Does Apple need to introduce Widgets for iOS?

[Alladaskill17]

Widgets are about as useful to iOS as 'Launchpad' and 'Mission Control' are to OS X Lion...

(read: little to no actual functionality, just a different way to view the same info)

[Axel]

Widgets on the lockscreen would be great. I use lockinfo on a jailbroken iOS4 to display at-a-glance weather forecasts, emails, new txt messages, etc. I don't see how the feature could hurt as it's just another option.

I voted yes.

[DukeEsquire]

I wouldn't say widgets are NEEDED for Apple or iOS, but they would be nice.

In other words, widgets are not a "killer app".

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Having moved to Android, when I pick up my old iPhone, I find the lack of widgets to be a real hinderance.

[McKay]

I would love things like an email widget for my lockscreen, there is so much empty space on the lockscreen, they could use it to show things.

[.Neo]

I would love widgets on the iPad, don't see much use for it on the iPhone and iPod touch though.

[capr]

they will add a few widgets that will be totally unnecessary and we won't have the option to turn only one or two of them on, it will be all or nothing and all will suck our batteries dry.

[HawkMan]

Android is not perfect though, everything is pooled together. It can definitely be improved (but Android still is miles better than WP7 or iOS).

I say WP7 is miles better than Androids system though.

Youhave the lcok screen that informs you what types of notificatiosn await, and in the case of mail what account.

then you have full overview on the dashboard of waiting items on each service, how many mails on each service how many SMS'. and SMS's also get a notification at the top allowing you to enter directly to the sms if you take up your phone right away.

it basically solves your android problem of everything being "pooled together".

I would love widgets on the iPad, don't see much use for it on the iPhone and iPod touch though.

As I said earlier, I see it the toher way around.

the iPhone like phoens is information centric, it's about viewing yoru information quickly on a small screen. your agenda, time, unread SMS/e-mail, news feed/stock ticker for those people. Any amount of info you need "at a glance".

the iPad however is app centric. making widgets a lot more useless. kind of liek how peopel don't look at their windows dekstop, they look at their apps. it's better to just have a browser with multiple tabs open, multi task between the apps witht he info you need, stuff like this. widgets don't make nearly as much practical sense on a pad. well not outside of the typical "look how cool my desktop is" showcase.

[.Neo]

As I said earlier, I see it the toher way around.

You're entitled to.

the iPhone like phoens is information centric, it's about viewing yoru information quickly on a small screen. your agenda, time, unread SMS/e-mail, news feed/stock ticker for those people. Any amount of info you need "at a glance".

the iPad however is app centric. making widgets a lot more useless. kind of liek how peopel don't look at their windows dekstop, they look at their apps. it's better to just have a browser with multiple tabs open, multi task between the apps witht he info you need, stuff like this. widgets don't make nearly as much practical sense on a pad. well not outside of the typical "look how cool my desktop is" showcase.

I enjoy using Dashboard on my iMac, which has a 27-inch screen, so I would enjoy using it on my iPad as well. Simple as that. For a 9,7-inch screen the iPad's home screen is just way too bland and could benefit from some more customization. However at this point I would be extremely happy if Apple added the calculator, weather and clock apps I have on my iPod to my iPad as well. Be it as full app or widget.

On the iPod touch and iPhone they should just add the ability to display additional information to the lock screen.

[Alladaskill17]

Having moved to Android, when I pick up my old iPhone, I find the lack of widgets to be a real hinderance.

Because now you're accustomed to using widgets; using your old iPhone in general would be a hinderance as it is different, does not mean widgets are necessary.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

does not mean widgets are necessary.

Of course, but it does imply that I find them quicker than jumping into a full app.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

Id have to say no, mainly because iOS still does not have the ability to multitask, which active widgets need.

And the secondary dock is not multitask, as it closes the app ( think recently used documents in windows), the only things that truly multitask is audio / email check

[HawkMan]

Id have to say no, mainly because iOS still does not have the ability to multitask, which active widgets need.

And the secondary dock is not multitask, as it closes the app ( think recently used documents in windows), the only things that truly multitask is audio / email check

- Widgets does not need the ability to multitask (not as you think of it anyway)

- iOS does support multitasking, it is basically OSX wich some stuff removed

- iOS just doesn't have a proper UI for it, and has multi taskign severely restricted, but it does multitask behind the scenes and services.

-Widgets would run on a separate service/engine provied by apple that would run while other tasks do behind the scenes, just as your music and other things do.

[Soulsiphon]

No. Get a real phone.

PS - quit playing like you have the best phone on the planet. You do not.

[iKenndac]

I hope so - widgets would be terribly useful, and people who don't care about them can simply not have any.

What I really want, though, is a revamped notification system. The one in iOS at the moment is truly awful.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

A widget needs to be constantly updating visually, which iOS will not do, the sms/email notification icon is its limit

iOS does not support multitasking of anything OTHER then the Audio/push system. Try and play a video in the background, it pauses, play an app, it pauses, most games full on restart from the initial start screen. If it was multitasking it would just pause or audio would play for a video, not full on restart. If you bring up the secondary dock and swipe to the brightness,lock,play pause, any icon that appears in the music slot is all that will multitask.

Heck a streamed video will full on restart its streaming if go to another app or lock screen

- Widgets does not need the ability to multitask (not as you think of it anyway)

- iOS does support multitasking, it is basically OSX wich some stuff removed

- iOS just doesn't have a proper UI for it, and has multi taskign severely restricted, but it does multitask behind the scenes and services.

-Widgets would run on a separate service/engine provied by apple that would run while other tasks do behind the scenes, just as your music and other things do.

[HawkMan]

A widget needs to be constantly updating visually, which iOS will not do, the sms/email notification icon is its limit

iOS does not support multitasking of anything OTHER then the Audio/push system. Try and play a video in the background, it pauses, play an app, it pauses, most games full on restart from the initial start screen. If it was multitasking it would just pause or audio would play for a video, not full on restart. If you bring up the secondary dock and swipe to the brightness,lock,play pause, any icon that appears in the music slot is all that will multitask.

Heck a streamed video will full on restart its streaming if go to another app or lock screen

You're confusing what the OS is restricted not to do and what it can do. iOS has full support for multitasking. and it does multitask but only for apple apps like itunes which will run in the background all the time. And ALL the widgets together only need on bqackground process/task to update all of them. they don't need a multitaskign GUI or anything more than what iOS has today, except adding a widget engine and adding support for widgets on the dashboard.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

You're confusing what the OS is restricted not to do and what it can do. iOS has full support for multitasking. and it does multitask but only for apple apps like itunes which will run in the background all the time. And ALL the widgets together only need on bqackground process/task to update all of them. they don't need a multitaskign GUI or anything more than what iOS has today, except adding a widget engine and adding support for widgets on the dashboard.

Then please explain what you mean by multitasking, as im assuming its multiple things running programs( or apps ) running at the same time.

And i am typing this on my iPad which is acting like i described, and nothing like your describing, itunes ( the music app) runs off the audio system, yes that has full multitasking, same with pandora, and planetary. As they use the audio sytem, the visual abilties are shutdown and restarted when the app reopens, that is not multitasking.

Your desceiption of a "widget" is just a plain jane iOS app that can be done since launch. Im considering a widget as something that you find on the Dashboard of OSX, or sidebar in vista, or Win7 supports. Currently iOS can not do anything like that

[User6060]

[+BeLGaRaTh Subscriber¹]

Yes they should, then all the other phone manufacturers can sue apple for a change for allegedly copying their ideas.

[Hell-In-A-Handbasket]

Yes they should, then all the other phone manufacturers can sue apple for a change for allegedly copying their ideas.

Except widgets have been around before the phone manufactures starting using it.

Before phones it was in

OSX and Yahoo Widgets, Google had widgets, then phones started doing it when then " make it small " craze ended

[Damian]

Yes they should, then all the other phone manufacturers can sue apple for a change for allegedly copying their ideas.

How? Dashboard widgets have been part of Mac OS X for years. iOS is based on OS X. Apple can add Dashboard to iOS if they want.

[0sit0]

I wish they had something like LockInfo built-in. I like seeing if I have emails/messages before I unlock the screen. If I was Apple I would hire the LockInfo team lol

[Leonick]

Let's face it, Apple users are going to say widgets are unnecessary, and some might say that if Apple does introduce them, they'll do it better and it'll be useful to the people who wants to use them, which of course is not them. and when Apple does make them, they will go all out on how awesome widgets are on iOS :)

I don't know if Apple will add them, but I would suspect they will, they're feeling the competition, and people want easy informative widgets with the information right there. Android has it, WP7 has it built in even better, and in a way that doesn't add battery eating costs. Apple needs to eventually add them to compete. The wall of icons just doesn't work.

Oh look, pretty much what i was going to say :p guess ill just quote it ^^

They don't need to, but they'll want to so they are an alternative for people that for some reason need widgets

[Vice]

As an iPhone owner I think widgets would be a great idea. You know when you swipe left to search? They could put some widgets there and also on the lock screen. That'd be great.