Apple blogger Sonny Dickson has claimed iOS 10.3 will be released soon, featuring a new ‘Theatre mode.’
He tweeted that a new popcorn-shaped icon will appear in the Control Center – accessed by swiping up on the Home screen of an iPhone or iPad.
iOS 10.3 to feature a new Theatre mode – will include a new popcorn-shaped Control Center icon.
— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) December 30, 2016
Others have since speculated this will be so iPhones can be used less intrusively in cinemas. Taking on a sort of ‘Dark mode,’ which has been widely rumored on iOS before, enabling the mode will dim the screen, and mute audio and notifications.
Dark Mode was rumored to arrive in iOS 10, but failed to materialize. However, it did arrive on the Apple TV.
iOS 10.3 will signal the midway point between iOS 10 and iOS 11, expected next September. The third iterative update of each iOS generally features important new features. iOS 9.3 introduced Night Shift, for example.
Dickson elaborated, believing developers would get their hands on iOS 10.3 on Tuesday, January 4. It’s likely to then head to public beta testers, before seeing a wider release in a month or so.
Read more: How to enable a ‘sort-of Dark mode’ in iOS