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Apple reportedly working on ‘real’ iPhone home screen widgets for iOS 14

Aaron Mamiit
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Apple is reportedly working to add “real” widgets to the iPhone’s home screen, according to evidence discovered within the code of the upcoming iOS 14.

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Widgets themselves are not new for iOS, but they are on a dedicated screen instead of providing iPhone owners with the option to place them anywhere.

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The new feature, internally called Avocado, is related to the Springboard app that is in charge of the iPhone home screen, according to 9to5Mac. Instead of the pinned widgets that were introduced to iPad home screens with iPadOS 13, the widgets for iOS 14 may be moved around like app icons.

The new widgets are still in development though, and 9to5Mac reported that Apple may choose to scrap the feature from the next major release of its mobile operating system.

New wallpaper settings in iOS 14

It appears that one of the focuses for Apple in iOS 14 is providing flexibility, as Twitter user DongleBookPro shared screenshots of a new wallpaper settings panel from the upcoming update.

Hey @EveryApplePro, @MaxWinebach said you like wallpapers pic.twitter.com/4P8BrMzCkI

— Dongle (@DongleBookPro) April 4, 2020

The screenshots coincide with 9to5Mac’s discovery of collections that group iOS 14’s default wallpapers into categories such as Classic Stripes, Earth & Moon, and Flowers. Also revealed in the images is a new option named Home Screen Appearance, which will allow people to choose a smart dynamic wallpaper for the home screen based on their current wallpaper.

The options, which include a flat color, a blurry version, and a dark version, may make it easier for people to look at their home screens, especially if the new widgets will be there.

iOS 14 at WWDC 2020

In addition to the new widgets and wallpaper settings, Apple is also said to be working with BMW for its upcoming CarKey feature on iOS 14, according to evidence spotted by 9to5Mac from the operating system’s code. DongleBookPro also shared screenshots of the CarKey user interface.

Apple is expected to unveil iOS 14 at WWDC 2020, which will still happen in June but in an online-only format. According to developers, the change may have both negative and positive consequences. For example, while developers will not be able to consult Apple engineers on new tech such as augmented reality, more people will be able to attend the event.

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Aaron Mamiit
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