With theWorldwide Developers Conference ( WWDC ) set for June 5 , the Apple rumor mill has fully kick into high gear wheel . While the big - ticket proclamation will certainly be the long - rumoredmixed reality headsetfrom Apple , we ’re also expecting the next round of computer software update : iOS / iPadOS 17,watchOS 10 , and macOS 14 .
Originally , Mark Gurman at Bloomberg claimed thatiOS 17 would be a “ quiet ” release , then backtracked and enounce itmay play several highly requested featuresfrom user over the years . written report this week say thatiOS 17 will better some featureslike search , the Dynamic Island , and Control Center . Now , we ’re hearing it may even fetch usinteractive widgets .
Yes — interactional contrivance . lastly .
iOS 17 could finally make widgets useful
When Apple launched iOS 14 , one of the major headline feature was the power toadd gubbins to the habitation screen , as well as use custom app icons through Shortcuts , without the motivation to jailbreak .
However , these widgets were in the end dissatisfactory , as they come along basically just in a read - only state of matter . Tapping on them only launches the app , fundamentally lay down these “ doodad ” nothing more than large , laud app ikon .
While the read - only state is dependable if you just want to get flake of information at a quick glimpse on the menage screen , sometimes you require to be able to do more . For instance , I would love to be able-bodied to check things off my to - do listing or get Reminders without feature to go into the app . Or even quickly add text to a promissory note that I use as a scratchpad .
Apple actually did have synergistic widgets before , but only in the “ Today ” thought , which you’re able to access by nobble all the path to the left , past your first home filmdom page . For illustration , I still have a PCalc widget in my Today perspective that allows me to make quick calculations without having to set in motion the app . However , this doodad has to remain in the Today view because all home covert widgets are noninteractive , which does n’t make sense .
The way Apple had widgets in the Today view was majuscule because you could amplify and interact with them when needed while also still getting glanceable information . When Apple remove this functionality for home screen widgets , I was confused . intelligibly , interactional doodad were possible , just not on the menage screen . But why , though ?
It’s time for iOS to catch up to Android
Android phonesandtabletshave had interactive widgets on the home screen for a while now . As I ’ve been plunk more into Android gimmick , I love how widgets work on the chopine , and it just prove how Apple is behind in a lot of things .
I ’ve toyed around with widgets on mySamsung Galaxy S23 , for example , and love that I can add reminders on the family blind and check them off from the widget without having to spread out the app . I can even compose a Modern email from the Spark widget , and I have it off that widgets are scrollable if there ’s a long list . All of this is stuff that Apple involve to add if / when it defecate thingummy on Io 17 interactive .
Plus , how nifty would it be to contain your music playback with the Music widget instead of it just showing something like your recently listened - to album ? And being curtail to just seeing a list of my notes without letting me dilate on the content inside unless I launch the app ? I mean , what ’s the point ?
This sounds like the update I’ve been waiting for
I hope that Io 17 really does contribute interactive widgets , as it desperately needs the extra functionality . Right now , they ’re really nothing more than grown app icons that can be large than your distinctive second power .
But I trust that it ’s not just interactive widgets . purportedly , changes to Control Center are also come , and I also hope to seecertain improvements made . Other whispers about Io 17 include best search , moving the Siri interface into the Dynamic Island on corroborate models , and even having the Dynamic Island do … more .
I loved theDynamic Islandwhen it was announced last year , but none of the apps I oftentimes use utilize it ( well , aside from Apollo , but that ’s more of penetrative , aesthetic matter , rather than in reality being useful ) . I hope the write up that Apple plan to “ do more ” with the Dynamic Island is true since alliPhone 15models should be dumbfound it , because right now , at least for me , the appealingness is gone .
If Apple can deliver all of that — on top of interactive home screen widgets — we really could be in for something limited with iOS 17 .
