Apple in iOS 14.3 is streamlining the Home Screen customization process by simplifying the way that app shortcuts work. With the launch of iOS 14, users quickly discovered that Shortcuts could be used to replace traditional app icons to create an entirely customized Home Screen look.
Unfortunately, while these Home Screens created with Shortcuts looked fantastic, the experience was less than ideal because launching an app through shortcuts required the Shortcuts app to open briefly, slowing the app opening process. In iOS 14.3 beta 2, that's no longer the case because shortcuts no longer have to route through the Shortcuts app.
As Reddit users discovered after installing yesterday's beta, launching an app through Shortcuts on the Home Screen in iOS 14.3 pops up a banner at the top of the display, but the full Shortcuts app no longer opens, so there's less of a delay when using a custom icon to launch apps.
The simplification of the shortcut opening process from the Home Screen will be a welcome change for those who have opted to customize their Home Screens with a whole set of custom icons, as the experience is much more similar to opening a standard app without Shortcuts.
Fantastic change in iOS 14.3 beta 2 – shortcuts added to the Home Screen now use compact UI and don't launch the Shortcuts app anymore.
Which means custom icons like our own MacStories Shortcuts Icons will now run shortcuts in-place, just like widgets 😍https://t.co/9J47uU6ZlNpic.twitter.com/aHAS8iD0BW
— Federico Viticci (@viticci) November 18, 2020
Apple has seeded two betas of iOS 14.3 at this time, and it's likely that the update will see an official release in December. Those who want to try out the Shortcut feature now can do so through Apple's public beta option.
Apple today unveiled iPadOS 15, its next-generation operating system for iPad that introduces a slew of new features like widgets on the Home Screen, an iPhone-style App Library, new multi-tasking features, and more. Here's a rundown of what to expect.
Widgets
Like iOS 14, iPadOS 15 lets users place widgets anywhere on their Home Screen pages and among their apps. Widgets are also...
Friday February 19, 2021 3:24 am PST by Tim Hardwick
IKEA is rolling out Apple HomeKit support for the Motion sensor and Shortcut button in its TRÅDFRI range of smart home products, according to release notes for an upcoming Gateway software update.
First spotted by Dutch blog iCulture, the next Gateway firmware version (1.13.21) coming down the line will include HomeKit support for the sensor and button, allowing the accessories to be used to ...
With the launch of iOS 13, Apple introduced Shortcuts support and the Shortcuts app, adding a whole range of new functionality to the iPhone. Shortcuts have continued to be popular since their debut, and in iOS 14, the addition of Home screen widgets made it even easier to get to your Shortcuts, so we thought we'd round up some of our most useful Shortcut options for iPhone and iPad.
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Thursday March 25, 2021 12:51 pm PDT by Juli Clover
There was a major issue with Shortcuts earlier this week, which prevented all Shortcut links shared through iCloud to stop working properly. Apple has now fixed the problem, and links to Shortcuts on the web should be largely functional again.
The Shortcut issue affected links to shared shortcuts that were created prior to the last couple of weeks. When attempting to download a Shortcut from ...
During its announcement of macOS Monterey today at WWDC, Apple also revealed that the Shortcuts app is coming to macOS this year. The company said that a large library of pre-built shortcuts will be made just for the Mac.
Just like on iPhone and iPad devices, Shortcuts on Mac will let users quickly accomplish complex tasks with the apps they use the most. Apple said that power users will be...
Apple's all-online Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
We're expecting to see a number of announcements, including iOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15, but it's unclear what else we'll be seeing at the event. While there had been some claims of redesigned MacBook Pro models making an appearance...
Tuesday September 22, 2020 3:25 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple with iOS 14 introduced widgets on the Home Screen, leading to unprecedented levels of customization for the iPhone. Combined with Shortcuts that let you change an app's icon, iOS 14 lets you create a whole new look for your Home Screen.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've been following along with some of the creative alternative Home Screen designs that M...
Tuesday October 20, 2020 3:58 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Customizing the home screen has become popular since the release of iOS 14, and many users have been adding custom app icons to their home screen using the Shortcuts app to create unprecedented levels of personalization.
The only problem with this method is that it kicks you to and from the Shortcuts app whenever you open an app with a custom icon, which isn't a great way to optimize usage...
Monday November 29, 2021 7:38 am PST by Sami Fathi
In association with CIT as the financing partner, Apple has launched a new Mac Upgrade Program for small businesses and Apple business partners that allow companies to easily distribute and upgrade their fleets of MacBooks at an affordable price to all of their workers.
As outlined on CIT's website, shared by Max Weinbach, Apple Business Partners can distribute the 13-inch MacBook Pro,...
With Black Friday over, Cyber Monday 2021 is now in full swing and you can find many of the same sales as last week on Apple products like AirPods, Apple Pencil, and iPad Pro. In this article we're focusing on the best Cyber Monday discounts on Apple products like these and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we...
We've been tracking Apple product and accessory deals for Cyber Monday 2021 today, and now Woot is offering a solid discount on the previous generation 32GB Apple TV 4K. You can get this device in new condition for just $99.99 if you're an Amazon Prime member. Note that this sale will last for one day only.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
Cellular carriers have always offered big savings on the newest iPhone models during the holidays, and Black Friday 2021 sales have now carried over into Cyber Monday as well. Right now we're tracking notable offers on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro devices from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. For even more savings, keep an eye on older models like iPhone SE.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate...
We started sharing deals on Apple products for Cyber Monday 2021 earlier today, and now we're tracking deals and bargains available from all of the best Apple accessory companies. Similar to Black Friday, you can expect Cyber Monday savings from Twelve South, Nomad, Belkin, Casetify, and many more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and...
Tuesday November 30, 2021 8:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to release a third-generation iPhone SE in the first quarter of 2022, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, we can expect the device to be released by the end of March.
As previously rumored, TrendForce said the new iPhone SE will remain a mid-range smartphone with added support for 5G:In terms of product development, Apple is...
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