Landscape controls on iOS are awkward
StandBy mode was designed for when you set your iPhone aside and leave it to charge. It even has a night mode that relies on dimmer colors for when your room is dark during night hours. So, technically, you're not supposed to use the phone when StandBy mode is active. And that's exactly my problem with it.
I tried using StandBy mode for a few nights in a row, as I leave my iPhone on the bedside stand to charge nightly. But it wasn't working for me since I often reply to last-minute texts or check my notifications while I fall asleep. Using my iPhone in landscape orientation is inconvenient because the display is quite tall, and the OS wasn't designed for primary landscape use.
Furthermore, the always-on display shows the time, date, weather, and other Lock Screen widgets at all times, and because it's in portrait orientation, I can easily check notifications and reply to messages while my iPhone charges. And when I randomly wake up during the night, I can more easily see and identify the kind of notifications that I have.
StandBy mode, in my opinion, magnifies the always-on display lock screen and makes it less practical. Users who don't often check their phones while they charge them will likely appreciate the larger fonts, clearer graphics, and richer widgets, but it won't work for everybody.
StandBy makes more sense on iPadOS
The iPad is a different story, though, especially iPad Pro models with larger displays. Unlike iOS, iPadOS is convenient to use in landscape orientation. Not only does the screen have a more suitable aspect ratio, but the entire operating system just works better in landscape. That's why many users leave their iPads on stands in landscape or use them in that orientation with a keyboard accessory or case.
Unlike my iPhone, the iPad isn't my primary device, so if it's in StandBy mode, I likely won't feel the need to use it. And even if I decide to use it, I wouldn't have to unplug it or rotate it to portrait orientation to utilize it since the OS works just fine sideways. That's not to mention that StandBy on an iPad would fit more widgets and support larger fonts due to the additional display space. After all, smart displays are usually closer to the size of tablets than smartphones. Unfortunately, iPadOS 17 does not support StandBy.
Maybe next year?
For the past few years, Apple has been introducing some exclusive iPhone features that only make it to the iPad a year or more later. These include the customizable Lock Screen, App Library, Home Screen widgets, and Health app. So while the iPad doesn't support MagSafe, Apple could potentially introduce StandBy mode on iPadOS 18 when the tablet is charging through a wired connection in landscape orientation. While I'm sure many iOS users will appreciate and use this feature on their new iPhones, some others, including me, would rather stick to the traditional always-on display.
