Apple is reportedly working on home screen widgets and new wallpaper customization features for iOS 14. It was rumored since more than a year ago that Apple had planned for home screen user interface updates for iOS 14, and the news of home screen widgets means that it might be the biggest home screen update that iPhone and iPad will get since launch.
Twitter account DongleBookPro, which had previously shared screenshots from an internal iOS 14 build, shared some new screenshots showing the new wallpaper settings. The screenshots show new wallpaper collections which provide better organization. A new ‘home screen appearance’ setting is also visible in the screenshots which would allow users to customize it for the home screen with blurry, dark or just flat colors, while keeping it the same as it is for the lock screen.
Hey @EveryApplePro, @MaxWinebach said you like wallpapers pic.twitter.com/4P8BrMzCkI
— Dongle (@DongleBookPro) April 4, 2020
9to5Mac has also been digging around in iOS 14 code and found references to a feature called ‘Avacado’, which would allow users to place widgets on the home screen. These widgets would work similarly to how they work on Android, which means that users would be able to place them anywhere on the home screen, like icons. It seems that the ability to put flat, blurry or dark wallpapers on the home screen would be in service to widgets, so that readability does not take a hit.
If Apple does not scrape ‘Avacado’ before release, it would be one of the biggest home screen user interface changes to iPhone and iPad, ever since they were launched. Although Apple has been updating the home screen with cosmetic changes throughout the years, users have long requested for more customization and better utility for widgets. Right now, widgets on iPad can be pinned to the home screen, but you usually see only three by default. The rest are hidden behind a scroll. The number of apps that support widgets is very high, and most of them remain unused because they are all hidden behind a screen that requires a swipe and scroll to access.
That’s why it will be amazing for Apple to finally improve the home screen on iOS devices in 2020.
There are a lot more features coming in iOS 14. Check out our coverage below:
- Keychain in iOS 14 Will Support Two-Factor Authentication Codes and Password Warnings
- iOS 14 Leak Shares CarPlay Wallpapers and Apple Store Integration in Apple Maps
- Here’s How iOS 14 Home Screen Changes Might Look Like According to Mockups
- Apple Working on New AR App for iOS 14, Testing With Apple Store and Starbucks Integrations
- iOS 14 to Add New Homescreen List View for Easier Navigation and Search
- iOS 14 Icon Reveals Apple’s Premium Over-The-Ear Headphones With High-End Features
- iOS 14 Will Gain OCR Support to Convert Apple Pencil Handwriting to Text
- iMessage Will Get Mentions and Undo Send in iOS 14 and macOS 10.16
- iOS 14 Will Feature a New Fitness App With Guided Workout Videos
