The simple trick iOS 9 uses to improve your battery life the instant you install it

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Apple took the wraps off of the next-generation iOS 9 platform during its big

WWDC 2015 keynote on Monday, and there’s a lot to digest. You can visit our WWDC 2015 hub to learn more about the new software, or you can skip right to our post on the 5 best new features in iOS 9 for a cheat sheet.

During the company’s presentation, Apple revealed that iOS 9 will feature some big improvements that focus on battery life. Interestingly, the company said that iOS 9 will improve an iOS device’s battery life by about an hour just by installing it.

So, how exactly does iOS 9 add an hour in between charges?

The battery life improvements that come with iOS 9 certainly aren’t among the platform’s flashiest new features, but battery life remains smartphone users’ biggest concerns. As such, gaining an extra hour in between charges will be a welcome change indeed.

This change will also be of particular interest considering the fact that iPhones aren’t top performers in the battery department when compared to rivals.

Apple has plenty of optimizations in iOS 9 that contribute to the big battery life gains, but there’s one simple trick in particular that will have a dramatic impact on battery life without disrupting usage at all. In fact, this little trick seems so elementary that you’ll wonder why it took Apple so long to implement it.

From Apple’s iOS 9 page:

Across the entire operating system, apps and key technologies have been made more efficient to trim battery usage wherever possible — so you get more battery life for the things you do every day. Thanks to ambient light and proximity sensors, your iPhone knows if it’s facedown on the table and prevents the screen from turning on, even when you receive a notification. And the new Low Power mode lets you extend your battery life even further.

Can you believe how simple that is? When an iPhone is facedown on your desk or a table, there is absolutely no reason to illuminate the display as new notifications arrive. After all, the display is always one of the biggest culprits on any smartphone when it comes to battery drain.