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

M5 Vision Pro Thumb 2

Apple Has Given Up on the Vision Pro After M5 Refresh Flop

Wednesday April 29, 2026 11:31 am PDT by
Apple has all but given up on the Vision Pro after the M5 model failed to revitalize interest in the device, MacRumors has learned. Apple updated the Vision Pro with a faster M5 chip and a more comfortable band in October 2025, but there were no other hardware changes, and consumers still weren't interested. The Vision Pro has been criticized for its high price tag and its uncomfortable...
app store monthly sub commitment

Apple Introduces App Store Monthly Subscriptions With 12-Month Commitment

Monday April 27, 2026 12:52 pm PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of a new subscription option for App Store developers: monthly subscriptions with a 12-month commitment. The new option allows developers to offer subscribers discounted pricing typically associated with an annual subscription but paid on a monthly basis to keep payments more affordable. This new payment option allows you to offer subscribers more affordable...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro to Launch in September With These 10 New Features

Tuesday April 28, 2026 9:35 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...