what is it and how does it work?

The dynamic island is a combination of hardware and software and as said, can morph into different shapes and sizes. It takes up less space compared to the traditional notch on the iPhone 13/14 models. Apple says that with the addition of Dynamic Island, the TrueDepth camera and Face ID sensors have been redesigned to take up less space in the display area.

Dynamic Island: what is it and how does it work?

Apple has introduced the new ‘Dynamic Island’ with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. This replaces the traditional notch from the previous models. The Dynamic Island is a tiny rectangle bar on top of the display area that will house the traditional TruDepth front camera and face ID sensors. Apple says that for the first time it has placed the proximity sensor behind the screen.

The Dynamic Island takes advantage of hardware and software to dynamically shift shapes depending on notifications, calls, battery charging indications, ride-sharing, AirPods connected, and more. “Ongoing background activities like Maps, Music, or a timer remain visible and interactive, and third-party apps in iOS 16 that provide information like sports scores and ride-sharing with Live Activities can take advantage of the Dynamic Island,” said Apple.

The Dynamic Island, without disturbing the content on the screen, maintains an active state to allow users more access to control things like taking/rejecting an incoming call, controlling music through tap-and-hold and others. The Dynamic Island is interactive with live activities unlike the typical notch and users can expand it into a larger bubble with more information.

Apple says the Dynamic Island animations each have their own personality that is designed with their own unique character. The system is apparently designed to “clearly convey information and present content and controls without distracting from the app you’re in“. It should be interesting to see how third-party app developers will take advantage.