iOS 17’s standby view lets your iPhone double as a deskside clock

Ever want to use your iPhone like a deskside clock? Now you can, thanks to the new “standby” view in iOS 17.

Announced at Apple’s WWDC conference, standby activates when you turn an iPhone on its side while it’s charging. It delivers glanceable information via swipeable widgets, including the time and incoming notifications.

Image Credits: Apple

Apple didn’t say whether Standby was an iPhone-exclusive feature — arguably, it’d be more useful on the iPad’s larger screen. But whatever the case, it seems like a smart way to leverage a device that’d otherwise sit idle on a desk.