iPhone Features Interactive Widgets Starting With iOS 17

[MacRumors]

Starting with iOS 17, interactive widgets are now available on the iPhone across the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and the new StandBy mode. Apple gave some examples of what interactive widgets can be used for, including marking a reminder as completed, playing or pausing a song or podcast, and controlling accessories in the Home app, and there will be many more possibilities as third-party apps are updated with support.

Introduced with iOS 14, Home Screen widgets offered limited functionality until now, as Apple did not allow developers to include interactive elements, such as scrolling, buttons, or animated transitions. Home Screen widgets were only allowed to present read-only information, and tapping on a widget would simply open the corresponding app. Now, users will be able to interact with widgets directly for some actions.

Interactive widgets are also available on the iPad's Home Screen and Lock Screen with iPadOS 17, and on the Mac's desktop with macOS Sonoma. All of the software updates are currently available in beta and will be released to the public later this year.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1665840765250179072

Article Link: iPhone Features Interactive Widgets Starting With iOS 17

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Looks amazing but the only thing I’m worried about is the battery life. Hopefully, it doesn’t drain the battery life.

When the battery life drains fast it just makes the whole experience lame.

 

[Ghost31]

It’s funny that there’s so much overlap between iOS and iPadOS that they had to save this for the iPadOS section to make it seem like iPad gets features

 

[maxrest]

Finally!!! One of my most wanted features from android. It took a while to get it… but better late than never

 

[biracialfamily91]

I can't wait to use in September. This is one of my most requested features. Now if they could add split screen multi-taking and theme packs, then I wouldn't complain about how slow Apple takes to bring in features that Android has had for years.

 

[alexandr]

When the battery life drains fast it just makes the whole experience lame.

If you remove the word 'drains' — you will have a nice song in the making!

 

[alexandr]

It’s funny that there’s so much overlap between iOS and iPadOS that they had to save this for the iPadOS section to make it seem like iPad gets features

Yea.. I'm all for the overlap — it's called consistency.

 

[alexandr]

I'm almost more excited for the Home widget than for the interactive part)))

 

[SFjohn]

Looks amazing but the only thing I’m worried about is the battery life. Hopefully, it doesn’t drain the battery life.

When the battery life drains fast it just makes the whole experience lame.

From watching the video it would appear the battery is an option if you can’t be plugged into a wall outlet.

 

[Spock]

I just want them to allow me to shut off snap to grid! Let me put widgets and icons where I want! Such a simple feature that they refuse to implement.

 

[Daino92]

Looks amazing but the only thing I’m worried about is the battery life. Hopefully, it doesn’t drain the battery life.

When the battery life drains fast it just makes the whole experience lame.

I don’t think this will impact battery life if it does it will be minimal. 😀

 

[gavroche]

I just want them to allow me to shut off snap to grid! Let me put widgets and icons where I want! Such a simple feature that they refuse to implement.

And adjusting the icon size so you can fit more icons on the screen. Such a crazy concept Apple? :-/

 

[AppleTO]

Cool, but now we will have to wait yet another year for all the companies to updates their widgets to support this. Some have just finally released the new style widgets.

 

[svish]

Good update to widgets. Should have been like this since last year

 

[3530025]

I can't wait to use in September. This is one of my most requested features. Now if they could add split screen multi-taking and theme packs, then I wouldn't complain about how slow Apple takes to bring in features that Android has had for years.

Split screen! Yes please. Such required feature for advanced device like iPhone.

 

[3530025]

Yea.. I'm all for the overlap — it's called consistency.

More like unification. But honestly I would like more to have MacOS on iPad or if iPadOS would be closer to the macOS than iOS. iPad with keyboard and TouchPad, connected to the external screen, is more computer than phone.

 

[biracialfamily91]

Split screen! Yes please. Such required feature for advanced device like iPhone.

I still don't know why they don't have it yet on the Max phones. It's large enough, they just don't want to do it. I don't understand why.

 

[Calle68]

Am I the only one that does not need to go into beta program this year?

 

[boyarka]

Gee, mister. Interactive widgets? That's been on Android since like... when Noah built that ark.

 

[3530025]

I still don't know why they don't have it yet on the Max phones. It's large enough, they just don't want to do it. I don't understand why.

Follow the money. They want you to buy iPad for that... And I have it and it's somewhat gimmicky device. I always rather grab my MBP for everything else than writing long email.

 

[UltimateSyn]

For some reason I thought they were already interactive. Goes to show how much I have used the existing widget system...

 

[bassexpander]

Good on them. Glad to see the changes. I went back to Android (mostly because of differences in text editing functions and workplace integration) but still enjoy my Ipad. Android has really upped the game in terms of functionality, and it's good to see Apple respond.

 

[Hustler1337]

Gee, mister. Interactive widgets? That's been on Android since like... when Noah built that ark.

I didn't realise that iOS widgets were non-interactive until I saw this article and it seems odd for them not to be interactive in the first place.

No doubt Apple will get the credit for introducing the 'new' feature to the industry when Android users incl. myself have been using this 'feature' for many years.

 

[Soylent Yellow]

Interactive widgets? Like the BluOS widget that I use to pause/start/turn volume up and down on my audio streamer every day? I didn't know that functionality is supposed to be absent.

 

[The Game 161]

Finally podcasts and music widgets are now useful