Rumors of Apple making smart displays have been circulating for years, especially after it entered the smart home market with the HomePod and HomePod mini. Well, the company comes a lot closer to that proposal with his iOS 17 standby mode. Although not yet released, the Standby feature is expected to roll out to users with his iOS 17 release in Fall 2023. However, an Android app developer has already started creating an application that will provide standby mode functionality to his Android smartphone which is the best in 2023. We have tried all the applications ourselves and have compiled a list of the best ones below.
First off, what is standby mode? It’s essentially a lock screen mode that charges your iPhone wired or wirelessly and turns your iPhone into a smart display when you lay it on its side. If you’ve used Nightstand mode on your Apple Watch before, the general concept is similar. Standby mode can display the time, calendar, and even media playback controls. As such, this is one of the many features coming to iOS 17 that iPhone users are most excited about. Luckily for Android users, these features are typically introduced to the platform through intuitive workarounds, even in standby mode.
How standby mode apps work on Android
An Android app that emulates standby mode behaves like any other app, with a few caveats. Launching one of the standby mode apps below will present an interface similar to the iOS 17 functionality. However, to take full advantage of standby mode, you need to enable some settings. Most apps have a pre-enabled toggle to prevent burn-in, which changes the displayed image frequently to avoid damaging your OLED display. Many apps also ask for permission to draw on top of other apps. This will automatically activate standby mode when the device is charging and in a horizontal position. Finally, if you want to sync calendars and such, you’ll need to adjust the app’s permissions accordingly.
standby mode pro
StandBy Mode Pro is one of the best ways to bring the iOS 17 experience to your Android phone. It looks great, has a lot of features, the most notable being the night mode option. In this mode, all text and icons on the screen have a reddish tint and are very easy to see even with the lights off. It’s perfect for nightstand applications and can actually be tweaked if it’s too red for your personal taste.
Besides night mode, there are many other features available in StandBy Mode Pro. The Duo option allows you to add widgets on both sides of your screen. This is the best option if you can’t decide which view to use. Additionally, you can control media playback and view your calendar using available widgets and integration with your calendar. Most importantly, after the initial setup of the app, the standby mode feature will automatically start when the phone is charging and in landscape orientation. It’s important to note that unlike actual standby mode, your phone must be unlocked to take advantage of this feature.
Standby Mode Pro on Google Play Store
Standby iOS
StandBy iOS doesn’t have all the advanced features of StandBy Mode Pro, but it does have many clock customization options. You can actually make the watch face your own. That’s exemplified by the photo dial, which can grab an image from your camera roll. Despite the lack of widgets and smartphone integration, there are some quality-of-life features that make this app a good choice. The display will automatically dim after 20 minutes of inactivity. This is good news for the nightstand use case. Additionally, StandBy iOS will automatically exit after the charger is removed from his Android smartphone.
Google Play Store Standby iOS
Standby mode Always displayed
If you want to use standby mode without turning your phone sideways, Standby Mode Always On Display is the best app for you. If you like the traditional standby mode orientation, this app has you covered. However, it also supports a vertical standby mode display, which even Apple doesn’t offer yet. Other than this unique service, this standby mode app has a pretty robust feature set. From this view you can see the time, date, notifications and control music playback. As such, Always On Standby Mode is one of the best ways to bring the iOS 17 experience to Android, surpassing the original in some ways.
Google Play Store Standby Mode iOS 17
Standby mode iOS 17
Standby Mode iOS 17 is an app that turns your Android phone into a smart display. Get information from online data sources, such as local weather information or recent news stories from national news outlets. This is not the route most standby mode emulators take, but it is the route most similar to smart displays such as the Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub. Besides this useful feature, the app also includes features such as notification relays and battery status indicators. This is one of the newer emulators made available, so updates should improve it over time.
Google Play Store Standby Mode iOS 17
Dock screen standby mode
DockScreen has the most features of any emulator in standby mode. That’s because the app has actually outlived its iOS 17 features. When StandBy mode came out, the app developer made his DockScreen work closer to what it actually does. Anyway, this app is a very raw version and not as good as the other options on this list. But if you’re a power user who likes to customize your phone to your liking, it might be a good thing. You can customize almost everything about DockScreen, including adding an X (formerly Twitter) feed to your display screen.
The best feature DockScreen offers is the ability to pin apps to your Android phone. If you press the button that locks the app in place while your phone is on the charger, the screen will never time out while this is active. To unpin an app, just swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold. After entering the system password, you can use the phone normally. DockScreen is an app that prioritizes function over form, but that’s a worthwhile philosophy for some.
DockScreen on the Google Play Store
Which standby mode app is best?
None of the apps on this list offer the exact same standby mode experience you’ll get on one of the best iPhones of 2023. But by using one of these apps, you can get a lot closer to that experience while using Android. phone. Bringing Apple-only features like iMessage to Android can be difficult, so it’s good to know that the platform has an easy alternative to standby mode. It’s hard to pick a clear winner as to which app is best, but for most people, StandBy Mode Pro is our pick. It strikes the perfect balance between functionality and ease of use, giving you plenty of features while staying true to Apple’s “just works” philosophy.