Apple is set to announce their new iPhone this coming Tuesday so the internet is all ablaze with the possibility of a new always on display for the iPhone. But I have a hard time seeing where this would be useful outside of one very narrow use case.
During the early years of the iOS/Android rivalry, one of the big complaints that Android users had against the iPhone was the absence of widgets on the home screen. Apple resisted the urge to simply copy Android due to battery life considerations. At the time, iPhones were generally much better when it came to battery life and the absence of widgets was a significant factor.
Plus, Apple decided to leapfrog Android and provide widgets in a manner that was much more useful, on your wrist. This way widgets were both more easily accessible and they didn’t hurt your phone battery life. It was an elegant solution which helps explain why I’ve gravitated towards iOS.
But starting with iOS 14, widgets have become all the rage at Apple. And that’s a good thing, especially on the iPad. It is nice to have those little slices of information always at the ready when you are looking at your iPhone. Emphasis on “when you are looking at your iPhone”.
I’m struggling to see the usefulness of an always on iPhone screen that displays widgets. The only time I can imagine I’d find it useful is when my phone is charging at my desk at my office and I want my phone locked. Then it could serve as a sort of clock. But if the phone is charging, you don’t need an always on screen to see your widgets. You can just unlock the phone. At home this is exactly what I do. The only time I could use the always on screen is when I’m at my employer’s building, which I haven’t set foot in since March of 2020.
But at a higher level, I still see widgets on the phone as inferior to complications on the Apple Watch. Unless my phone is charging on my desk, it’s generally in my pants pocket, my computer bag, or my jacket. It’s not visible. This is true of most people because if there is one thing that people hate, it’s leaving your phone behind when you walk away. That’s why phones aren’t generally sitting on a counter or ledge somewhere so the screen is visible.
But the watch is different. The screen is ALWAYS visible and readily available. You never need to worry about leaving it behind because it’s strapped to your wrist. The watch remains the perfect place for any kind of widget that you want. That’s why wrist watches have always been more popular than pocket watches. Time of day is the oldest widget known to mankind and it’s always been easier and quicker to look at your wrist than pull a device out of your pocket.
I’m not anti-widget on the iPhone screen. They are useful when I already have my phone out for some other reason. But I much prefer that any info I need quick access to could be found on my watch. I’m going to use quick slices of information on my watch every day, all day long. An iPhone always on display with widgets is going to be marginally useful a few times a year, if that.
Plus, Apple decided to leapfrog Android and provide widgets in a manner that was much more useful, on your wrist. This way widgets were both more easily accessible and they didn’t hurt your phone battery life. It was an elegant solution which helps explain why I’ve gravitated towards iOS.
But starting with iOS 14, widgets have become all the rage at Apple. And that’s a good thing, especially on the iPad. It is nice to have those little slices of information always at the ready when you are looking at your iPhone. Emphasis on “when you are looking at your iPhone”.
I’m struggling to see the usefulness of an always on iPhone screen that displays widgets. The only time I can imagine I’d find it useful is when my phone is charging at my desk at my office and I want my phone locked. Then it could serve as a sort of clock. But if the phone is charging, you don’t need an always on screen to see your widgets. You can just unlock the phone. At home this is exactly what I do. The only time I could use the always on screen is when I’m at my employer’s building, which I haven’t set foot in since March of 2020.
But at a higher level, I still see widgets on the phone as inferior to complications on the Apple Watch. Unless my phone is charging on my desk, it’s generally in my pants pocket, my computer bag, or my jacket. It’s not visible. This is true of most people because if there is one thing that people hate, it’s leaving your phone behind when you walk away. That’s why phones aren’t generally sitting on a counter or ledge somewhere so the screen is visible.
But the watch is different. The screen is ALWAYS visible and readily available. You never need to worry about leaving it behind because it’s strapped to your wrist. The watch remains the perfect place for any kind of widget that you want. That’s why wrist watches have always been more popular than pocket watches. Time of day is the oldest widget known to mankind and it’s always been easier and quicker to look at your wrist than pull a device out of your pocket.
I’m not anti-widget on the iPhone screen. They are useful when I already have my phone out for some other reason. But I much prefer that any info I need quick access to could be found on my watch. I’m going to use quick slices of information on my watch every day, all day long. An iPhone always on display with widgets is going to be marginally useful a few times a year, if that.
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