iPhone owner baffled after mystery circle with ’34 minute’ timer appears – it’s so useful once you work out why

IPHONE users might be confused to see a mysterious symbol with a timer appear in an oval-shaped cut-out on their device.

However, the countdown isn't there for unnecessary pressure - it's a useful feature that can keep track of time sensitive items on iPhone 14 Pro and later versions.

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Dynamic Island allows iPhone users to easily see alerts and activities in progress including flight information, sports scores, and food delivery updates.

The feature automatically appears to show constant progress and live updates as a small cut-out at the top of the iPhone's home screen or at the top of the active app whenever your phone is unlocked.

The island shows a countdown or the live information next to a symbol signifying the app or whatever activity is in progress, which baffled one iPhone user on Reddit.

"What does this symbol mean?" the user asked in a thread titled r/iphone, where people usually discuss iPhone features and tricks.

The iPhone owner included a picture that showed a Dynamic Island with a cookie-looking symbol next to a timer counting down from 34 minutes.

As people in the thread quickly pointed out, the cookie symbol represented the Crumbl cookie app - meaning the poster had ordered cookies and that they'd be available for pickup or delivery in 34 minutes.

What is Dynamic Island?

Dynamic Island is the oval-shaped cut-out located at the top of your phone screen where iPhone front cameras are located.

The feature serves as a hub to access shortcuts on your iPhone and it appears when your phone is unlocked.

Dynamic Island can be used for the following alerts and activities:

• Disconnecting from calls
• Sharing Lyft and Uber arrival information
• Sports scores
• Turn-by-turn driving directions on Maps
• Controlling your music
• Flight information

You can expand Dynamic Island by tapping the feature, which will show more information.

Multiple Dynamic Islands can occur at once.

Users can switch from one Dynamic Island to the next by swiping from the left or right side toward the center.

"Only time will tell. Just wait 34 mins," One user responded sarcastically in the thread.

"Or use any of your 20 digits or elbow or even tongue and nose to CLICK the Dynamic Island where it’ll (magically) give you exactly what you wanna know."

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"Did you place an order for food or something? 34 minutes to delivery?? That looks like the Dynamic Island giving you info… what happens when you tap on it?" another added.

"Crumbl cookie will be delivered in 34 minutes," a third explained.

HOW TO USE DYNAMIC ISLAND

To see more detail on Dynamic Island, iPhone users can expand the activity by tapping the feature.

Users can get more information by touching and holding the activity or by swiping from the center to either side of the screen.

If the feature is taking up too much room, you can collapse the activity to make the Dynamic Island by swiping from the right or left side toward the center.

Finally, you can switch from one Dynamic Island activity to another by swiping from one side to the next.