When iOS 14 came out in September, Google was one of the first third-party developers to come out with a home screen widget for one of its iPhone and iPad apps. It’s now rolling out new ones for Gmail, Drive and Fit.
Some of the new widgets look more useful than others. For instance, the one that comes with Google Fit looks great. Not only does it let you see the progress you’re making toward your daily step and heart points goals, but it also provides you with a weekly breakdown of your activity.
However, the Gmail one looks like it could use some work. As you can see from the screenshot Google shared, you can use its new widget to search your inbox and start composing an email. It also shows a count of your unread messages, which is something you can already see if you glance at the app icon.
The company is also working on widgets for Gcal and Chrome. The former provides you with an overview of your upcoming appointments. Tapping on one of the color-coded event icons will let you see your full calendar. Meanwhile, the Chrome one lets you search or type in a URL, open a tab in incognito mode, conduct a voice search and scan a QR code. Google says a smaller version of the widget comes “with a little prehistoric surprise.” I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see the Chrome Dinosaur on my home screen.
You can add the Gmail, Drive and Fit widgets to your iPhone and iPad home screen starting today. The Calendar one will be available sometime in the next few weeks, while the Chrome one will make its way to everyone sometime next year — though you can try by installing the beta on your phone.
Author: Igor Bonifacic, @igorbonifacic
13h ago
Source: Engadget
