Just as iOS 16 was to release, Google shared its plans and intentions to utilize the new lock screen features found in iOS 16. Revealed in a blog post, Susie Wee shares what the company plans to do for its iOS users.
First off there are new Search Widgets. These act as shortcuts to certain apps that users might find useful. Stuck in Japan and don’t understand the menu? Simply tap the Translate widget on your lock-screen to start translating, or open Lens using its Search Widget.
There’s also a new suite of Gmail widgets that offers a quick glance at unread emails, tags, conversations, and more. This widget comes in three sizes: small, medium, and large; with large spanning the entire area above the clock.
Google News has also seen the spotlight in this update, as you’ll be able to glance at the current news whenever you look at the lock-screen. This is similar to how Apple News behaves in iOS 16 currently, with no specific configuration available except “Today’s News”. It’s unclear whether or not Google News’ widget will be configurable.
There are a lot of other new widgets that Google is bringing to iOS 16, like Google Drive, Maps, and Chrome. Google Drive lets you glance at relevant shared files, while Maps can help you find where to eat out next. Google Chrome lets you open a new tab, incognito tab, or play the famous Dino game.
What do you think of Google bringing widgets to the new iOS 16 lock-screen? Is there something they missed? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter @Appleosophy!
