Standby in iOS 17 will turn your iPhone into an always-on live monitor

More than just a clock: sports scores, weather, and more
By Matt Binder  on 
Standby mode clock
Standby will turn your iPhone into an always-on live monitor with real-time updates for weather, sports results, and more. Credit: Mashable screenshot

One very unique feature Apple unveiled at WWDC this year is one that may get overlooked: iOS 17's Standby view.

Basically, Standby will turn your iPhone into an always-on live real-time monitor utilizing various apps and widgets. It turns your device into almost a whole new product that provides live monitoring for an array of different things.

Standby mode sports scores
Credit: Mashable screenshot

Want the time or the weather? Well, you'll be able to just look right up at your iPhone while it's charging and it'll be displayed right there for you. Stuck at work but want to monitor the latest baseball scores? Standby on your iPhone will have each team's runs displayed in real-time for you as if you were watching the big screen monitor live at the game.

And, the most interesting part about Standby is it's a feature that brings utility to your iPhone during a time where you wouldn't be using the phone previously. All users need to do is charge or dock their phone in landscape mode to enable Standby.

Standby mode
Credit: Mashable screenshot

Users can customize what they want to see displayed on their iPhone while it's in Standby mode. Widgets will provide an assortment of options alongside basics like the date, time, calendar view, photo displays, and more. Siri can also be used in Standby mode, with the virtual assistant providing visual results for whatever the users' query may be. 

Standby mode weather
Credit: Mashable screenshot

Standby mode takes advantage of iOS 16's always-on display option and will be available this September along with the rest of iOS 17.

Topics Apple iPhone WWDC


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