An essential function in the Android camp for years, Apple has only been talking about it since last fall – the always-on display (AOD). The permanently active screen with compact information about the time, date, notifications, etc. has many advantages, with slight cuts in terms of battery life. At least that’s the theory. iPhone 14 Pro (Max) users criticized Apple However, to the extent that the simultaneous display of a darkened wallpaper would consume too much power.
The comparison: always-on with wallpaper, black or completely deactivated
As early as mid-December, the developers found a suitable solution with iOS 16.2 and since then have been offering the always-on function not only with an active wallpaper, but also with a classic black background. The YouTube channel currently explains how this affects the battery life PhoneBuff. In flight mode, with a display brightness of 200 nits and a room brightness of 1000 lux (bright office room), the iPhone 14 Pro Max is put to the test with its 4323 mAh battery.
iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in an always-on duel
After 24 hours the first conclusion: With an active wallpaper, the always-on display consumes around 0.8 percent per hour and thus 16 percent per day. The black background reduces consumption to 0.6 percent per hour and 14 percent per day. When completely deactivated, the iPhone 14 Pro Max can maintain its 100 percent charge for a whole day thanks to Airplane mode. That cuts similarly Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra away. After an always-on day, you also end up at 84 percent.
Real conditions with more running time
In practice, however, things look slightly different. As PhoneBuff states, the iPhone 14 Pro (Max) always-on display is automatically disabled in many situations to save battery. For example in your trouser pocket, when placing it on the side of the display, with the focus or power saving modewhen using CarPlay or when the user is away from the smartphone with their connected Apple Watch for a longer period of time.
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Tag: iphone design, iphone 14, apple iphone, iphone release