For a long time, I did the whole widget-heavy semi-minimal iOS Home Screen thing. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old, but I just went back to a grid of apps and somehow it feels simpler. Fewer taps to do the things I want to do in most cases.
Mark Stoneman The widgets were never all that useful on Mac OS, and then they brought them to iOS and reinvented how they work on both OSes. I’d prefer they spend more time on fixing bugs instead of trying to make us do things differently all the time.
Matt Langford @rscottjones Basically what I’ve done, but I’m honestly considering taking it even further. When I want to check the weather or my todo list or see my calendar, the widgets don’t provide enough detail anyway. Even with a widget, I typically open the app anyway. The ones I am currently using are Shortcuts, Todoist, and Calendar. I might just keep Shortcuts.
Matt Langford @markstoneman Yeah, I agree. Between widgets, Apple Intelligence, Mail app, and Siri…I’d love improvements over features right now.
Mike Rockwell @matt I was excited about the idea of widgets coming to the Home Screen, but it had never stuck for me. I always just go back to a simple grid of apps with widgets in Today View (or whatever it’s called now).
Old habits die hard, I guess.
Manton Reece I’m happy with a grid of apps. Widgets always felt out of place to me, not worth the jumble it creates.
Matt Langford @manton I tried to force them into my use/workflow, but in the end it was a lost cause.
Jim Mitchell My iOS home screen has no apps or widgets, save four in the dock (mail, messages, omnifocus and calendar). If I want to launch an app other than those, I use a swipe gesture to search and launch it. I’ve tried the grid of homescreen apps, but it gives me anxiety for some reason.
Matt Langford @jimmitchell I use the swipe search thing for any apps not on my first Home Screen, but I like having quick touch access to certain ones. On Mac, I launch most things with spotlight though.