What you need to know
- iOS 17 introduces StandBy Mode for iPhone models, providing a smart display-like experience when charging.
- While some Android phones offer a similar interface, itās not as feature-rich as what iOS 17 brings.
- StandBy Mode Pro emulates this iOS 17 feature but includes a lot more customization than even what Apple will offer.
When Apple introduced iOS 17, there really werenāt a lot of āgame-changingā features unless youāve never used an Android phone before. But in my time testing out theĀ iOS 17 betaĀ on my iPhone 14 Pro Max, Iāve come to thoroughly enjoy the ānewā StandBy Mode.
Basically, this turns your iPhone into a smart display of sorts, complete with a digital clock and various widgets to show things like your calendar, upcoming tasks, or the weather. This is nothing new in the Android space, asĀ Samsung phonesĀ offer something similar thanks to the always-on display, but it doesnāt really āhit the spot.ā
As you might suspect, a bunch of apps hit the Play Store shortly after iOS 17 was unveiled, which aimed to bring StandBy Mode to all Android phones. But thereās one app that Iāve been relying on for a while now, and itās slowly turning into one of my favorite apps of the year.
StandBy Mode Pro
If you like the idea of turning your phone into a smart display for your nightstand or desk, then you’ll want to try out StandBy Mode Pro. It offers plenty of different widgets to choose from and looks almost identical to the same feature on the iPhone.
Download from:Ā Google Play Store
Aptly named StandBy Mode Pro, the app āturns your phone or tablet into a Smart Display while it charges.ā But instead of just imitating the different clocks and widgets that youāll find on the iPhone running iOS 17, there are quite a few more options to choose from. You can opt for the āDuoā mode, which splits your screen in half and places scrollable widgets on either side.
Taking things even further, StandBy Mode Pro borrows the ānight modeā from iOS 17, putting a red tint on the widgets so you can glance at the time if you wake up without being blinded. My personal favorite is pretty boring, but itās the Photo Clock, which lets you add your own carousel of images and then scroll through them while showing the time in the corner.
There was a bit of a concern about burn-in, especially considering that many of theĀ best Android phonesĀ are using OLED displays. The developer also thought about that as it implemented burn-in protection to keep your screen in tip-top shape.
When StandBy Mode Pro was launched, it required you to leave your phone unlocked before it would launch. Thatās no longer the case and can actually automatically be enabled when you place your phone in landscape mode and on a charger. Thereās even an option to exit StandBy Mode Pro when you turn your phone from landscape to portrait, which is really just a nice touch.
If you want to spice up your phone and make it even more useful than it already is, you can download StandBy Mode Pro for free from theĀ Play Store. Itās also worth mentioning that there is an in-app purchase that unlocks all features, but itāll set you back less than $3 and was an instant purchase for me.
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