Fact check: Only through auto brightness that the phone is able to reach peak brightness (to those iPhones with HDR screens) especially in sunlight

1. Summary of the results

Based on the available analyses, the claim that only through auto-brightness can iPhones with HDR screens reach peak brightness in sunlight appears to be contradicted by the evidence. The first source directly challenges this assertion, suggesting that iPhones with HDR screens may actually experience screen dimming in sunlight when auto-brightness is turned off ^[1]. This implies that auto-brightness may be necessary to maintain optimal brightness levels, but not necessarily to reach peak brightness.

The second source provides comparative brightness testing data showing that the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the brightest among tested devices, but crucially does not explicitly state that auto-brightness is required to reach peak brightness ^[2]. This suggests that peak brightness capabilities exist independently of the auto-brightness feature.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement lacks several important technical considerations:

• Display technology mechanics: The third source discusses how HDR content display can make non-HDR content appear dim ^[3], indicating that brightness perception and actual peak brightness are complex technical issues that may not be solely dependent on auto-brightness settings.
• Comparative performance data: The analyses reveal that iPhone 16 Pro Max performs as the brightest device in real-world testing ^[2], but this finding doesn't support the claim about auto-brightness being the exclusive pathway to peak brightness.
• Technical distinction: There appears to be a difference between maintaining brightness in challenging conditions versus achieving maximum possible brightness output that the original statement conflates.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement contains potential technical inaccuracies:

• Overstated dependency: The claim uses absolute language ("only through auto-brightness") which is contradicted by evidence showing screen dimming occurs when auto-brightness is disabled ^[1], suggesting the relationship is more nuanced than presented.
• Incomplete technical understanding: The statement fails to distinguish between brightness optimization in varying conditions versus absolute peak brightness capability, leading to a potentially misleading conclusion about iPhone display technology.
• Lack of comparative context: By focusing solely on auto-brightness as the determining factor, the statement ignores broader display performance data that shows iPhone brightness superiority without necessarily requiring auto-brightness activation ^[2].