If you’re looking at picking up a new Apple device, you may have come across the term “True Tone”. But, what actually is it?
Apple’s True Tone technology has been around for a while now, first appearing on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro back in 2016 and featuring on a range of products, including every iPhone since the iPhone 8, in the years that followed.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about Apple True Tone, including what it is, how it works and where you can find the display technology.
What is an Apple True Tone display?
True Tone is an Apple display technology designed to make images appear more natural in different lighting situations.
This involves adjusting the brightness and the temperature of the colours on the screen to fit the light around them.
According to Apple, the True Tone technology found across its Mac range “uses advanced multichannel sensors to adjust the colour and intensity of your display and Touch Bar to match the ambient light so that images appear more natural”.
All of this means that images should continue to look accurate and consistent whether you’re viewing them in artificial lighting or on a warm summer day.
How does it differ from Night Shift
Night Shift is another Apple display technology that adjusts the colours on your screen. However, unlike True Tone, Night Shift pushes the colours toward the warmer end of the spectrum to make scrolling easier on the eyes late at night.
Night Shift uses the clock and geolocation of your device to figure out when the sun will set in your location and automatically adjust the colours accordingly.
Once the morning arrives, your display will return to its usual, cooler colours.
Is True Tone good for your eyes?
Like Night Shift, True Tone could have the effect of producing less strain on the eyes. However, this isn’t its main purpose the way it is for Night Shift.
Do True Tone displays drain battery?
No, True Tone should not have a negative effect on your device’s battery life.
Some reports actually claim True Tone can extend your device’s battery life, but we can’t find any mention of this on Apple’s website so take this with a grain of salt.
Which devices support Apple True Tone?
The True Tone technology can be found across pretty much all current iPhone, iPad and Mac devices, but if you’re ever unsure you can check the spec sheets on Apple’s website.
The feature is enabled automatically on most devices, but you can always toggle it on and off by diving into your iOS and iPadOS settings or MacOS system preferences.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.