The latest iPhone software update has arrived and brought several new features to Apple’s services, and soon Google will follow suit with its own lock screen widget.
The iOS 16 update brings new benefits to people with Apple smartphones from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone 14, including a battery percentage return in the status bar.
These widgets give you instant access to essential services and information, and are customizable so you can make the lock screen perfect for your needs.
Now Google has revealed that its lock screen customization options for iOS 16 will soon be available for its own suite of apps as well.
In a post on The Keyword blog (opens in a new tab), Google said six of its apps will get lock screen widgets.
The Google Search widget lets you search using text, voice or camera snapshots – and includes other Google Lens tricks like translation and homework help. If you’re someone with a Gmail account, the app’s widget will automatically show you how many unread messages are waiting for you, and which folder they’re in.
If you prefer Google Maps to Apple’s own more private Maps app, the Maps frequent travel widget will give you real-time updates about your most important trips (like your journey home or your commute to work) . Just tap the trip you want to take and Google Maps will start there.
In addition to these Google Chrome, Google News and Google Drive, you will also get iOS 16 widgets.
In the blog post, Google only told us to “watch out for all these widgets in the coming weeks,” so there’s no firm timeline for when they’ll appear. But we should see these widgets added soon, and with Google calling the run “Sneak Peek,” it could hint that other Google iOS 16 widgets are on the way.
If you’re looking for an iOS app to use today, check out our picks for the best iPhone apps.
