The fifth generation of Apple Watch is finally shipping with a feature that users have been wanting ever since the first Apple Watch launched. The “Always on Display” is now available with the Apple Watch Series 5 and it works as good as it sounds.
On the previous models of Apple Watch, the display would go completely dark when you lower your wrist. But with the new Apple Watch 5, you’ll always be able to see the time and complications on a slightly dimmed display. A tap on the screen or raising the wrist would bring the display to full brightness. But rest assured, it would never go completely dark until the battery runs out.
The tech behind “Always on Display” on Apple Watch
The Apple Watch Series 5 features a unique display technology called LTPO. It stands “Low Temperature Poly-Silicon and Oxide” display. And what it does is allow the Watch to dynamically reduce the refresh rate to as low as 1 Hertz to save the power consumed by the display.
LTPO allows the display to refresh dynamically from as high as 60 hertz to as low as 1 hertz which is extremely power efficient.
says Stan, an Apple employee
Not only a LTPO display, but the Apple Watch 5 also features a new low power display driver, an ultra efficient power management circuit, and a new ambient light sensor to further reduce the power consumption of the watch’s display.
How’s the battery life on Apple Watch 5?
Combined with all this tech, the Apple Watch Series 5 is able to deliver the same all-day 18 hour battery life as previous models even when “Always on display” is enabled.
Apple has tuned the watch faces to work with the new LTPO display, and has also optimized the Workout app so users can see their workout metrics without raising the wrist.
Both the hardware and software on the Apple Watch 5 are optimized to allow always on display while keeping the same 18-hour battery life.
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