iPhone Features Interactive Widgets Starting With iOS 17
Starting with iOS 17, interactive widgets are now available on the iPhone across the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and the new StandBy mode. Apple gave some examples of what interactive widgets can be used for, including marking a reminder as completed, playing or pausing a song or podcast, and controlling accessories in the Home app, and there will be many more possibilities as third-party apps are updated with support.
Introduced with iOS 14, Home Screen widgets offered limited functionality until now, as Apple did not allow developers to include interactive elements, such as scrolling, buttons, or animated transitions. Home Screen widgets were only allowed to present read-only information, and tapping on a widget would simply open the corresponding app. Now, users will be able to interact with widgets directly for some actions.
Interactive widgets are also available on the iPad's Home Screen and Lock Screen with iPadOS 17, and on the Mac's desktop with macOS Sonoma. All of the software updates are currently available in beta and will be released to the public later this year.
Popular Stories
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone this year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that Apple will release its first foldable device in 2026.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about ...
In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple will have a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4. In total, he expects Apple to introduce "at least five products."
A week ago, Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9...
Apple Watch is now eleven generations in, and packed with useful features that are easy to miss at first glance. To help you get more out of your new device, we've rounded up 15 practical tips you might not have discovered yet, including a few that long-time users often overlook.
Bounce Between Two Apps
On your Apple Watch, double-press the Digital Crown to see a deck of all currently...
macOS 26.3 hints at Apple's rumored lower-cost MacBook, and two new Studio Display models, according to Macworld's Filipe Espósito.
Espósito found the following codenames within macOS 26.3's source code, and he revealed the upcoming products that they likely correspond with, based on previous reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and others.
The codenames:J700: Lower-cost MacBook
J427:...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
