Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro is out this week and if you’re on the fence about an upgrade, this handy trick for Apple TV could push you over the edge.
The iPhone 14 Pro’s always-on display supports the Apple TV Remote interface, meaning you won’t have to unlock the phone to continue using the handset to control your TV.
As spotted and explained by CNBC in its review of the iPhone 14 Pro, the feature works if you already have the Apple TV Remote open from the Control Centre and allow the display to time out and the phone to go to sleep.
If the always-on display feature is enabled, the controls will remain on the screen and you can interact with them as on the display. Indeed, it was the highlight of the always-on display for the reviewer at CNBC.
“The only time I really liked using the always-on display was when I was watching “House of the Dragon” on HBO Max and needed to access my Apple TV remote. Instead of having to open the Apple Remote every time I needed to pause, the always-on display meant the remote stayed on my iPhone screen. It was as if the actual remote, which I always seem to lose, was right next to me.”
Sofia Pitt, CNBC
Of course, the Apple TV set-top box itself has its own remote, so this feature is not really essential. However, we’re often losing our physical remote because it’s metal slippy, falls down the sides of the sofa and doesn’t have Find My built in. So the iPhone often acts as a stand-in.
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are the only models in the range to have the always-on display. It works by lowering the brightness and refresh rate of the display all the way down, so notifications can be displayed without draining battery life. That means you can see notifications without having to wake the phones.
We’ll have a full review of the iPhone 14 Pro following the completion of our intensive testing period.
