Standby mode is one of the most notable features introduced in iOS 17. For those unfamiliar, this addition allows you to turn your iPhone into a smart display of sorts when you're charging it in landscape mode. So, for example, when you place your iPhone 14 sideways on a MagSafe charging stand, it'll display a large clock, calendar, weather forecast, and other widgets that you can customize. It can also surface photos, Live Activities, the Now Playing screen, and more. Despite it being a handy offering, though, I have stopped using it on my iPhone 14 Pro.

Landscape controls on iOS are awkward

Standby mode was designed for when you set your iPhone aside and leave it to charge. It even has a night mode that relies on dimmer colors for when your room is dark during night hours. So technically you're not supposed to use the phone when Standby mode is active. And that's exactly my problem with it.

I tried using Standby mode for a few nights in a row, as I leave my iPhone on the bedside stand to charge nightly. But it wasn't working for me since I often reply to last-minute texts or check my notifications while I fall asleep. Using my iPhone in landscape orientation is inconvenient because the display is quite tall, and the OS wasn't designed for primary landscape use.

Furthermore, the always-on display shows the time, date, weather, and other Lock Screen widgets at all times, and because it's in portrait orientation, I can easily check notifications and reply to messages while my iPhone charge. And when I randomly wake up during the night, I can more easily see and identify the kind of notifications that I have.

Standby mode, in my opinion, magnifies the always-on display lock screen and makes it less practical. Users who don't often check their phones while they charge them will likely appreciate the larger fonts, clearer graphics, and richer widgets, but it won't work for everybody.

Standby makes more sense on iPadOS

The iPad is a different story, though, especially iPad Pro models with larger displays. Unlike iOS, iPadOS is convenient to use in landscape orientation. Not only does the screen have a more suitable aspect ratio, but the entire operating system just works better in landscape. That's why many users leave their iPads on stands in landscape or use them in that orientation with a keyboard accessory or case.

Unlike my iPhone, the iPad isn't my primary device, so if it's in Standby mode, I likely won't feel the need to use it. And even if I decide to use it, I wouldn't have to unplug it or rotate it to portrait orientation in order to utilize it since the OS works just fine sidways. That's not to mention that Standby on an iPad would fit more widgets and support larger fonts due to the additional display space. After all, smart displays usually are closer to the size of tablets than smartphones. Unfortunately, iPadOS 17 does not support Standby.

Maybe next year?

For the past few years, Apple has been introducing some exclusive iPhone features that only make it to the iPad a year or more later. These include the customizable Lock Screen, App Library, Home Screen widgets, and Health app. So while the iPad doesn't support MagSafe, Apple could potentially introduce Standby mode on iPadOS 18 when the tablet is charging through a wired connection in landscape orientation. While I'm sure many iOS users will appreciate and use this feature on their iPhones, some others, including me, would rather stick to the always-on display.

What do you think of Standby mode on iOS 17? Do you plan on using it? Let us know in the comments.