Originally Posted by
CyreneK It's on both screens. Home and Lock. They do it so on the lock screen, the time/date stands out. On the home screen, it's so the app icons pop. Either screen it's ridiculous.
Update: I tested the lock screen a bit. It's a lot better than it used to be. The white and black text shows when it should and the darkening is all but gone. Here's from 2½ years ago. My iPhone 5 lock screen comparison.

Maybe there's hope for the home screen.
Well, I spoke too soon. It still darkens on the lock screen. It's all a matter of color and shade. Here's the same wallpaper I did over 2 years ago on my iPhone 5 shown here on my 6s Plus:
Go figure!