There are only a few days left before Apple’s annual developer conference, and while there may not be much new hardware, the WWDC will surely bring some software updates. This year, of course, a lot of attention will be paid to macOS, while the progress on the iOS side seems to have slowed down a bit, at least according to early sources. However, this does not mean that iOS 16 will be uninteresting, iPhone owners, in particular, can expect a little more battery life thanks to the improved lock screen.
Unlike Android, where many developments are published to the general public before the official release, iOS prefers to leave things in the dark before WWDC, so we can only rely on rumors, including some very reliable sources. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, for example, does not expect significant changes in the design of iOS 16. However, you might expect some interesting changes in the new version of iOS.
For example, there may be improvements to the messaging system and new features in the Health app. There may be major changes in the multitasking system that may interest iPad owners. As for the services, Gourmet was somewhat ambiguous about the possible “functionality of the social network” for Messages. However, it is especially interesting how iOS 16 can dramatically change the game when it comes to the lock screen, which, in turn, can greatly affect the battery life.
Android phones have long used some form of Always-on Display (AOD), and so has the Apple Watch. The idea behind this feature is that certain display panels can remain on even if only a certain number of pixels are used. This allows you to see some information, such as a message icon or a clock, without illuminating the entire screen. This can make the lock screen more battery-friendly, even though the AOD still consumes some power during use.
According to Gurman, in his latest PowerOn newsletter, this feature should have been launched on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max last year with the transition to LTPO OLEDs with variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. Theoretically, the refresh rate could be as low as 1Hz (like on Apple Watch), but the iPhone 13 Pro has a minimum refresh rate of 10 Hz. This year, it may finally happen, and the analyst expects that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will be equipped with the AOD.
In addition, Gurman also claims that new wallpapers with “widget-like features” may appear on the lock screen. He did not go into detail about this, but this statement is not surprising, given Apple’s propensity for widgets. Of course, these widgets can reduce battery life, but we need to see how this will work with the AOD feature enabled.
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