List of Smartphones with DisplayPort Alt Mode

As Android and, the now-defunct, Windows 10 Mobile are mobile operating systems, most manufacturers do not include support for wired video output. Even if support is present, it may not be prominently indicated on a device's specification list.

All iOS devices (iPhone 4 and later, iPod touch 4th gen and later, iPad 1st gen and later) support wired video output. iOS devices, which traditionally did not use Micro USB or USB-C, are able to provide wired video output with adapters for the proprietary 30-pin dock connector (Apple 30-pin to VGA Adapter, Apple 30-pin Digital AV HDMI Adapter) and Lightning connector (Lightning to VGA Adapter, Lightning Digital AV HDMI Adapter).  From 2018 to 2023, Apple made a transition from the Lightning connector to the USB-C connector on iOS devices, starting with the iPad Pro (3rd gen and later), and eventually arriving on the iPhone 15. In 2024, the iPhone 16 will continue to be updated with this type of technology.

• Although faster USB 3.1 speeds (est. 10Gbps / 1.25GBps) are reserved for the higher-end iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max models and slower USB 2 speeds (est. 480 Mbps / 60MBps) are present on the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models, the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus models have support for DisplayPort video output with up to 4K HDR resolution.
• On iOS, major content service providers that allow screen mirroring in their apps include: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Tubi, Pluto TV etc. (as of Jan 2021).
• On iOS, some content service providers (especially paid cable TV subscription companies that also provide a traditional set-top box) explicitly blocked screen mirroring in their apps. In such cases, DRM restrictions implemented in the app would either block the video from playing, or display a black screen with only audio playing. These apps include: ESPN, Now TV, All 4, My5, UKTV Play etc. (as of Jan 2021).

HTC, Samsung, Huawei have supported DisplayPort on most of their flagship HTC U series, Samsung Galaxy S series, Samsung Galaxy Note series, Huawei Mate series, Huawei P series phones.

LG formerly supported DisplayPort on their LG G series and LG V series phones, but dropped support in the G6, G7, V35, V40 phones. With the December 2018 software update, LG enabled DisplayPort output in G7, V35, V40 phones. 

Samsung's DeX mode, Huawei's Easy Projection, Motorola's Ready For, and Microsoft's Continuum allow phones to offer a PC-like experience. In addition to regular screen mirroring, they allow apps to be used in multiple windows with a desktop-like interface when connected to an external display with keyboard and mouse.

The gaming-oriented smartphones, ROG Phone and Razer Phone, support DisplayPort. The ROG Phone, when connected to the Mobile Desktop Dock, outputs 4K UHD video through HDMI and DisplayPort. Razer's Project Linda, a work-in-progress concept, allows a docked phone to power a laptop and run apps on a larger screen, with the phone acting as a touchpad or second screen for custom interfaces.

A bug introduced in Android Oreo resulted in performance issues (unreliable video/audio). This bug affects phones running stock Android (Razer Phone and Essential Phone) that have been updated from Android Nougat to Oreo.

Android 10's first beta, released on 13 March 2019, introduced a native desktop mode, but it is hidden by default in the final release. LG made modifications to improve this desktop mode, and included it the LG V50 ThinQ and LG G8 ThinQ.

In Nov 2019, it was discovered through the Android source code that Google had explicitly blocked the DisplayPort function in the Pixel 4.

On devices with no native DisplayPort support, the DisplayLink Presenter app, when used with adapters and docking stations with DisplayLink chipsets, can provide limited screen mirroring functionality. However, as a third-party solution, playback of HDCP-encrypted video content might be disabled.

In May 2020, the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) released version 2.0 of DisplayPort Alternate Mode (Alt Mode), which enables up to 16K video output over USB 4 Type-C ports.

Although DisplayPort functionality was disabled at a hardware level on Google Pixel 7 and previous models, Mishaal Rahman discovered that it is only locked at a software level on the Google Pixel 8. It is possible to enable display output on a rooted Pixel 8 with the following shell command with adb.

In practical use, many users connect their smartphones to a portable monitor to make full use of DisplayPort Alt Mode or desktop features like Samsung DeX. Compared to traditional displays, portable monitors are lightweight, USB-C powered, and ideal for travel or remote work.

With a single cable, compatible phones can output video to a larger screen, making it easier to multitask, game, or view content on the go.

If you want to know if your laptops support a single cable connection to a portable monitor, you can read this article: Laptops With Thunderbolt 3 or 4.

Click here to buy a 144Hz portable monitor

Comparison of Support for DisplayPort Alt Mode by Various Brands 

NOTE: This article is repost from everybodywiki.com