What is Dynamic Island in iPhone 14 Pro?
Dynamic Island is a new way to interact with ongoing activities and notifications on your device without ever having to leave your current screen. It seamlessly tries to blend the lines between hardware and software, which from the previews available, seems to work great right out of the box.
How Does Dynamic Island Work?
Apple has reduced the notch size on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max by around 30%. This means that the Pro models released this year are the first iPhones to have an in-display notch that is not attached to the top bezel. This also means extra space at the top of your phone, and this is where Dynamic Island comes in. Dynamic Island uses the extra space in and around your notch to display important content and ongoing background activities on your device. This includes background Maps navigation, music, timer, and more. Dynamic Island also takes advantage of the new live activities feature in iOS 16 to display live tracking for all supported apps. This means you can track your ride or an upcoming order without ever having to leave your current screen.
Interacting With Dynamic Island
Dynamic Island supports the usual tap and tap and hold gestures. You can use these gestures to update the island with the latest information, view snippets at a glance, or expand the island to control the background activity further. For example, if you have music playing in the background, then you can view the waveform and its current time code in your Dynamic Island. Tapping and holding on the same will present you with music controls, allowing you to control the music playback on your device. Similarly, if you have Airpods connected, you can view their battery in the Island, and if you’re using the navigation in the background, then you can view directions and remaining miles in the Dynamic Island.
Compatible Devices
iPhone 14 ProiPhone 14 Pro Max
For now, only the Pro models released this year and listed above are compatible with Dynamic Island. As discussed above, Dynamic Island takes advantage of the extra screen space generated by the smaller notch on the Pro models. This smaller notch is currently only available in the Pro models, which is why this feature is exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Future iPhones should get the Dynamic Island feature next year. But whether the feature will be exclusive to Pro models or available in non-Pro models is something only time will tell.
Is Dynamic Island available on iPhone 14?
No, as discussed above, Dynamic Island is currently exclusive to iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It is not available for iPhone 14 or any other older devices.
Can you turn on or turn off Dynamic Island?
No, Dynamic Island is an integral part of the UI in iOS 16 for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. You may be able to restrict certain apps from displaying content in the Dynamic Island, but you can’t turn it on or off completely.
Can third party apps use Dynamic Island?
Yes, Dynamic Island can be used by third-party apps using the Live Activities framework in iOS 16. However, this framework is missing from the current release of iOS 16 and is expected to be a part of next month’s feature update. Once this update is released to the public, third-party developers will be able to integrate Dynamic Island functionality in their apps.
Final Words
Dynamic Island is certainly a huge UI improvement that should help you make the most of your new iPhone 14 Pro. We hope this post helped you get familiar with the feature and learn more about it in the process.
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