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Hidden Widgets References in iPhone?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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A story comes out of Gizmodo/iPhoneology that suggests that Apple may have had plans for other widgets built into the iPhone.

References to 4 unused Widget names in the iPhone's "LocalizedApplicationNames.strings" file raise some possibilities. These names are listed:

key: com.apple.widget.translation
string: Translator

key: com.apple.unitconverter
string: Converter

key: com.apple.widget.phonebook
string: Business

key: com.apple.mobile.radio
string: Radio
Click to expand...

The "string" name refers to the name that would appear on the iPhone home screen. So the phonebook widget would presumably be a "Business" directory. Coincidentally, there had been unconfirmed rumors that AT&T's Yellowpages.com would find its way onto the iPhone as a new application.

These strings have been known for some time, and may simply represent some left-over widgets from Mac OS X itself. Apple's Mac OS X Dashboard features Phone Book, Translator, and Unit Converter on the standard installation of Mac OS X. This, however, would not easily explain the mobile radio widget reference.

One area of potential confusion for readers is that Gizmodo and iPhoneology published a graphic of corresponding widget icons. These icons are not actually found on the iPhone itself, but are just a compilation posted for illustrative purposes.

Apple has long suggested that new iPhone applications would be coming in the future, with hints that new Google applications would also be arriving for the iPhone.

Article Link
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/07/30/hidden-widgets-references-in-iphone/
I always thought that the iPhone would be great if they implemented the program Dodge Ball that I believe Google purchased a while back. Basically it gave you the location of a buddy on your phone. Paired with google maps that would be a killer app on the iPhone.

Oh and GPS.
 
Translator, Converter, Phonebook seem like no brainers and a perfect fit.

Mobile radio could be the most interesting.
 
4 apps > 4 icons > 1 free row / 4 free app spaces on iPhone display

Might be on to something. ;)

(or not)
 
Dr. Dastardly said:
I always thought that the iPhone would be great if they implemented the program Dodge Ball that I believe Google purchased a while back. Basically it gave you the location of a buddy on your phone. Paired with google maps that would be a killer app on the iPhone.

Oh and GPS.
Click to expand...

Like a Tom Tom buddy I guess?
 
Dang. Those all sound like good apps but I was hoping the last row would be filled with something a little cooler. Maybe once they are over flowing with widgets on the home screen we will be able to pick and choose what goes where.
 
Once the iPhone gets Japanese support, I am getting one. A translator would be good for Europeans.
 
Radio? Will Apple finally put this feature in it's iPod and iPhone?
 
I'm guessing Radio would be web radio, since there's no AM/FM radio tuner built in, right? But web radio couldn't stream very well over EDGE. This would definitely be a great app for car audio, if it worked.
 
It would be great if it supported XM or Sirius radio (via internet connection). I just downloaded the Sirius radio for OS X and thought it would make an amazing app for the iPhone.

The other listed "UNSUPPORTED APPS" can go away along with the Notes and Clock APP. Absolutely worthless.:p
 
Radio would be nice... that just seems like natural thing for it to have with wifi access.
 
another thought about the radio...

Maybe it is a built in FM transmitting program? Is that even possible considering the guts of the iPHONE?

Listen to your music in your car without hooking it up to some wire.
 
As for the Radio, it would be great to be able to listen to mp3 streams. NPR on the iphone would be really nice. You can almost do the same sort of thing on the iphone with seeqpod (www.seeqpod.com/iphone). It's really cool, but some of the song labels are a disaster.

Be forewarned though, it will suck your battery dry in no time, combining high amounts of wifi, with audio.

P
 
I see the 6 people who automatically click Negative on MR are awake :)

Radio ('net streaming?) seems like an odd thing to have separate from the iPod section. You'd think it would be under iPod.

In any case:

Don't get your hopes up: a left-over canceled feature would look much the same as an unfinished planned one.

Don't fret over only having 4 slots on the home screen. It could scroll.
 
Mobile radio is overrated. I was one of the ones asking for radio on the ipod -- then the radio adapter came out, I got it and use it twice. Pointless. Maybe on the iphone would be different, but I doubt it.:)
 
nagromme said:
Don't fret over only having 4 slots on the home screen. It could scroll.
Click to expand...

I think we're likely to see an implimentation similar to the iPod feature on the iPhone. Where you can click More (...) and configure which icons YOU want on the home screen.

For me you can get rid of the Calculator and YouTube. I could do 2 touches to get to these seldomly used Widgets.
 
tuffluffjimmy said:
Dang. Those all sound like good apps but I was hoping the last row would be filled with something a little cooler. Maybe once they are over flowing with widgets on the home screen we will be able to pick and choose what goes where.
Click to expand...

Eventually: You could have like 20 apps and u flick it up and down to scroll -- where the mini 'dock' never moves. And I'm sure at some point we'll be able to customize this stuff.

Question: how does iPhone correlate w/Google's future acquisition of 700mhz band?
 
donlphi said:
Maybe it is a built in FM transmitting program? Is that even possible considering the guts of the iPHONE?

Listen to your music in your car without hooking it up to some wire.
Click to expand...

Yeah I like this idea!

Have no idea if it's possible with the hardware currently installed inside an iPhone, though.

Rod
 
Why does everyone keep referring to the 4 free spaces for icons on the iPhone home screen as if we are limited to 4 and that is it? You could easily scroll the screen and have unlimted icons.
 
Software Upadate

"Where... where... are you tonight?"

It's funny how impatient we/I are/am with reguards to that 1st iPhone Software Update. I wonder if Apple wants a certain number of devices out before releaing an update or if it's a time thing: meaning is Apple technically ready?

Regardless, looking forward to it/them.
 
I hope if they give us more things for the iphone, that we will be able to pick and choose which new ones we want on our phone. because like if someone doesn't use the stock thing but would like the yellow pages, they could replace the stock thing with yellow pages.
 
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