Apple’s upcoming iPhones could have an always-on lock screen to quickly check useful information.
Bloomberg sources report that Apple is planning major improvements to the iPhone lock screen in the upcoming iOS 16 and iPhone 14.
News of possible iOS features comes ahead of Apple’s 2022 World Developers Conference (WWDC) starting June 6, where it shares what’s new in its operating systems and hardware.
The always-on lock screen would provide useful information at a glance, such as the always-on mode on the 2019 Apple Watch 5 and later, as well as new widget-like capabilities and wallpapers.
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Bloomberg reports that the always-on mode will be exclusive to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Recent rumors suggest that the iPhone 14 will get the A16 chip, a new Pencil-shaped Face ID camera notch and a 48-megapixel main camera.
Supporting the idea of an ever-active screen, iPhone 14 models are expected to have an OLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, but also use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide backplate technology. (LTPO). LTPO allows AMOLED screens to be updated at high rates when needed and much lower rates for static information in order to save energy.
CNET’s Stephen Shankland has a comprehensive LTPO summary of Apple products. LTPO allows for high resolution, adjustable refresh rate, and very low power consumption, but includes a 5% to 10% higher price. LTPO always enabled on the Apple Watch 5 and supported ProMotion’s smooth scrolling feature on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max. These iPhones support refresh rates between 10 Hz (updated 10 times per second) and 120 Hz.
The iPhone 14 could also cost $ 100 more than Apple’s 2021 line, and initial supplies for the new models could be low due to China’s COVID-19 restrictions imposed on Shanghai in March.
Apple is unlikely to announce the iPhone 14 at WWDC, but it is expected to introduce a new MacBook Air, which was last updated in late 2020 with the M1 chip and specifications close to the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro .