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Will Apple add widgets to iOS 5

B

boca76

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 12, 2009
37
0
I finally did it.
I bought an Android phone just because I wanted to compare it against iPhone 4.
In general I think that the iPhone is the better phone (better hardware, ease of use, screen) but the widgets in Android are a killer feature.
I will wait till iOS 5 and if they don't include widgets I'm switching to Android.
What are the chances for widgets in iOS 5 ?
 
I hope not. All widgets do is drain the battery. I have a Droid X and I turn off all the widgets I can to save battery life.
 
boca76 said:
I finally did it.
I bought an Android phone just because I wanted to compare it against iPhone 4.
In general I think that the iPhone is the better phone (better hardware, ease of use, screen) but the widgets in Android are a killer feature.
I will wait till iOS 5 and if they don't include widgets I'm switching to Android.
What are the chances for widgets in iOS 5 ?
Click to expand...

screen's not big enough for most widgets
 
If they add it, I hope you can turn it off. I have never been a fan of widgets on any device honestly, let alone a mobile device. It looks messy and cluttered.
 
I think they would need to alter the UI to allow this type of functionality and the limited appeal would seem to me that its unlikely.

I have widgets on my droidx and they can be very useful. By selecting what you want wisely, you don't adversely affect the battery but provide an enhanced user experience
 
Widgets is just one of the many things iOS needs in 5.0 - although, not as urgently as a decent notifications system. Hopefully, Apple have a major redesign in store because iOS is looking it's age both in terms of usability and functionality.
 
I would rather see an informational lock screen over a widget first. and a better notification bar.

A year or 2 ago, Apple hired one of the WebOS designers responsible for WebOS notifications. I hope they're putting him to good use.
 
petvas said:
I have never been a fun of widgets and I don't get the fuzz about it. I hope Apple doesnt add anything.
Click to expand...

If you don't want to use them, fine. That's no reason to hope that Apple doesn't add the capability.

You're not forced to use them. YOU have to place each widget on the screen yourself. It's no different than adding folders or apps or using copy/paste... it's all your choice to do so or not.

--

For myself, I love widgets. Without launching an app, you can see at a glance many things of interest to you. For more detail, you can usually tap on the widget. My favorites:

  • My next few appointments on my calendar.
  • Controls for screen, WiFi, BT, etc.
  • Time in other countries. (My wife is always asking.)
  • Countdown days to next vacation.
  • The current moon phase.
  • Weather, of course.
Some of these update just once a day. Others more often, at intervals that I set. It's totally up to me how much battery I wish to divert to their purpose. *I* decide what's most important to me.
 
Ok, so 'widgets are messy?' They 'drain your battery?'

What?

When you look at your iPhone's lock-screen and see the date and time? That's a widget. You all have a big problem with that? :confused: Should they remove that clock?

So maybe they add the weather and my last 3 e-mails below that in the next iPhone. I think it'll happen. I don't think it'll kill my battery or be so confusing I can't figure it out.
 
maflynn said:
I think they would need to alter the UI to allow this type of functionality and the limited appeal would seem to me that its unlikely.

I have widgets on my droidx and they can be very useful. By selecting what you want wisely, you don't adversely affect the battery but provide an enhanced user experience
Click to expand...

I think that they could implement it very easy in the existing UI.
The widgets would have to be the size of 1,2,3,4,8,12 or 16 app icons so you could move them around like apps.

Also imagine what new opportunities it would bring to the developers and the app store.
 
Better lockscreen with a great notification system (like Lockinfo for jailbroken phones) is definitely more preferred.
Then I would like the use of widgets, but as someone previously said, the screen needs to be bigger for that to happen.
Will be screen for iPhone 5 be bigger? Possibly, since almost all of the competitors have it such, a 4" screen is perfect.
There have been many rumors that the iPhone 5 will be a "complete redesign", so maybe a bigger screen is in the coming? who knows?
 
Primejimbo said:
Says who? I have a Droid 2 for work and the screen is smaller than the iPhone and any widget I put on it has been fine.
Click to expand...

The droid 2 screen is larger, 3.7" vs. 3.5"

That being said, I'd say the most likely update is notification overhaul. Widgets may happen, or maybe just dynamic lock screen content as a precursor to widgets.
 
If iOS got widgets and better notifications I would probably switch back. I currently have about 7 widgets on my T-Mobile G2, over three home screens. I love them.
 
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