What you need to know
- iOS 17 introduces Standby Mode to iPhone models, providing a Smart Display-like experience when charging.
- Some Android smartphones offer a similar interface, but are not as feature rich as what iOS 17 brings.
- StandBy Mode Pro emulates this iOS 17 feature, but with far more customization than what Apple offers.
When Apple introduced iOS 17, there weren’t many “game-changing” features unless you’ve used an Android phone before. But while testing the iOS 17 beta on my iPhone 14 Pro Max, I thoroughly enjoyed the “new” standby mode.
Basically, it turns your iPhone into a smart display of sorts, complete with a digital clock, calendar, upcoming tasks, weather, and various widgets. This isn’t new in the Android realm, as Samsung phones also offer a similar feature thanks to their always-on display, but it’s not really “to the point” either.
As you can imagine, right after the announcement of iOS 17, which was intended to introduce standby mode to all Android phones, a large number of apps appeared on the Play Store. But there is one app that I’ve been relying on for a while and it’s slowly becoming one of his favorite apps of the year.
Aptly named StandBy Mode Pro, this app “turns your phone or tablet into a smart display while charging”. But rather than just mimicking the various clocks and widgets found on iPhones running iOS 17, there are many more options to choose from. You can choose a “Duo” mode that splits the screen in half, with scrollable widgets on either side.
Taking it a step further, StandBy Mode Pro borrows iOS 17’s “Night Mode” and adds a red tint to the widget so you can see the time at a glance when you wake up without being dizzy. My personal favorite, though pretty boring, is Photo Clock. This allows you to add your own image carousel and scroll while displaying the time in the corner.
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I was a little concerned about burn-in, especially given that many of the best Android phones use OLED displays. The developers have also taken this into consideration when implementing burn-in protection to keep your screen in tip-top shape.
When StandBy Mode Pro was launched, I had to keep my phone unlocked before launching. This is no longer the case and it actually activates automatically when you put your phone on the charger in landscape mode. You also have the option to exit StandBy Mode Pro when you turn your phone from landscape to portrait orientation. This feels really nice.
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 the Play Store. It’s also worth mentioning that there is an in-app purchase that unlocks all features, but at less than $3, it was a quick buy for me.