Apple is gearing up to bring StandBy mode’s fresh features, originally seen on the iPhone Duo, to all devices updating to iOS 27.3—including any iPhone 11 or newer. StandBy mode transforms a landscape-positioned iPhone on a charger into a glanceable display that can resemble a bedside clock, complete with configurable content. On the Duo, the mode also supports folded use—book or tent style—even without charging.
What’s New with StandBy in iOS 27.3
Here’s what’s being added for iPhone 11+ users:
- The Analog and Digital Clock faces will get more color themes and a wider range of complications for better customization.
- The Photos face will gain support for choosing from Shared Albums, so your standby slideshows can pull from those collections.
- New watch-style faces will be introduced—specifically Calendar and Weather displays.
- You’ll be able to create multiple variants of each face type and swipe among them—essentially enabling different standby layouts you can switch between.
Other Features & Release Timing
Along with upgraded StandBy mode, iOS 27.3 brings back vertical tabs in Safari, restores Apple’s redesigned Health app, and enables certain Apple Intelligence tools in China. The first developer beta dropped today, and the public release is expected sometime in December.
StandBy mode first appeared in iOS 17, designed to give a more useful idle experience when the iPhone is propped up. The iPhone Duo took things further by letting users fold the device like a book or tent and still get that display functionality—even when it’s not plugged in. But until now, these enhanced displays and configurations have been limited to the Duo.
This update signals Apple’s push to unify the StandBy experience across its device lineup—bringing premium features to older devices (relative to the Duo), which helps those users get more out of iOS 27 without needing the newest hardware. With Dozens of apps and features now supporting StandBy, customization (faces, color, layouts), and region-specific features like Apple Intelligence coming alive in China, iOS 27.3 is shaping up to be one of the most significant upgrades this year.
