Opinion
Apple, Google and Samsung – stop releasing a new phone every year!
by Lorenz Keller
Apple, take me to Dynamic Island
8.9.2022
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Android smartphones have had a camera hole in their displays for years. However, with the release of Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple of Cupertino have once again proven that they can drum up hype with the smallest of trivialities.
Classic Apple: a new spin on an old idea
This is just so typical of Apple. Taking something that has been around for a long time, but making it potentially much more interesting than any alternatives by adding a twist. If the iPhone 14 Pro had only changed from a notch to a so-called «punch-hole», much gloating would’ve been done among Android users: «This has been standard on Android for ages, and Apple is selling it as a novelty.»
But Apple has thought long and hard about how the iPhone can continue to differentiate itself from Android devices. The result is Dynamic Island. It visually makes the camera hole disappear beneath a mix of notification bars and control elements. Apps use them to display information, show small controls, or let you click on them for a larger view.
Apple might have hit the bull’s-eye with Dynamic Island. Without further research, I’m quite hyped for it. Where Android manufacturers have at most offered matching wallpapers, Apple has created a new form of interaction. A small UI feature that seems totally benign at first, but which has the potential to transform how you use your iPhone.
With Dynamic Island, Apple is widening the already unusually large gap between the iPhone 14 and 14 Pro in terms of features and functions. This should increase the sales prospects of the Pro model. It feels like the iPhone 14 is only a minimally modified version of the iPhone 13. So why not go for the cheaper model from last year?
Despite all the enthusiasm for Dynamic Island, I won’t buy the iPhone 14 Pro. It’s clearly above my personal budget threshold for buying new smartphones. Instead, I’m hoping other manufacturers will be inspired by Apple.
Jan Johannsen
Senior Editor
Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.deWhen I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
Opinion
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