Apple's Dynamic Island - will you be paying it a visit?
The "Dynamic Island" explained...
The Dynamic Island is a new design feature that was introduced during the launch of the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, and now extends into the iPhone 15 series.
The Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped cutout that works in two ways: from a practical design point of view, it houses the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID sensors, but from a functionality point of view, the Dynamic Island works as a dynamic screen element that can change shape and size to display useful information relating to the current usage of the phone, in turn giving users better visibility of ongoing activities. So be assured, this isn't just another camera notch.
Taking a deeper look at the functionality
The Dynamic Island will adjust its size in accordance with app activities and general usage of the phone. For example, when you are receiving a call, the Dynamic Island will expand even further to show the caller's name and number, and to give you access to call controls, and when you make a call, it expands in length to show the call time and the audio waves.
The Dynamic Island when receiving and making callsThe Dynamic Island also works with some third-party apps to allow users to really customize their experience. Some apps allow you to get notifications on food delivery orders, the current weather forecast, flight tracking and so much more! - You can even have a digital 'pixel pet' to sit within the Dynamic Island! However, it's good to note that not all apps will work with the Dynamic Island, so it's best to check with the app manufacturer before trying something out.
iPhone 15's in storeWhich iPhone features work with the Dynamic Island?
There is currently no official defined list of which the Dynamic Island supports features. Still, we've put together a list of some of the official Apple stock apps and internal functions that we know do work with the Dynamic Island. However, this list will likely expand and change over time.
- Incoming/outgoing calls
- AirPods connected
- Face ID
- Apple Pay
- Apple Wallet
- CarKey
- AirDrop
- Watch unlock
- Low battery
- Charging
- Silent switch ON/OFF
- NFC interactions
- AirPlay
- Focus changes
- Shortcuts
- Airplane mode/no data alert
- SIM card alerts
- Accessories connect
- Find My
- Apple Music
- Apple Maps
- SharePlay
- Music/Now playing apps
- Timer
- Maps directions
- Voice memos
- Screen Recording
- Personal Hotspot
- Microphone indicator
- Camera indicator
The Dynamic Island is still under development with Apple, so there's no knowing what will be added to the functionality next. But what we do know is that It's definitely a more efficient and elegant way to display information than the traditional notch.
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