At one point during this year's WWDC, Craig Federighi stated: "We saw an opportunity to create something new and different for those moments when you set the iPhone down. We call it 'Standby.' Just by turning iPhone on its side while charging, you get a new full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed at a distance. Standby is perfect for your nightstand, kitchen counter or desk. And with the always-on Display on iPhone 14 Pro, it's always available. When you wake up, it's easy to see the time with a clock. And it's easy to personalize. It also embraces the power of widgets, which are more glanceable than ever. At night when your charging iPhone, StandBy adapts to low light, taking on a beautiful red tone to help you sleep. So that's StandBy."   

The concept of 'StandBy' came by way of a patent that Apple filed back in 2020. Patently Apple covered this patent in January 2023 when the U.S. Patent office granted Apple this patent.

The patent that was updated and published today states that "The change in operational mode may correspond to and/or be accompanied with a change in the graphical user interface or graphical output that is displayed by the mobile phone. For example, an alarm clock docking accessory changes the operational mode of the mobile phone in yet another manner."

Apple's patent FIG. 1B below provides a view of an iPhone with iOS changing when put on a charging stand as Federighi reviewed at WWDC23.

Apple's patent FIG. 1A illustrates the 'StandBy' feature possibly expanding to different styled accessories/charging stands and specialty protective cases for sports, games and more. 

In respect to a specialty gaming iPhone protector, Apple notes that "The device may be configured to dynamically re-map the auxiliary inputs based on the game, application, operating mode, or graphical user interface that is active on the device.

For example, when the user places the device (iPhone #100) into the gaming case #510 (below), the device may enter a gaming mode or graphical user interface, and the auxiliary inputs #512, #514 may be mapped to gaming inputs (e.g., to control a character or other aspect of a game).

Further, if the user exits the gaming mode while the iPhone is still in the gaming case (#510), the auxiliary inputs #512, #514 may be re-mapped to other functions. For example, the directional pad #512 may control the position of a cursor on the display or change a selected object, and the buttons #514 may select items, launch applications, switch the device between different applications or user interfaces, or the like. When the user returns to the gaming mode, the auxiliary inputs 512, 514 may be re-mapped to the gaming functions.

Our January 2023 granted patent report could be reviewed here and/or you could review Apple's September 21 patent update #20230300234 with 20 new patent claims at the bottom of patent here.