iOS 17 may introduce a useful smart display feature for iPhone, and I have questions

When ZDNET’s Jason Hiner and I reviewed the iPhone 14 Pro last year, we agreed that the new always-on display was eating up battery life as if it had been stranded in a desert for a long time.

Apple fixed the feature over the next few months, including updating the screen to go completely dark when idle, but the question remains with the new Smart Display setting and how it affects battery life.

Also: iPhone 14 Pro packs a lot more innovation for the same price as last year

With the iPhone passively displaying more information than ever before (and updating it in the background), I wouldn’t be surprised if the device suffers from its stamina. Perhaps there will be an ambient setting that only turns on the screen when it detects a person nearby, but even that would affect the battery of the device.

However, there is a simple solution to this, which brings me to my second question.