Your iPhone could soon make it easier for you to text during movies

According to tweets posted by Australian leaker Sonny Dickson, Apple's Jan. 10 iOS 10.3 beta release might include a "Theater mode" for texting during movies.

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The feature reportedly dims the display and mutes audio to make it easier to text in dark, quiet theaters.

The potential introduction of the feature signals that one of the last phone-free strongholds might finally fall to our smartphone addictions. 

For years, moviegoers have sat through messages at the start of films urging them not to text for good reason. 

It's frustrating to pay for an experience and then have it interrupted by the sound of someone's bright, buzzing phone. In extreme cases, violence has even erupted over texting in theaters.

If Apple makes this feature a reality, it indicates that the company doesn't support fully unplugging during movies and would rather you continue to obsessively check your phone. 

Or, it could mean that Apple knows people are going to check their phones no matter what, so it's useful to provide a less disturbing way to go about it.

According to Dickson, the new feature will be accessible from the swipe-up Control Center.  You turn the mode on by reportedly tapping a popcorn shaped icon.

The rumor should be taken with a grain of salt. While Dickson has leaked accurate Apple product details in the past, he also posted a sketchy-looking video of a "Jet White" iPhone last month.It 

A potential issue with 'Theater mode' is that there doesn't seem to be any space for it on the Control Center.

If "Theater mode" does become a thing, Apple will either have to make the existing five icons smaller, or remove one of them. 

Image: screenshot/mashable

Apple's latest software update, iOS 10.2, launched earlier this month and included a host of new emoji. 

Mashable has reached out to Apple for comment and will update this post if they reply.

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