Hints of iPhone 14 Pro Always-On Display Found in iOS 16 Code

Ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that he expected the new iOS 16 operating system to support a future always-on display feature for the iPhone 14 Pro, and as it turns out, the iOS 16 code suggests the always-on display is indeed going to be implemented.

iOS 14 Always on Display Feature
There are multiple references to an always-on display in iOS 16, as highlighted by 9to5Mac. There are a trio of new frameworks related to backlight management, a necessary part of an always-on display function. The frameworks mention an always-on display and are used by the Lock Screen and Springboard, suggesting that these mentions are not related to the existing Apple Watch always-on display.

The site says that there are also hidden flags within iOS 16 that allow Apple engineers to use the always-on display capability for testing purposes.

An always-on display has been rumored since always-on technology came to the Apple Watch, and it is a highly desired feature. It would let users see the time and other key ‌iPhone‌ information without needing to activate the screen.

The ProMotion displays planned for the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max are rumored to be capable of dropping to as low as 1Hz (down from 10Hz) to enable the always-on functionality without deeply impacting battery life.

Always-on display technology is likely going to be limited to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max because the standard ‌iPhone‌ 14 models are not expected to get the ProMotion displays necessary for the feature to work.

Related Forums: iOS 16, iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
siri glow

iPhone Users Now Able to Submit Claims in $95 Million Siri Spying Lawsuit

Wednesday May 7, 2025 11:40 am PDT by
If you owned a Siri-compatible device and had an accidental Siri activation between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024, you could be eligible for a payment from Apple as part of a class action lawsuit settlement. Apple in January agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit involving Siri spying accusations, and a website to distribute the funds has now been set up and...
iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.5 Coming Soon, Here is What's New

Monday May 5, 2025 8:19 am PDT by
In its press release for the new Pride Band today, Apple said that iOS 18.5 is "upcoming," following more than a month of beta testing. We expect the iOS 18.5 Release Candidate to be released this week, and this should be the final beta version, barring any last-minute bugs or changes. The software update should then be released to the general public next week. iOS 18.5 is a relatively...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17: What's New With the Cameras

Friday May 2, 2025 3:52 pm PDT by
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes. Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Said to Have Two Key Advantages

Monday May 5, 2025 6:41 am PDT by
Apple plans to release its first foldable iPhone next year, according to several reporters and analysts who cover the company. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the foldable iPhone will offer two key advantages over other foldable smartphones. First, he said the foldable iPhone will have a "nearly invisible" crease when unfolded. This means the device's...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have These Seven New Features

Tuesday May 6, 2025 8:25 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already several early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors, as of May 2025. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024,...

Top Rated Comments

tothemoonsands Avatar
38 months ago
I've always wanted my phone display to be on when it is in my pocket.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
38 months ago
It became clear once the new Lock Screen was unveiled. The customizable date, time and widgets are designed in line art, the more energy efficient type of drawing.

It's possible that notifications and Live Events will contain a line art version in the API so that developers can display sports scores at the bottom of the screen and update them as the event progresses or Uber can show an always on version of their Live Events widget, with the car status and license plate.

The lit up items will most likely be dimmer than the lead image of this article shows. It's probably going to look more like this:

Attachment Image
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
38 months ago
“My battery life gets killed using AOD” (mac rumors iphone forum 2023)
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
38 months ago

“My battery life gets killed using AOD” (mac rumors iphone forum 2023)
Well... I'm sure you can just "Turn off" the feature. Another easy fix :)
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2540497 Avatar
38 months ago
like my Apple Watch, I’ll turn it straight off for even better battery life
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
38 months ago
I'm glad. It has finally made its way. Always on Display for life. Won’t have to worry about missing a notification now. I just hope it does not kill the battery life.

Personally, I think they should add this feature on iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max too. But I get it... Apple wants you to upgrade and get a new iPhone this year.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)