Hidden Widgets References in iPhone? - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Hidden Widgets References in iPhone?

A story comes out of Gizmodo/iPhoneology that suggests that Apple may have had plans for other widgets built into the iPhone.

References to 4 unused Widget names in the iPhone's "LocalizedApplicationNames.strings" file raise some possibilities. These names are listed:

key: com.apple.widget.translation
string: Translator

key: com.apple.unitconverter
string: Converter

key: com.apple.widget.phonebook
string: Business

key: com.apple.mobile.radio
string: Radio

The "string" name refers to the name that would appear on the iPhone home screen. So the phonebook widget would presumably be a "Business" directory. Coincidentally, there had been unconfirmed rumors that AT&T's Yellowpages.com would find its way onto the iPhone as a new application.

These strings have been known for some time, and may simply represent some left-over widgets references from Mac OS X itself. Apple's Mac OS X Dashboard features Phone Book, Translator, and Unit Converter on the standard installation of Mac OS X. This, however, would not easily explain the mobile radio widget reference.

One area of potential confusion for readers is that Gizmodo and iPhoneology published a graphic of corresponding widget icons. These icons, however, are not actually found on the iPhone itself, but are just a compilation posted for illustrative purposes.

Apple has long suggested that new iPhone applications would be coming in the future, with hints that new Google applications would also be arriving for the iPhone.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...
apple tv 4k new orange

tvOS 26.4 Adds These New Features to Your Apple TV

Wednesday March 25, 2026 3:33 pm PDT by
Apple this week released tvOS 26.4, and the software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the Apple TV. tvOS 26.4 is compatible with all Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD models released since 2015. To update your Apple TV, open the Settings app on the device, navigate to System → Software Updates, and select Update Software. Below, we have recapped what is new in tvOS...