How the iPhone 14 Pro's New 'Dynamic Island' Works

The new design of the phone does away with the notch at the front for the TrueDepth camera. The proximity sensor under the display allows for a smaller pill-shaped cutout.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.As we learned during the rumor cycle, the new cutout consists of a circle for the camera and a second pill-shaped cutout for the TrueDepth hardware, but Apple has combined these into a single cutout that it is calling the Dynamic Island. We thought we'd take a closer look at the Dynamic Island, which is one of the most clever user interface changes Apple has implemented in recent years.

Dynamic Island Shape

The Dynamic Island is not a static cutout and can change in size and shape to blend into the user interface and provide new visual tools. It is a small cutout that Apple uses to match different tasks.

When using Apple Pay, the Dynamic Island expands into a square shape to match the Face ID confirmation interface, and while on a phone call, it expands to be larger so you can have the phone controls front and center.

The Dynamic Island can be used to house ongoing background tasks that you might need to return to while doing other things on your phone.

Ways the Dynamic Island Can Be Used

We only have Apple's demos to go on, but it looks like the Dynamic Island can show a lot of different information. So far, it has been used in a number of ways.

• Expanded into a large rectangle to show upcoming Maps directions without having to open the Maps app.
• Displaying Maps directions in a smaller pill-shaped interface for when you just need a quick glance at the next turn.
• Square shaped for an ‌Apple Pay‌ payment confirmation.
• Showing a music waveform and time remaining on a song that's playing.
• Tracking the time of arrival of a Lyft.
• Displaying privacy indicators when the microphone or camera is in use.
• Displaying a small bar with the phone icon and the length of the phone call.
• Showing a timer.
• Keeping track of sports scores.
• Accessing music controls and a music player.
• Showing AirPods connection status and battery life.
• Displaying ‌iPhone‌ charging status and battery life.

The Dynamic Island can show you notifications that are important to you. You'll be able to track sports scores, rides, and more from the top of the phone's display with the Live Activities feature coming in the next version of the operating system.

The Dynamic Island is able to do its job without disrupting what you are doing in the app. It's possible to control your music through the Dynamic Island with a tap, if you're readingTwitter.

Split Island

Because the TrueDepth camera system is housed in two separate cutouts that are merged through software, the Dynamic Island can do a neat trick where it separates into a small pill on the left and a circle on the right at the same time.

Dynamic Island Interaction

When you're in an app, you can send the app's content to the Dynamic Island so you can return to the Home.

Third-Party App Support

You can access third-party app content and Apple's own app content if you integrate your apps into the Dynamic Island. Flighty is a third-party app that puts your flight information in the Dynamic Island so you can see it with a tap.

Dynamic Island Reactions

The responses to the Dynamic Island have been mostly positive, as can be seen in our commentary on the feature. One of Apple's best designs has been called it.

The Dynamic Island has to be one my favorite software-related surprises in a while. In hindsight, it explains so much of Apple's recent design decisions on iOS: pill-shaped alerts, Live Activities, compact UI. They've been playing the long game. I love this. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/IGErzZBKq1 — Federico Viticci (@viticci) September 7, 2022

Availability

Only the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max are allowed on the Dynamic Island. The same notch is offered in the standard iPhone 14 models.

Additional Coverage

We will get an in-depth look at all of the new features of the Dynamic Island when we pick up the new phone on the 16th.