Your iPhone could soon show more than a handful of small widgets when locked, according to new information from Mark Gurman, the Bloomberg reporter who’s always on top of Apple’s plans.
Apple is working on a new feature in iOS 17 which turns the iPhone screen into a smart home-like display, according to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. As the Bloomberg reporter points out, the interface will display information such as weather, calendar appointments and notifications when the phone is locked and tilted horizontally.
When your iPhone is clamped to a MagSafe charging stand in a horizontal position, for example, the smart home interface will appear, mimicking what users might see with a device like the Echo Show or Google Nest Hub. This feature will build on the widget options that Apple added to the lock screen in iOS 16, but will push the experience even further.
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The iPhone will benefit from even more powerful widgets thanks to iOS 17
The “Always On” always-on display currently features a dimmed version of the wallpaper, time, notifications, and up to five widgets. The lock screen and home screen don’t support landscape view, but that should change thanks to iOS 17, which is expected in just a few weeks.
If Mark Gurman’s information is confirmed, Apple should greatly improve the usefulness of iPhones when they are placed on a desk or a bedside table, thus allowing users to consult practical information at a glance. It remains to be seen what other information Apple might display on this new lock screen.
Apple is therefore actively exploring alternative methods to turn its devices into smart home displays. This would include developing an affordable tablet that magnetically adheres to walls and stands. Apple could therefore follow in the footsteps of Google, which recently launched its first tablet: the Pixel Tablet. This is capable of transforming into a real Nest Hub-type smart screen once placed on its base, which is equipped with a speaker.