My iPhone Experience Wanting Me To Move On

[Oohara]

But when you said widgets were on IOS.....they really are not. They are really a notification. Not a widget. I want to have 3 screens on my GS5....Screen#3 4x4 for my calendar widget. Screen #2 has Apollo music player, Pandora, and an email widget for hotmail. Screen #1 (home screen) has Google search widget that has voice activation by saying "Ok Google" Beautiful widgets weather widget right under that one. Now I can change any one of those widgets to whatever i want to wherever i want. There are endless apps on the Playstore to choose from that can become a widget. I can place those widgets anywhere i want them to be that is useful to me.....

Can you change the widgets in IOS? Can you choose a different location or app? I don't think you can. Can you have weather on your homescreen?

And my eternal favourite - Power Toggles. One tap on the home screen to set up wifi hotspot FTW.

But I see what TechGod is saying also, pulling down the notifications shade to see any widget that you have placed there is a bit smoother than having to exit the app to look at the home screen. Meanwhile like you say of course, you then have to do an extra action if you're already on the home screen. And Android has widgets that can be placed in the notifications shade too.

I do prefer Android's widgets at the moment. And boy do I wish Apple would implement that guy's widget idea that was featured on The Verge some time ago. Next best thing would be to have a separate widgets page in iOS that was available with swipe right from the home screen. Currently the swipe right does nothing at all, right?

 

[jamezr]

And my eternal favourite - Power Toggles. One tap on the home screen to set up wifi hotspot FTW.

But I see what TechGod is saying also, pulling down the notifications shade to see any widget that you have placed there is a bit smoother than having to exit the app to look at the home screen. Meanwhile like you say of course, you then have to do an extra action if you're already on the home screen. And Android has widgets that can be placed in the notifications shade too.

I do prefer Android's widgets at the moment. And boy do I wish Apple would implement that guy's widget idea that was featured on The Verge some time ago. Next best thing would be to have a separate widgets page in iOS that was available with swipe right from the home screen. Currently the swipe right does nothing at all, right?

I agree...the menu pull down is useful...but they are not widgets. It is another notification center. Good idea....but not widgets....can't compare them to Android. Not remotely the same.

 

[TechGod]

I agree...the menu pull down is useful...but they are not widgets. It is another notification center. Good idea....but not widgets....can't compare them to Android. Not remotely the same.

Yep this is true, they are a different function, I personally prefer access to widgets from any app. The iOS implementation suits me better.

 

[jamezr]

Yep this is true, they are a different function, I personally prefer access to widgets from any app. The iOS implementation suits me better.

So are they widgets? Or notifications? Can you have anything in the Today tab?

 

[TechGod]

And my eternal favourite - Power Toggles. One tap on the home screen to set up wifi hotspot FTW.

But I see what TechGod is saying also, pulling down the notifications shade to see any widget that you have placed there is a bit smoother than having to exit the app to look at the home screen. Meanwhile like you say of course, you then have to do an extra action if you're already on the home screen. And Android has widgets that can be placed in the notifications shade too.

I do prefer Android's widgets at the moment. And boy do I wish Apple would implement that guy's widget idea that was featured on The Verge some time ago. Next best thing would be to have a separate widgets page in iOS that was available with swipe right from the home screen. Currently the swipe right does nothing at all, right?

No, although I did envision that before iOS 7 that the spotlight page could have been used for widgets and that the spotlight page could have become a endlessly vertically scrolling page.

As for your second paragraph, yeah it is a thing of how you want things to work. And I prefer iOS's implementation.

Also finally, I love Power Toggles as well😀

 

[Oohara]

I agree...the menu pull down is useful...but they are not widgets. It is another notification center. Good idea....but not widgets....can't compare them to Android. Not remotely the same.

I see what you're saying but this is kind of a semantics discussion then...what does the word "widget" exactly mean? I'd be OK with calling them both widgets, but then the Android take on them is definitely more versatile.

 

[TechGod]

So are they widgets? Or notifications? Can you have anything in the Today tab?

They ARE widgets, if the App Developer included a Widget as well then yes you can add that Apps widget the today Tab.

Much like Android, it is dependent on the creator of the app if he/she wants to allow widgets.

 

[jamezr]

They ARE widgets, if the App Developer included a Widget as well then yes you can add that Apps widget the today Tab.



Much like Android, it is dependent on the creator of the app if he/she wants to allow widgets.

Can I have one on my home screen? Like a weather widget? What about music?

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I see what you're saying but this is kind of a semantics discussion then...what does the word "widget" exactly mean? I'd be OK with calling them both widgets, but then the Android take on them is definitely more versatile.

I guess your right. It is semantics. But when he said IOS has widgets.... It's like bring android widgets down. If that makes sense! Lol

 

[TechGod]

Can I have one on my home screen? Like a weather widget? What about music?

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I guess your right. It is semantics. But when he said IOS has widgets.... It's like bring android widgets down. If that makes sense! Lol

Well they are widgets...Just not homescreen widgets.

Just because iOS does not have homescreen widgets doesn't mean that the widgets in the Today tab aren't real widgets.

 

[jamezr]

Well they are widgets...Just not homescreen widgets.

Just because iOS does not have homescreen widgets doesn't mean that the widgets in the Today tab aren't real widgets.

You can call them widgets....but in their use they are not widgets in any way Android uses widgets. They are more like notifications. Infact they are even in the same place as notifications are stored.
But for argument sake.....very watered down widgets. 🙂

 

[lalalandd]

Well they are widgets...Just not homescreen widgets.

Just because iOS does not have homescreen widgets doesn't mean that the widgets in the Today tab aren't real widgets.

Boring. iOS widgets provide no productivity. Come back to me when you can add a clock, calendar, and weather widget to the homescreen. iOS will never come close.

 

[Zaft]

So are they widgets? Or notifications? Can you have anything in the Today tab?

What difference does it make whether its a widget or notification..
It shows you current information at a glance. Case closed.




Also im pretty sure you can put any widget on androids notification pull down also.

 

[jamezr]

What difference does it make whether its a widget or notification..
It shows you current information at a glance. Case closed.




Also im pretty sure you can put any widget on androids notification pull down also.

calling them widgets doesn't make them so.......
Android has had widgets for quite some time. They have a wide variety of uses. If they are in the notification pull down......that doesn't seem like a widgets to me.......it seems like a notification....

 

[Zaft]

calling them widgets doesn't make them so.......
Android has had widgets for quite some time. They have a wide variety of uses. If they are in the notification pull down......that doesn't seem like a widgets to me.......it seems like a notification....

OK, so they are persistent notifications, happy? 😎

 

[Technarchy]

Boring. iOS widgets provide no productivity. Come back to me when you can add a clock, calendar, and weather widget to the homescreen. iOS will never come close.

I don't have a clock, calender, or weather widget on my S5 home screen.

Your point?

 

[Fireblade]

I don't have a clock, calender, or weather widget on my S5 home screen.

Your point?

Your choice, but you could if you wanted to ...

 

[tbayrgs]

You can call them widgets....but in their use they are not widgets in any way Android uses widgets. They are more like notifications. Infact they are even in the same place as notifications are stored.
But for argument sake.....very watered down widgets. 🙂

Since when does placing a widget on a home screen define it as being a widget? The functionality is what defines it, not the location.

By your definition, Android's widget should be called either icons or folders, because they're in the same place those are stored on my home screen. 🙄

Here's Oxford's take on it--number 2 seems to hit the nail on the head.

widget
[ ˈwijit ]
noun
noun: widget · plural noun: widgets
1. a small gadget or mechanical device, especially one whose name is unknown or unspecified.
2. an application, or a component of an interface, that enables a user to perform a function or access a service.

And like the location or not, iOS's implementation is more accessible and more quickly at that. I can see ALL of my widgets in a single location, from anywhere on the device, locked or not. You want to see that home screen widget on your Android, you need to leave your app. That's not the case in iOS.

And yes, you may be able to add widgets to your Notification panel in Android, but you'll need to share space with your regular notifications while in iOS they are neatly segregated.

I rarely used home screen widgets on my Android devices, even though I'd installed them and set 'em up. Why? Because I spend the least amount of time on my smartphone's home screens. I'm on the web, checking mail, using apps infinitely more than staring at my home screen. Apple's implementation is clearly still in its infancy and going through some growing pains but it's a much more productive implementation as I don't need to stop what I'm doing to use them (how that's for for ironic 😉).

 

[jamezr]

Since when does placing a widget on a home screen define it as being a widget? The functionality is what defines it, not the location.

By your definition, Android's widget should be called either icons or folders, because they're in the same place those are stored on my home screen. 🙄

Here's Oxford's take on it--number 2 seems to hit the nail on the head.



And like the location or not, iOS's implementation is more accessible and more quickly at that. I can see ALL of my widgets in a single location, from anywhere on the device, locked or not. You want to see that home screen widget on your Android, you need to leave your app. That's not the case in iOS.

And yes, you may be able to add widgets to your Notification panel in Android, but you'll need to share space with your regular notifications while in iOS they are neatly segregated.

I rarely used home screen widgets on my Android devices, even though I'd installed them and set 'em up. Why? Because I spend the least amount of time on my smartphone's home screens. I'm on the web, checking mail, using apps infinitely more than staring at my home screen. Apple's implementation is clearly still in its infancy and going through some growing pains but it's a much more productive implementation as I don't need to stop what I'm doing to use them (how that's for for ironic 😉).

Since when does putting them in the notification pull down make them widgets! 😉 It works both ways.......
For me having them on my screen is more beneficial. I can get the information quicker with out having to open an app or do a pull down. The information is right there. I am on my screens anyway. The information i want is displayed instantly.....

But you do need to stop what you are doing to use them. You have to pull down the drop down menu and either switch to the today screen if in the notification tab.

So i wake my screen and my information is right there. If i am an app....press home button.......information is right there the use my recents button to get back to the app.
How many are available to be used on the Today pull down?
I have virtually every app in the playstore can be used as a widget.

I am sure widgets in IOS will mature over time. But since IOS has no app drawer they could not put them on the screens. Where would those screens of icons go?
There are some things IOS does better...but this is not one of them IMHO.

 

[I7guy]

iOS works, but you're correct, it no longer works for me as I've since grown out of it and have since moved onto a smarter phone.

From a smart phone standpoint iOS still lacks many of the more advanced features and capabilities for the user to actually personalize it. It also lacks the ability to automate many of the things that Android offers.

You listened to a text that was read to you, great. My phone does that as well. However, I also have the ability to know that while I'm in and out of training sessions at a conference today that my phone is automatically seeing my calender and adjusting it's volume settings accordingly thus I'll never be the fool with a phone ringing when it should be silenced.

I'm also in a new time zone but my phone also activates my alarm clock and sets the screen brightness and more for me automatically so I don't have to worry about waking up late.

When I go back and am in my office, my phone will also automatically change to bluetooth, connect to my office stereo, prevent my screen from darkening once it is placed on my dock and automatically forward all my calls to my desk phone. It will then change the bluetooth setting to my car, unforward my phone and adjust the screen once I leave and head home.

I could go on....but in the end, sure, you can all your phone a smart phone, but Apple has crippled it's ability to keep up with the capabilities of other phones/OS's like I would have expected them to do. They don't even allow for the customizing of basic things like adding a new dialer, calendar, music player, email system, etc. so that I can pick the app that works best for me. I can't even configure widgets or notifications nearly as effectively either. Again, I grew out of Apple telling me how to use their phone and fit it into my life. I've since moved onto a platform that allows me to be in control of just about every aspect of how I use my smarter phone.

Don't be offended at any of this. It's not a cut on iOS. It's just a reality check on how it performs against the market offerings today. Perhaps one day Apple will enable some of these things and maybe even leapfrog them.

The big difference is that my 5s will probably be supported for four more years with IOS updates. I'd rather have those updates than everything mentioned in the above post. The "supposed" smarter phone features are meh to me.

 

[Zaft]

Since when does putting them in the notification pull down make them widgets! 😉 It works both ways.......
For me having them on my screen is more beneficial. I can get the information quicker with out having to open an app or do a pull down. The information is right there. I am on my screens anyway. The information i want is displayed instantly.....

But you do need to stop what you are doing to use them. You have to pull down the drop down menu and either switch to the today screen if in the notification tab.

So i wake my screen and my information is right there. If i am an app....press home button.......information is right there the use my recents button to get back to the app.
How many are available to be used on the Today pull down?
I have virtually every app in the playstore can be used as a widget.

I am sure widgets in IOS will mature over time. But since IOS has no app drawer they could not put them on the screens. Where would those screens of icons go?
There are some things IOS does better...but this is not one of them IMHO.

The point is a widget is not based on location but functionality. So stop getting into this location argument like it matters.

 

[jamezr]

The point is a widget is not based on location but functionality. So stop getting into this location argument like it matters.

Did you take the time to follow what I was replying to? Did you follow why I replied with that exact phrase?

 

[Technarchy]

The problem with iOS widgets is not the location.

The location is actually very good. The linear presentation makes for a continuous feed that is accessible from anywhere, even the lock screen. For news junkies like myself this is pretty powerful.

The only actual problem I have with iOS widgets is...the lack of iOS widgets. Support is so limited that it's hardly worth mentioning as a feature.

This is going to take 6 months to a year to get sorted to where widgets start their showing potential in iOS.

 

[TechGod]

Boring. iOS widgets provide no productivity. Come back to me when you can add a clock, calendar, and weather widget to the homescreen. iOS will never come close.

Oh yeah! That's TOTALLY productive 🙄 I just went over this, I prefer iOS's implementation because say I'm in Safari and I want to check my Timetable for school, I can just swipe down and see it from any app. Don't tell me what's more productive for me, OK?

 

[tbayrgs]

Since when does putting them in the notification pull down make them widgets! 😉 It works both ways.......
For me having them on my screen is more beneficial. I can get the information quicker with out having to open an app or do a pull down. The information is right there. I am on my screens anyway. The information i want is displayed instantly.....

But what if you're not on your home screen? And how many widgets can you get on a single home screen? That's at least as many steps and likely more if you need to go to a 2nd, 3rd, or 4 home screen to view the widget. If your phone is locked, you have to unlock, then possibly navigate, especially if you were previoulsy in another app or on a different home screen. I wake my device and pull down to see ALL of my widgets--don't even have to unlock if I choose not to. It's the same action wherever I am on the phone.

But you do need to stop what you are doing to use them. You have to pull down the drop down menu and either switch to the today screen if in the notification tab.

No different from having to press the home button and then possibly swipe to navigate. Difference is I don't then have to hit the recent apps button and navigate back to my previous app. Great example: was in an app, needed to do a quick calculation--pulled down, used my PCalc widget, slide notification shade back up and kept going in the app. Same thing last night when I wanted to check both today's weather and the score of the football game--never left my app, just pulled down, got info and kept going. Yes, going to the home screen(s) isn't difficult, but it's definitely not any easier.

So i wake my screen and my information is right there. If i am an app....press home button.......information is right there the use my recents button to get back to the app.
How many are available to be used on the Today pull down?
I have virtually every app in the playstore can be used as a widget.

Again, I realize it's not a difficult process to get to your home screens, but also, as I said, on iOS it's just a quick and likely quicker.

And of course there are a limited number of widgets available--it's only been a few weeks. When Android's app store first opened, there were a fraction of what was available in iOS but look at it now. Ask me that question in a year and answer will likely be far different.

I am sure widgets in IOS will mature over time. But since IOS has no app drawer they could not put them on the screens. Where would those screens of icons go?
There are some things IOS does better...but this is not one of them IMHO.

Listen, this is all really about preferences. Don't like how iOS has implemented widgets is fine but dismissing widgets on iOS just because they aren't in the same place as one prefers on Android is simply inaccurate. They serve the exact same purpose on both platforms, just go about it differently.

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The point is a widget is not based on location but functionality. So stop getting into this location argument like it matters.

Did you take the time to follow what I was replying to? Did you follow why I replied with that exact phrase?

But he's not incorrect jamezr. You repeatedly claimed widgets as implemented on iOS are not widgets, simply because they are not on the home screen. The point both he and I (and Oxford 😉) are making is that it's not the location that determines whether or not they are 'widgets' but rather what they do. The widgets in iOS serve the exact same purpose as the home screen versions on Android, just from a different location.

 

[pdqgp]

The big difference is that my 5s will probably be supported for four more years with IOS updates. I'd rather have those updates than everything mentioned in the above post. The "supposed" smarter phone features are meh to me.

the other good news is by the end of that fourth year, your phone will likely have all the features of a 2013 Android phone too 😉