A new concept gives us a taste of what the iPhone 12's home screen widgets could look like when they arrive alongside iOS 14 this fall.
Concept designer Ben Geskin shared the below concept, which was created by Aleksey Bondarev. We've seen previous takes on what iOS widgets could look like, and of course we should point out that it isn't official that Apple is going to add new widgets to iOS. However, Bondarev's concept is convincing evidence that they should be added.
- New iPhone 12: Release date, price, rumors and leaks
- iOS 14 release date, features, beta and more
Awesome iOS Widgets concept 🤩👏Would you like to see something like this in future iOS? Or you think this will make iOS more like Android in a bad way?Concept by Aleksey Bondarev https://t.co/LkDfn6GpzZ pic.twitter.com/pRmYRetwFeMay 26, 2020
Currently, iOS' lack of widgets lets it down compared to Android, which offers plenty of different widgets across a wide variety of apps. You could argue that the Today panel is the Apple equivalent, but this only allows widgets to be placed on a single screen you have to scroll up and down, rather than letting you have the freedom to place widgets wherever you like on your home screen.
As you can see in the video, Bondarev's idea allows you to add a widget for a specific app by long-pressing its icon, as you would do to move the app's location or use one of its shortcuts. Adding the widget then shifts the other apps around to make room for the larger icon, be that a horizontal or vertically oriented rectangle or a 2 x 2 square.
The widgets are interactive, too, most obviously seen in the moving Compass app. This would take iOS widgets a step beyond what Android widgets can manage, which can only offer static displays that then take you to its main app when you tap it.
Apple is expected to debut iOS 14 at WWDC 2020, its conference aimed at developers across all its software ecosystems. This year's event kicks off June 22. Users will likely be able to experience iOS 14 as part of a public beta before it debuts in the fall alongside the iPhone 12.
Based on previous compatibilities, we expect that iOS 14 will be available on the iPhone 7 and newer iPhones, as well as all iPads currently served by iPadOS 13. Rumors and leaks claims that iOS 14 will offer a new multi-tasking view, a different home screen 'list' layout, enhanced AR support via new Gobi app and the option to set your own default apps. You should also be able to try out apps in iOS 14 without having to download them.
The iPhone 12, according to the latest rumors, will come in four models, two standard and two Pro, all armed with OLED displays, an A14 Bionic chipset and 5G connectivity. The Pro models will offer the iPhone's first LiDAR depth sensor for better photography effects and AR, and potentially 120Hz ProMotion displays. The entry-level iPhone 12 is expected to come in an especially compact 5.4-inch frame, and may be the cheapest flagship iPhone in a number of years with a rumored starting price of $649.
