Summary
- Samsung’s new default AOD on the Galaxy S24 seems inspired by Apple-inspired, featuring muted colors and the backdrop of your lock screen.
- Apple’s implementation was controversial at launch, with the company eventually rolling out a basic black variant a couple of months after launch.
- Samsung allows you to cut out the main focus of your lock screen to minimize distractions, something the iPhone isn’t capable of doing.
There’s a lot to unpack (heh) from today’s Samsung event, including an unexpected tease for its long-in-the-works smart ring. But at the end of the day, the big announcement today focuses on three devices: the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and the big boy itself, the Galaxy S24 Ultra. I’ve already got my first impressions of the S24 Ultra up on the site right now — TL;DR: I’m mixed — but I also got my hands on my very own review unit this afternoon. And in between installing apps and managing logins, I found myself completely caught off-guard by Samsung’s new Apple-inspired always-on display.
While trying to take a break to eat my first meal of the day — please don’t look at the clock, I’ve been busy — I noticed my S24 Ultra glowing on my desk with the new wallpaper I’d recently set. It only took a moment to realize I hadn’t left the screen on; rather, this was Samsung’s new default always-on display experience. Rather than use a standard black screen like my Galaxy S23 Ultra, One UI 6.1 is using an Apple-like AOD, complete with muted colors and the backdrop of your lock screen.
Sure enough, diving into the settings menu delivered a new toggle not found on last year’s flagship running One UI 6. Toggling off “Show Lock screen wallpaper” quickly reverted back to black, but it’s still surprising to see Samsung shipping this as the default experience on the Galaxy S24. Apple’s always-on display implementation was met with a pretty mixed reception at launch, so much so that the company later added the ability to swap to a black display, rather than keeping your wallpaper live. Now, nearly eighteen months after the iPhone’s experiment with a more literal always-on display, Samsung has chosen to follow Apple’s path.
The AOD menu on the S24 vs. the S23.
That said, there is a pretty sweet addition that comes along with this new feature. If your wallpaper has a defined subject in it — say, your partner or pet — you can toggling on the ability to automatically erase the background from the always-on display. This way, rather than having the entire screen glow, you’re left with the face of your adorable orange cat as he lounges on your couch. Or, you know, whatever you happen to have as your lock screen.
Still, I’ll be keeping my AOD on black. When I first tested Apple’s implementation of this idea, I found it too bright and distracting, both during the work day and at night. While I think Samsung’s concept of splitting the difference by eliminating background elements is pretty interesting in practice, it’s just not something that appeals to me. If you want to try it yourself, the Galaxy S24 series is now available for preorder and should be in your hands before the end of the month. As reported by SamMobile, it’s rumored to not be coming to older devices.
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Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung’s latest Galaxy S24 makes the most of its limited screen real estate. With a larger battery and smaller bezels than ever before, it’s a great upgrade for those looking to find something a little more pocketable.
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Samsung Galaxy S24+
The Galaxy S24+ might be the phone to get this year. It keeps its $1,000 price point, while leveling up the display and keeping things in a slightly redesigned chassis. And of course, you still get all of the AI features found on the more expensive Ultra.
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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
If you’re a power user looking to upgrade, this is the phone for you. Its massive 6.8-inch display is as great as ever, and combined with the new Galaxy AI platform, it gives the Pixel 8 Pro a run for its money.
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