Skip to main content

Motorola is mad at Samsung for stealing its always-on screen idea

Lenovo Moto Z and Z Force
Jessica Lee Star/Digital Trends
It’s ever-so easy to get caught up in the instant, type-what-you’re-thinking world of social media, but sometimes it’s essential to have a filter. Take a moment, and consider whether you should tweet something out, or at least consider your wording if you can’t hold back. Those in charge of Motorola’s U.S. Twitter account have no time for such nonsense, judging by a tweet sent out accusing rival Samsung of stealing its always-on display feature.

No, we didn’t add the word steal for effect. That’s Motorola’s word. The tweet reads “In what galaxy is it okay to steal competitor phones cool features?” See what Motorola did there? It neatly avoided naming its competitor, but you don’t need to graduate from the School of Super-Clever Internet Sleuths to work out which one it’s talking about.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7, along with the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, all have an always-on lock screen showing the time, date, battery percentage and other information. Samsung has used it as a selling point since the S7 range’s launch back in February, and it’s presumably this to which Motorola (or at least, its Twitter team) has taken offense. Motorola introduced an always-on display with the Moto X back in 2013.

Samsung and Motorola aren’t the only companies using an always-on lock screen display to make our mobile lives a little easier. LG has one on the G5 for example, and as many Twitter commenters pointed out, Nokia beat them all to the feature with various phones including the Nokia 808 PureView from 2012, and the Glance screen feature on Lumia devices. However, neither LG or Nokia are top of the global smartphone tree at the moment, and therefore far less exciting for Motorola to discuss.

Unless there is a patent problem brewing, where Motorola backs up its stealing claim in the courts, Moto’s tweet comes across as a “don’t forget about us” cry for attention. Things may get more interesting if Samsung strikes back with its own not-so-cryptic tweet though.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Samsung just copy-and-pasted iOS 16’s lock screen in its One UI 5 beta
From left, Good Lock, Samsung One UI 5 beta, and iOS 16 lock screens are displayed on smartphones.

It's hard to tell sometimes if iPhone innovations inspire Android or the other way around. Google introduced Material You for Android 13, while Apple programmed iOS 16 with lock screen customization -- giving their respective customers all the personalization power in the world. Now, it seems Samsung made lock screen customization on its phones look similar to that of iOS 16 in its latest One UI 5 beta.

Video creator and TechDroider founder Vaibhav Jain pointed out on Twitter that the lock screen interface for One UI 5 is a spitting image of the lock screen interface for iOS 16, but with some differences. Whereas iOS 16 gives users a selection of eight clock face designs, One UI 5 gives only five. The former also offers both built-in and third-party widgets (like Widgetable), while the latter only offers widget icons for notifications.

Read more
The best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors
Person holding skateboard while wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

A new, sleek design and digital bezel help the Galaxy Watch 4 stand out in the crowd and set it apart from the traditional style of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Whether you've picked up a 40mm model with a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED screen or opted for more screen real estate with the 44mm model, that stand-out design needs protecting from scratches and knocks. That means it's time for our picks of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors, with something to suit all budgets.

These screen protectors will all fit the 40mm or 44mm models of the Galaxy Watch 4. If you've got a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, these won't fit.
Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Screen Protector

Read more
Motorola shows that the Razr 2022 is making its best feature even better
A render of the Moto Razr 2022, showing off the confirmed larger front display it will have.

Motorola’s upcoming clamshell foldable is set to debut on August 2. The brand has begun teasing the device since the launch is around the corner. In the latest tease, we see a glimpse of the Moto Razr 2022 and its bigger outer screen.

The device appears to be getting a major design overhaul. Along with the design, Motorola has also upgraded the hardware of the device. Thus, this could be the Moto Razr everyone was waiting for. Here's a quick recap of what Motorola's confirmed.

Read more