Earlier this year it was rumored that “Theater mode” may be the newest feature coming soon to
Apple products on the iOS 10.3 update.
According to 9to5mac.com the features of the supposed new update would include disabling
notifications for calls and messages, muting sounds and dimming the brightness of the screen.
“I don’t like the idea of this update,” said Joseph Young, a Stockton resident. “When you go to
the movies it should be because you want to watch a movie not talk or be on your phone for the
whole movie. This gives people another reason to go on their phones.”
The majority of people may believe that this is not a good idea but there are some that are in
favor with the new feature.
“I don’t think this is a bad idea as a lot of people think it is,” said Tony Sanchez, a Tracy
resident. “People go on their phones during movies all the time no matter what the screen says or
what rules the movie theater has so if this new theater mode can dim the brightness and mute the
phone then it will be less distracting so it’s worth a shot.”
IPhones will not be the only Apple product to receive the latest update. Owners of the Apple
Watch can now put the newest feature to use, as a beta version was released.
This is also not the first time that theater chains would allow phone usage at the movies.
Especially since people do it anyway. The thought of having a theater mode may sound like
another distraction for moviegoers at first but Apple and CEOs are trying to find a solution such
as the iOS update that will keep phone users and movie fans happy at the same time.
Last year the CEO of AMC Entertainment Adam Aron had considered allowing phone use
during a movie.
In an interview with Variety, Aron said that the company wants to “figure out a way to do it that
doesn’t disturb today’s audiences. This could mean making only certain auditoriums within a
movie theater more texting friendly.”
More CEOs have thought about allowing texting and other phone usage in theaters but nothing
official has happened.
The fact that more and more companies are thinking about allowing phones to be on during a
movie makes it very possible that we could see it become a reality in the future.
“Texting during a movie is so distracting and it takes me out of the movie whenever I see a
phone on” added Young. “If the audience just follows the theaters rules and respects each other
then everyone can enjoy the movie.”