Latest iOS 16 Beta Further Suggests Always-On Display Coming to iPhone 14 Pro

by

A new detail found in the iOS 16 beta could be the latest indication that Apple is indeed planning to bring always-on display functionality to the upcoming high-end iPhones.

iPhone 13 Always On Feature
As discovered by 9to5Mac, the latest iOS 16 beta adds a new "Sleep" state to the default wallpapers found in iOS 16. The new "Sleep" mode is a version of the wallpaper that is darker and more tinted, better suited to be shown on an always-on display. In simpler terms, the new "Sleep" state could be described as a photo filter that could be applied to any image the user chooses to use for their always-on display.

ios 16 always on display wallpaper 1

iOS 16 clownfish wallpaper in the "Sleep" state (left) next to the normal state (right)

As 9to5Mac notes, it seems Apple will replicate the behavior found on the Apple Watch on the iPhone 14 Pro. The Apple Watch Series 5 and later with an always-on display shows a darker and more faint version of the watch face until the wrist is raised, so similarly, the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro could show a darker version of the wallpaper until turned on by the user.

With the new "Sleep" state, users will see remnants of their wallpaper and information, such as the time and their lock screen widgets, even when their display is not in active use. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has already reported that an always-on display tied into the iOS 16 Lock Screen will be coming only to the higher-end ‌iPhone‌ 14 models.

An always-on display on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro will be possible thanks to more advanced displays that feature a refresh rate as low as 1Hz. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max feature ProMotion technology and can go as high as 120Hz and as low as 10Hz. Compared to the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, the lower 1Hz refresh rate on the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro series will improve energy efficiency with an always-on display.

An always-on display is one of several big changes rumored to be coming to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro lineup, including a replacement of the notch with a pill-shaped and hole-punch cutout, a 48MP rear camera, faster performance, new colors, and more. A complete rundown of everything we know about the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro lineup can be found in our roundup.

Related Forums: iOS 16, iPhone

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
Read Full Article • 58 comments
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
Read Full Article • 98 comments
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Read Full Article • 120 comments
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
Read Full Article • 62 comments
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...
Read Full Article • 79 comments
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
Read Full Article • 133 comments
apple tv hd

Apple Launched Its Big New Vision for TV 10 Years Ago Today

Thursday October 30, 2025 8:58 am PDT by
Apple launched the Apple TV HD, the Siri Remote, tvOS, and their accompanying App Store a decade ago today, marking a major overhaul of the device. The new vision for the Apple TV was unveiled on September 9, 2015 during Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco, where CEO Tim Cook introduced the device with the statement, "The future of TV is apps." The announcement represented a major...
Read Full Article • 87 comments
iOS 26

Apple This November: iOS 26.2 Beta, Rumored New Products, and More

Thursday October 30, 2025 12:42 pm PDT by
Tomorrow is Halloween, and then November is upon us. Below, we outline what to expect from Apple next month, as the slower holiday season approaches. Apple is expected to kick off November by releasing iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, tvOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1. With beta testing now wrapped up, the updates will likely be released this Monday, November 3 or Tuesday,...
Read Full Article • 18 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
Read Full Article
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
Read Full Article • 162 comments

Top Rated Comments

antiprotest Avatar
antiprotest
43 months ago

Aren't we already spending too much time looking at our phones, won't this simply make that worse?

Hopefully the 'always-on' display will at least turn itself fully off when I place my phone face-down on my desk in order to avoid that distraction!
My phone is on my desk more than in my pocket. An always on display will actually reduce the times I tap on my phone or hold it up to check the lockscreen for notifications while I am working next to it or walking by it at home. It would reduce this for many tens of times each day. So always on display would in fact greatly reduce looking at the phone for many people who have certain needs and habits. For some people it would be one of the most habit changing feature in years. And I am certain that many people who are calling it useless now would be posting "i was wrong" posts here a short time after this comes out.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
-BigMac- Avatar
-BigMac-
43 months ago

Hey, better late than never.
Honestly, I don’t think the always-on display adds utility to my AppleWatch, and I don’t think it will add any to my iPhone.

If I want to see the screen, raise to wake does the job 99% of the time already
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
syklee26 Avatar
syklee26
43 months ago
I dunno why this is such a big deal. AOD is necessary on watch but not so sure about the phone. I am not gonna go all ape sh about having it though.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nfl46 Avatar
nfl46
43 months ago
Hey, better late than never.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
murdoc2k Avatar
murdoc2k
43 months ago

I wouldn’t ever use always on display personally. But lots of people want it, so it should be added to all iPhones with an OLED display. There’s literally no reason not to. Restricting that feature to only iPhone 14 Pro models is like BMW charging a subscription for activating already present heated seats.
I see where you're coming from and it looks like a trivial thing to do, but existing OLED displays can't go as low as 1 HZ which is why new hardware is required.

My feeling about this is that turning off AOD will definitely lead to some battery life improvements, but negligible since the drain with AOD is small enough for Apple to claim the same battery life as iPhone 13 Pro.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GuruZac Avatar
GuruZac
43 months ago
I look forward to always on display but that is a much less desired feature for me than USB-C. I absolutely love everything about my 13 Pro, especially the battery and ProMotion display, so will sit out and wait for the 15 Pro which should hopefully finally have USB-C. I can't wait to hear Apple's keynote talking about all the virtues of USB-C/TB on the iPhone...as if that shouldn't have been there 3 years ago on the original Pro iPhones.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments