in your pocket, the screen will darken as a way to save on battery life, since you won’t need to “glance” at the screen when it’s in a pocket or upside down on a table.

Will an always-on screen drain my iPhone battery faster?

Apple said the always-on display can operate at a refresh rate as low as 1Hz (i.e. once per second) with a new low-power mode. It also uses multiple co-processors in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max chips to refresh the display using minimal power. 

Can I turn off the always-on display setting?

Apple didn’t say whether this feature would be optional, but it’s likely you’ll be able to turn it off in your settings. Apple Watch users are able to turn off always-on display in the Display & Brightness setting, so that’s likely where you’d turn it off on the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max. You can customize a similar setting on Samsung phones as well.

For more information about the new iPhones, here are all the iPhone 14 colors you can buy, all about the iPhone 14 camera updates and one favorite comeback feature coming your way.

source: cnet.com