The arrival of the iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island offers a less obtrusive, smarter alternative to the notch found on iPhone models from the past five years.
The regular iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus may still have a notch, but Apple has finally unveiled a proper replacement for the hole-punch selfie cameras found on competing Android phones. Dynamic islands are slowly becoming more useful as iOS 16 continues to be updated and app developers work to take advantage of new features in the iPhone software. Below, we detail what Dynamic Island is and does, along with some of the apps and features that take advantage of this iPhone 14 Pro addition.
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island: What is it?
At its simplest, this iPhone 14 Pro feature involves two cutouts in the display that house the selfie camera and facial recognition sensors. If you look closely, they’re actually individually embedded into the phone, but the iPhone’s interface puts them in one larger pill cutout, more uniform than multiple cutouts.
But more than just connecting them together, Apple uses Islands to display relevant information, depending on which app you’re using or the reminder you’ve received. Tapping and holding Dynamic Island will bring up a larger version of the widget, allowing you to control something without going directly to the app. Going back to the album example again, tapping and holding reveals a full media widget with skip forward/backward buttons, an interactive progress bar, and an AirPlay button to select an output device.
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island: Compatible iPhones
Currently, only the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max can use the dynamic island. The regular iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus still use Apple’s old notch design.
As for future iPhones, there are current rumors that all flagship iPhones after the iPhone 15 will feature Dynamic Island. Since the iPhone SE is currently a generation behind in terms of design and is based on the iPhone 8, even if the iPhone SE 4 arrives in 2023 as usual, it may be a few years before the cheapest iPhone gets the dynamic island rumors.
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island: Compatible apps and features
Apple puts a lot of reminders into its Dynamic Island, so here’s a list of the most interesting features any iPhone 14 Pro owner will find in its Dynamic Island.
Face ID and iPhone Lock
When you pick up your iPhone 14 Pro, the first thing you’ll probably notice is a small padlock icon in Dynamic Island, indicating it’s secure. It will turn into a disposition bubble, followed by a check mark, indicating that you have been allowed in. Additionally, opening the app or verifying your identity will cause the Face ID window to pop up while the iPhone double-checks who you really are.
Apple Maps
Apple put a lot of effort into integrating its Maps app with Dynamic Island. Normally, Maps shows your next directions as you head to your destination. If you need to know exactly where you’re going, tapping and holding reveals more information.
Voice memo
When you take audio notes in Voice Memos, the dynamic island shows your recording waveform and elapsed time.
AirPods and accessory connectivity and battery life
If you connect Apple-made earbuds or headphones to your iPhone, Dynamic Island displays a small icon with a green or red ring showing how much power they contain. The feature also works with other select accessories.
Apple pay
Instead of popping up the Wallet app to display your available payment cards, you’ll see a small box showing the card you’re currently using and a small icon showing the status of your payment.
Focus mode
When your iPhone automatically switches between different focus modes, the icon for that focus will show an on or off sign so you know why your home screen or other settings suddenly changed.
Battery and Charging Alerts
When your battery starts to run low, typical iPhone warnings of 20% and below pop up into Dynamic Island, giving you a visual warning that it’s time to start charging your phone.
Mute on/off
Tapping the alarm switch on the left side of the iPhone already provides some haptic feedback, but you can now also see a mute icon appear or disappear in Dynamic Island.
Media Player
You can now find playing songs, podcasts, videos, or any other content that would normally appear in the Media widget in Control Center
In addition to Apple’s built-in features, you also get Live Activities, a new addition to iOS 16 that gives you live updates on apps you previously had to have open. On phones without Dynamic Island, live activity is usually limited to the lock screen.
As of iOS 16.1, you cannot currently turn off Island as a feature, but perhaps a future version of iOS will allow users to do this.
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