With the iPhone 14, Apple has released the brand-new Dynamic Island, which is the most noticeable change in the iPhone 14 Pro series and continues with the iPhone 15 series. And it’s not only a pill cutout notch design. You can watch and do a ton of fun stuff with Dynamic Island. Thanks to iOS 16 features and third-party apps, there are over 40 uses available at launch. So, I have made a list of features and apps that support Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro.
How does Dynamic Island work?
You can use Dynamic Island in two ways. If you tap on it, the app currently using Dynamic Island will be launched. On the other hand, apps like Maps provide more information if you long press Dynamic Island. So, it’s like an elastic band that extends and shrinks depending on your app. Besides, Dynamic Island divides into two if you start a second task when one is running.
Apple has adopted a new notification layout and animation, and most native iOS apps support Dynamic Island. You may use it simultaneously with several apps. Also, third-party apps are modifying their UI to play along and will release an updated version soon. Here are the features and apps currently supporting Dynamic Island on the iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro.
System alerts and notifications that show on Dynamic Island
There are a lot of system-wide alerts that show dynamically on Dynamic Island. Below, I have mentioned a few.
Incoming phone calls
The pill cutout will expand to display an incoming call along with call rejection and answer buttons.
Face ID setup and authentication
Now, when setting up the Face ID, Dynamic Island expands into a window with face detection instructions. Also, the face animation appears whenever you use Face ID to verify the user for different purposes.
Charging status
When you connect your iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro to a charger, the notch enlarges to display the charging status and battery level.
Silent mode and Focus mode
The alert slider notifies all iPhones when switching between ring or silent mode. But these animations now flash up on Dynamic Island. Also, the active Focus mode alert will now appear here. However, the focus sign will not be there. Instead, it will go to the left after a few seconds, making space for other activities.
Accessories connection
When using AirPods with an iPhone 15 series or 14 Pro, the island displays the connection status and the remaining battery. This will be the same whenever any wireless device or accessory connects to your iPhone.
AirDrop
Dynamic Island is handy for quickly checking the file transfer process. Whenever you receive anything through AirDrop, a pop-up will appear. Long-pressing on that will provide you with the process status.
AirPlay
You can now see the AirPlay status inside the pill-shaped cutout. To view the linked device and stop the mirroring, you must just long-press on it with no extra steps.
Dynamic Island shows a personal hotspot symbol when any device shares your iPhone’s internet connection. If you tap on it, the hotspot settings page will launch.
Besides these notifications, Dynamic Island can display:
| Unlock Apple Watch | CarKey |
| Low power alert | NFC scan |
| Using Shortcuts | No data warning |
| SIM card notifications |
Live activities on iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro Dynamic Island
Live activities run in the background and remain in progress, like ongoing calls or maps. Apple has made a Live Activities API accessible to developers with iOS 16.1. So, we may see more activities on Dynamic Island and the Lock Screen. The following alerts for activities are now available on Dynamic Island.
Ongoing calls
The progress meter on the island is now visible on the iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro when you’re on a call. Also, you can view the audio waveforms here. The waveform for the incoming audio is green, and the waveform for your voice is yellow/orange.
Timer
If you set a timer on your iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro, the countdown will appear in the pill area. By doing so, you may monitor the timer without constantly returning to the timer app. Also, long-press to access fast functions like play/pause. If you tap on it, the clock app will open.
Maps
Apple Maps and Google Maps navigation instructions are now shown on Dynamic Island. You can see the distance remaining and the direction, including turns. However, Google Maps cannot provide navigational instructions or distance on Dynamic Island. It only displays a navigation symbol in its place.
Voice memo
On the iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro, recording a voice memo now displays a waveform and the amount of time on Dynamic Island. You may click this to launch the voice memos app or long-press to expand the widget, pause the recording, or examine the time.
Screen captures
The screen recording status now appears in Dynamic Island, much like voice recordings. The recording symbol (a red dot) will stay on the island after a countdown. To enlarge the widget and end the recording when you’re done, simply long-press on it.
Mic and camera access indicators
On iPhones with a notch, the camera and microphone indications appear on the right side of the notch. But they are now visible between the pill and the punch-hole cutout on Dynamic Island. If your iPhone uses the camera, it will show a green dot for the camera and an orange dot for the microphone. So, you may know when these privacy features are being used.
iOS apps for audiobooks and music
On Dynamic Island, a waveform and the album cover for the currently playing music will be visible. Additionally, you can see its symbol if you connect your iPhone to a compatible device. Dynamic Island will only have a pause button and audio visualizer for audio. These are some music/audio apps that can display notifications on the island:
| Apple Music | Spotify |
| YouTube Music | Amazon Music |
| Audible | Overcast |
| NPR One | Stitcher |
| Soundcloud | Pandora |
Non-Apple calling apps
Dynamic Island also displays calls made through third-party applications using Apple’s CallKit. Just as for the built-in iPhone apps, the island will show notifications if you have incoming calls from WhatsApp, Instagram, Google Voice, and Skype. I hope we get to see Dynamic Island support for Discord soon.
Additional games and apps that are compatible with Dynamic Island
I am sure we will get more apps with native compatibility when Apple permits the integration of third-party apps with Dynamic Island. So, it may display additional information like album art, app icons, and much more information. Right now, you can enjoy two apps:
Hit the Island
Hit the Island is a new entertaining Ping-Pong game. In this, hitting Dynamic Island with a ball will get you points. You are required to move your paddle carefully. Also, the game becomes harder to play as the ball becomes faster after every ten points, divides into two balls, and your paddle gets smaller. If you score over 45 points, as shown on the leaderboard, you’ll likely be in the top 1% of players.
Price: Free (In-app purchases start from $1.99)
Apollo for Reddit
As it’s an ‘island,’ how about keeping a pet there? So, Apollo has come up with a unique concept to use on the island. You may virtually have a pixel animal reside on the pill-shaped cutout. Though you can only use Cat and Dog with the free version, five animals are accessible in premium.
By the way, the creatures on the island don’t simply sit around. They will roam, sit, and even sleep as you use the app, with a floating ‘Zzz’ to indicate their sleep. It’s a fun way to use the island that doesn’t compromise the other app experience.
Price: Free (In-app purchases start from $0.99)
So, that’s all for today, folks!
I know most of us are going for the iPhone 15 series and 14 Pro series because of the Dynamic Island. As iOS 17 gets more optimized updates, Apple will provide better usage of the pill-shaped cutouts. Which feature do you like the most? Let me know in the comments below!
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