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What is an always-on display? The screen tech explained
In This Article
One big upgrade for theiPhone 14series this year is the always-on display found on theProand Pro Max models. But, what does always-on actually mean?
Read on to learn more about the feature, including what it is, how it works and how it will affect your phone’s battery life and the general health of your screen.
What is an always-on display?
An always-on display (AOD) is a feature that allows a screen to share a small amount of information while the device itself is asleep or inactive. This often includes the date, time, battery status and any notifications you might receive while your device is locked. You can often also choose widgets to see at a glance, as well.
The technology works by leveraging AMOLED technology’s ability to switch specific pixels off completely, allowing a screen to display the pixels you need without massively affecting the battery life.
You can typically find always-on displays on smartwatches and smartphones, with Samsung being one of the first to popularise them in the mobile world and Apple the latest to join the trend with its iPhone range.
That said, the technology stretches back as far back as Nokia phones in the early 2010s and has since been incorporated by Android manufacturers like Huawei, Motorola and Google in their own devices in more recent years.
As far as wearables go, you can find always-on displays in a wide range of smartwatches, such as theApple Watch 7andGalaxy Watch 4, as well as fitness trackers like theFitbit Versa 3.
Do always-on displays drain battery?
Always-on displays do tend to drain more battery due to the nature of having those pixels switched on, but the AMOLED technology means you shouldn’t notice a major difference with the always-on mode activated.
Though, of course, the exact percentage will depend on your specific phone or watch.
Is it bad for your screen?
Always-on displays certainly shouldn’t damage your screen, but again it’ll depend on your device.
Samsung says the following on itssupport pagein reference to the always-on displays on its own Galaxy phones:
“The AOD feature will not cause screen burn-in. This is automatically prevented on phones because the AOD image is slightly repositioned on the screen over time”.
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Hannah joined Trusted Reviews as a staff writer in 2019 after graduating with a degree in English from Royal Holloway, University of London. She’s also worked and studied in the US, holding positions …
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
