Apple plans to turn locked iPhones into smart displays with iOS 17

The move is part of a broader push to embed live information in more parts of the company’s software – an approach that also includes the Apple Watch’s interface. — Photo by Ameen ALmayuf on Unsplash

Apple Inc. is planning a new interface for iPhones that shows information such as calendar appointments, the weather and notifications in the style of a smart-home display, part of a flurry of new features coming in its iOS 17 software update.

The view will appear when an iPhone is locked and positioned horizontally, operating similarly to dedicated displays offered by Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Amazon.com Inc., according to people familiar with the project. The idea is to make iPhones more useful when they’re, for example, lying on a person’s desk or nightstand.