iOS 15 Can Automatically Add and Remove Widgets to a Smart Stack

Tuesday June 8, 2021 8:16 am PDT by Sami Fathi

On iOS 14, Smart Stacks for widgets allow users to stack different widgets on top of each other and then allow iOS to display the most relevant widget depending on the time of day, location, and more. On iOS 15, Apple is taking Smart Stacks even further with Widget Suggestions, which automatically add and remove widgets in a Smart Stack depending on context.

For example, if a user has an existing Smart Stack which includes the Weather and Reminders widget, iOS 15 may add a Calendar widget to the stack if the user has an upcoming meeting. Then, after the meeting, iOS 15 will remove the widget from the Smart Stack, reverting it to the stack that the user had set up with Weather and Reminders. Apple says it hopes this new feature, which can be disabled on a per Smart Stack basis, will allow users to discover new and helpful widgets.

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 introduces new widgets for Find My, Game Center, App Store Today, Sleep, Mail, and more. Developers interested in learning more about widget suggestions and how they can be implemented into their app can check out this WWDC session.

Related Forum: iOS 15

Top Rated Comments

tod

30 months ago

I hate this stuff. A good UI is predictable and boring.

Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

cmaier

A trend in Apple's UX designs lately - try and guess what will appear when you swipe the smart stack! Try and guess where the text box is to type a new address into safari! Try and guess where the keys are on the TouchBar!

Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

bchery21

Hmm. Sounds like an okay idea to me, as long as I can disable it if I don't like the behavior. I was disappointed to not hear that the widgets will be interactive (checking items off a todo list, for example), but maybe that will still happen?

I hope so, especially with the example you gave. Checking something off the Reminders widget instead of bringing you into the app would be welcomed especially since that's how it use to behave.

TheYayAreaLiving ?️

I have to admit. The widgets are cool

contacos

I never understood why the stack does not just have a "+" button to add other widgets to the stack. Instead I always have to add a new widget and drag and drop it on the stack in hope it does not mess up my whole app icons on the Home Screen.

By the way, what ever happened to resizing widgets straight from the Home Screen? That never made it past the announcement on iOS14 last year

Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)