The Gmail app has a new widget for iOS 14, but it doesn’t offer much functionality. The only thing it offers is quick links to inbox, the compose menu, or search. This means that it doesn’t show a real preview of the inbox content, an option to archive or delete mails without opening the app, or a way to read an incoming message.
The reason why the Gmail iOS 14 widget offers very limited options is because Apple has strict controls when it comes to iOS widgets – they are usually non-interactive. For instance, there is no way to check off to-do list items on a reminder widget or access the play and pause controls for Spotify or Apple Music widgets.
Apple itself has clarified under its developer guidelines that its widgets present ‘'read-only information and don’t support interactive elements such as scrolling elements or switches.”
Perhaps the company would show more flexibility by giving its developers more room to make iOS widgets interactive in future iOS versions, but for now Apple seems to be sticking to its original ways.
