The next iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS 16, will reportedly revamp an oft-overlooked part of the interface — the lock screen, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter.
Gurman, a renowned Apple analyst, also said that iOS 16 will lay the groundwork for always-on display support on the iPhone. In fact, the feature is on the table for the upcoming iPhone 14, sources told him.
Apple is expected to unveil iOS 16 at its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), slated for June 6-10.
“From what I’m told, the new software—codenamed Sydney—is a fairly significant upgrade,” Gurman said about iOS 16. “It will be chock full of changes across the operating system, including updates to notifications, iPad multitasking, and the Messages and Health apps.”
Some of the largest improvements, however, may have to do with the lock screen. Apple is planning several big changes, including an aesthetic makeover and wallpapers that feature widget-like functionality.
Gurman previously talked of new stock Apple apps for the iPhone and iPad in iOS 16, as well as new health features.
If an always-on display does make its way to the iPhone 14 lineup, Gurman believes it will be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max — much like several other updates, including a new “hole + pill” cutout on the front to replace the widely-criticized display notch, the bigger, 48-megapixel rear camera arrays, and a generational chipset upgrade.
An always-on display feature was originally in the works for last year’s iPhone 13, but didn’t make the cut.
Having an always-on lock screen would allow the iPhone 14 to present quickly glanceable information on its display while drawing a negligible amount of power from the battery — similar to newer Apple Watches and most Android devices with OLED displays.
Apple’s customers have been asking for the always-on display feature for years now. How do you feel about an always-on lock screen for the iPhone? Let us know in the comments below.
