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 today announced a "special Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET.
Apple invited select members of the media to the event in three major cities around the world. It is simply described as a "special Apple Experience," and there is no further information about what it may entail. The invitation features a 3D Apple logo design...
Apple on Monday invited selected journalists and content creators to a "special Apple Experience" on Wednesday, March 4 in New York, London, and Shanghai.
At an Apple Experience, attendees are typically given the opportunity to try out Apple's latest hardware or software. Following the launch of Apple Creator Studio last month, for example, some content creators attended an Apple Experience...
Apple plans to release an iPhone 17e and an iPad Air with an M4 chip "in the coming weeks," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple retail employees say that inventory of the iPhone 16e has basically dried out and the iPad Air is seeing shortages as well," said Gurman. "I've been expecting new versions of both (iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air) in the coming weeks."...
Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models "won't be a big update," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the iPhone 18 Pro models will "represent minor tweaks from last year's iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max." He compared the upgrade to Apple's past practice of appending the letter "S" to its more minor...
Apple on Monday invited selected journalists and content creators to a "special Apple Experience" on Wednesday, March 4 in New York, London, and Shanghai. And now, rumors are surfacing about Apple's broader plans for that week.
Daring Fireball's John Gruber today guessed that Apple will announce new products on a day-by-day basis from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4:What strikes...
