Credit: Google
- According to a prominent Apple analyst, there could be an Apple smart display feature coming to iOS 17.
- Theoretically, this would allow for smart controls and widgets to appear on iPhones when charging horizontally.
- A very similar feature launched for Pixels in 2018 with the original Pixel Stand.
In 2018, Google launched the original Pixel Stand. While it could charge any phone through the Qi standard, it worked really well with Pixel phones. While charging, your Pixel would switch into a smart display mode with touch-free access to Google Assistant, widgets, a photo frame, and more. The follow-up Pixel Stand (2021) brought over the same functions at faster charging speeds.
Now, it looks like Apple is ready to jump on this bandwagon. According to noted Apple analyst Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, there could be an Apple smart display mode coming to iOS 17. Theoretically, this would work much the same as Google’s Pixel Stand features. It would allow an iPhone to be more present in your life while charging rather than just sitting there.