What is StandBy mode?
StandBy, in some ways, is similar to the Nightstand Mode on the Apple Watch. However, it has many more customization options. Now, when your iPhone is on the charger and positioned in landscape orientation, it shows a unique interface with large-sized widgets.
As detailed by my 9to5Mac colleague Michael Potuck, there are several things you can do with StandBy mode. The default view shows a clock and calendar, but you can switch between the current date and your reminders, for example. And all the widgets are interactive. Swipe to the side, and StandBy shows a slide with your photos. There’s also a third screen with different watch faces.
It’s more than just a StandBy mode
The more I use StandBy mode on my iPhone running iOS 17 beta, the more I’m amazed at the capabilities of this feature. Apple didn’t just put some widgets and photo slideshows in it. In fact, some apps have been tweaked to work with StandBy mode.
For example, when music is playing, you’ll see the media controls take up the full screen. If you get a notification, it shows up with a nice animation, similar to what you have on the Apple Watch. But it doesn’t stop there. When someone calls you, iOS 17’s StandBy mode shows the call controls such as mute, speaker, and end call.
Another more ambitious device being tested internally at Apple is a device that combines the functionality of the iPad, Apple TV, and HomePod. The idea would be similar to the Amazon Echo Show, which is essentially a tablet attached to a speaker with a custom interface for quick interactions.
Now, seeing StandBy mode in action with iOS 17, I can vividly imagine a device like the Amazon Echo Show running this interface. And honestly, that would be an instant buy for me.
