How the iPhone 14 Pro's New 'Dynamic Island' Works

With the launch of the iPhone 14 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max, Apple introduced an updated design that does away with the notch at the front for the TrueDepth camera. Instead, Apple has slimmed down the hardware and put the proximity sensor under the display, allowing for a smaller pill-shaped cutout.


As we learned during the rumor cycle, the new cutout consists of a circle for the camera and a second pill-shaped cutout for the TrueDepth hardware, but Apple has combined these into a single cutout that it is calling the Dynamic Island. We thought we'd take a closer look at the ‌Dynamic Island‌, which is one of the most clever user interface changes Apple has implemented in recent years.

Dynamic Island Shape

The ‌Dynamic Island‌ is not a static cutout, and can shift in size and shape to blend itself into the UI and provide new visual tools front and center on the ‌iPhone‌'s display. In standard usage, it is a small pill-shaped cutout, but Apple uses pixels to expand it to match different tasks.

iphone 14 pro blue image
When making an Apple Pay payment, for example, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ expands into a square shape to match the Face ID confirmation interface, and while on a phone call, it expands to be larger so you can have the phone controls front and center.

Basically, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is able to house ongoing background tasks that you might need to come back to while doing other things on your phone

Ways the Dynamic Island Can Be Used

So far, we only have Apple's demonstrations to go on, but it looks like the ‌Dynamic Island‌ can show all kinds of different information. We're rounded up the ways it's been used so far.

iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island 3

  • Expanded into a large rectangle to show upcoming Maps directions without having to open the Maps app.
  • Displaying Maps directions in a smaller pill-shaped interface for when you just need a quick glance at the next turn.
  • Square shaped for an ‌Apple Pay‌ payment confirmation.
  • Showing a music waveform and time remaining on a song that's playing.
  • Tracking the time of arrival of a Lyft.
  • Displaying privacy indicators when the microphone or camera is in use.
  • Displaying a small bar with the phone icon and the length of the phone call.
  • Showing a timer.
  • Keeping track of sports scores.
  • Accessing music controls and a music player.
  • Showing AirPods connection status and battery life.
  • Displaying ‌iPhone‌ charging status and battery life.

The ‌Dynamic Island‌ can show notifications or information that you're actively keeping up with. It's going to work with the Live Activities feature coming in iOS 16, so you can track sports scores, Uber rides, and more right from the top of the ‌iPhone‌'s display.

It's worth noting that any time the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is in use like this, it is doing its task without interrupting what you're doing in the app you're in. So if you're reading Twitter, you can also be controlling your music through the ‌Dynamic Island‌ with just a tap.

Split Island

Because the TrueDepth camera system is actually housed in two separate cutouts that are merged through software, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ can do a neat trick where it separates into a small pill on the left and a circle on the right, both of which are able to display different information at the same time, such as music controls and a timer.

dynamic island split

Dynamic Island Interaction

When tapped, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ expands to become larger so you can interact with the content that it's offering at the current time, and when you're in an app, you can swipe up to send the app's content to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ so you can get back to the Home screen.

Third-Party App Support

Apple is allowing third-party app developers to integrate their apps into the ‌Dynamic Island‌ so you can access third-party app content as well as Apple's own app content. Third-party app Flighty, for example, is able to put your flight information in the ‌Dynamic Island‌ so you can see it with a tap.

flighty iphone 14 digital island

Dynamic Island Reactions

So far, reactions to the ‌Dynamic Island‌ have been largely positive, as can be seen in our roundup of commentary on the feature. It has been called "one of Apple's best designs."

Availability

The ‌Dynamic Island‌ is limited to the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro and the ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max. The standard ‌iPhone‌ 14 models continue to offer the same notch as the ‌iPhone‌ 13 models.

Additional Coverage

We'll be picking up an ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro when preorders go live tomorrow, and when it's delivered on the 16th, we'll do an in-depth look at all of the new features, providing a much more detailed overview of the ‌Dynamic Island‌ and its functionality.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
tvOS 18 Thumb 1

Apple Releases tvOS 18.4.1

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released tvOS 18.4.1, a minor update to the tvOS 18 operating system that came out last September. tvOS 18.4.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 18.4, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models. tvOS 18.4.1 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the ‌Apple TV‌. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
iPhone Security Feature 25

Five iPhone Security Features You Should Be Using

Wednesday April 16, 2025 4:15 pm PDT by
Apple has quite a few security features that it's added to iPhones, iPads, and Macs over the years. Now more than ever, it's important to make sure you're taking advantage of the built-in security tools that are available to keep yourself and your data safe, so we've rounded up a list of the most important options. If you don't already have these enabled, you might want to consider turning...
vision air cable

Images of Apple 'Vision Air' Power Cable Emerge Online

Thursday April 17, 2025 5:55 am PDT by
More images of a redesigned power cable allegedly for a future Apple "Vision Air" headset were today shared online by the prototype collector and leaker known as "Kosutami." Yesterday, the leaker explained that the Apple "Vision Air" will feature a thinner design and switch the battery enclosure and several of its internal structures to titanium to reduce the device's overall weight. Most of ...

Top Rated Comments

alpi123 Avatar
34 months ago
It definitely stole the show yesterday. I'm glad it didn't get leaked.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iStorm Avatar
34 months ago
It's neat, but I see a couple things that could be improved...

The time is now hidden when a new call comes in. Can't quickly see the time to decide if you want to take the call before your next meeting, or maybe you're expecting another call soon.




The signal bars are now hidden during a call. Can't see if poor reception could be affecting the call at a quick glance.



Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrTemple Avatar
34 months ago
Sure the 'dead space' is still there, but the visual weight of the dead space is so nicely taken up by the new interface.

Truly excellent design.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
34 months ago

The result will be that people will touch their front camera quite often. That is not good for the image quality.
If only there was some kind of invention for wiping off that area easily.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Villarrealadrian Avatar
34 months ago
My iPhone 12 got mysteriously laggy after iPhone 14 presentation
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AppleFan91 Avatar
34 months ago
Loved it and was a pleasant highlight from yesterday.

Also, while the naming is terrible, someone online called the notch (iPhone X - 13) the “Constant Peninsula” ?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)