In the latest iOS 16.1 beta, Apple has tweaked the design of the Lingering Island on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max to make it more visible against dark backgrounds. When using a dark wallpaper or a dark interface with Dark Mode activated, a light grey border will appear around the outside of the Lingering Island when the screen is dark or when the island is in active use.
The border is not displayed on light wallpapers where the outline of the Lingering Island is already visible and disappears when the iPhone is unlocked or when the Lingering Island is not used. If you play music or use an app that displays content in Dynamic Island, the border will show up again.
In iOS 16.0.2, the dynamic island had a very faint border around it, but the iOS 16.1 beta makes it more visible. It’s unclear why Apple made this change and what it ultimately added to the Lingering Island interface. For those who use a dark background to make the Lingering Island blend in better with the screen around it, the new outline doesn’t do much and could instead be seen as a distraction.
