this post was submitted on 08 Jul 2023
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Explain Like I'm Five

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They were a good indicator for notifications that are missed when you were away from phone.

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[–] [email protected] 170 points 2 years ago (7 children)

Their absence encourages you to check your phone more often, which means you'll unlock it and look at some content more often, which means as revenue for someone.

[–] RickRussell_CA 76 points 2 years ago

You just wrinkled my brain right now.

[–] orion2145 54 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Being honest I think the opposite of this is more likely true. Seeing a flashing indicator for all the notifications my phone “thinks” are important is going to make me more likely to constantly check my phone. Barring that I check when I want to. And with the new passive display modes I can glance and decide whether to even unlock or not.

[–] why_rob_y 11 points 1 year ago

passive display

This is the real answer for OP. Those lights were replaced. Maybe OP (and maybe me as well, I haven't really thought about it) would prefer to still have the notification LED, but to the hardware manufacturers they replaced those with something "cooler".

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 year ago

It’s a nice conspiracy theory. But unlikely. Who gets the additional review?

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

For some random hardware producer I don't see how that would be favourable.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Genuinely wouldn't be surprised if this was the truth. The tactics these companies employ are both putridly-covert, yet brilliantly executed - especially so if it also saves a few cents.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

In Apple's case it's a subtle encouragement to buy their watch.

[–] basileus 22 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I don’t believe the iPhone ever had an LED notification light. The iPhone existed well before the watch did, as well.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I shouldn't have doubted Apple's campaign for minimalism > functionality

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

It never did, indeed. However, there's an accessibility function to use the flashlight like an old school LED.

[–] Smokeydonuts -4 points 1 year ago

I hate how correct you are about this.