Spotify just updated its iPhone and iPad app with a new home screen widget after a brief beta testing period. The new home screen widget provides quick access to recently played playlists, artists, albums, and podcasts.
The widget is available in both small and medium sizes and can be accessed by updating the Spotify app to version 8.5.80 or later.
Apple has released iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 updates with new features and enhanced performance. The iOS 14 features include an App Library, Widgets, a Compact UI, improved Siri, Privacy and Security improvements, App Clips, and more. the iPadOS 14 has been updated with more or less the same features, plus Scribble and Sidebars.
For the first time since Apple launched its first iPhone, the Home Screen looks different. iOS 14 comes with a home screen where users can remove all their installed apps and store them in the App Library. The App Library is like an app repository where all the apps are organized automatically by category and users can easily search for an app in the Library using the search bar on top of the screen. The App Library is located on the right-most screen.
Widgets have also been added to the Home Screen for the first time. They come in multiple sizes and can be added anywhere on the screen among the apps. For fast switching, they can also be added on top of one another. A Smart Stack option will automatically show the most relevant widget throughout the day.
A compact UI has enabled interactions that previously took over the screen to take up lesser space. For instance, phone calls now appear as a notification widget, Siri is represented by a small ball of light at the bottom of the screen, and Shortcuts execute from notification panels.
Siri's performance has been improved as it has been upgraded to better understand users and their queries. Moreover, Siri will also now be responsible for translating languages on Safari webpages via a new Translate app. The feature will work by opening the app and either pasting the text that needs to be translated or speaking into the app for real-time translation.
Apple's much awaited September event for product launch took place, and the company announced its new Apple Watch Series 6, fourth generation iPad Air, new Apple One plan, and new software updates at the event. There was no mention of any of Apple's upcoming iPhones, however. The new iPhones are expected to be announced either later this month or in October.
The new Apple Watch Series 6 is priced at $399 and is expected to arrive on September 18. Some new additions to the Watch include the new Apple S6 silicon chip and a blood oxygen sensor. Along with that, Apple also announced its low-cost Apple Watch SE, which is priced at $279.
Some noticeable features of the Apple Watch Series 6 include a new Family Setup option, Fitness subscription, and Solo Loop. The Family Setup option helps families stay connected, despite any of the family members not owning an iPhone. A family tracking feature helps parents track their children's whereabouts. The new Fitness subscription is priced at $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year. It is designed for in-home fitness services, considering the ongoing pandemic. The Solo Loop is a single band made of stretchy silicon that comes in seven different colors and a variety of sizes.
Apple's announcement of the new iPhone is rumored to be delayed this year. The company usually launches its iPhones in September, but this year, the September event that it has revealed is called 'Time Flies', which suggests that it could be for the launch of the new Apple Watch.
The event is scheduled for 15 September, which is later than the usual time of September that Apple chooses for its products' launch in fall. The delay is apparently due to the Covid pandemic. Apple had also confirmed that it won't be shipping its new phones in September.
Apple event on Sept 15th! I would very much expect it to be a new Apple Watch ("Time Flies") and possibly a new iPad. From what I'm told and everything Apple has said on earnings calls, the new iPhone is coming a few weeks later. pic.twitter.com/EuKfN8BqHA
— nilay patel (@reckless) September 8, 2020
There are, as usual, no details given about the event in terms of the products that will be announced. However, it is rumored that the company has a full lineup of hardware for this year, including four new iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 6, an updated iPad Air, a smaller HomePod, and perhaps even a pair of over-ear headphones. The 'Time Flies' event seems to be focusing on the Apple Watch, though.
The Apple Watch Series 6 is rumored to feature blood oxygen level monitoring and improved sleep tracking and could have a faster processor.
YouTube is reportedly testing a picture-in-picture feature for its iOS app that would allow users to watch YouTube videos while using other apps. The feature was already available for iPad users and compatible with iOS 9 onwards, but its functionality was limited to only audio without video playing back upon exiting the YouTube app. When the complete functionality was finally granted to users, it came with the requirement to subscribe to YouTube premium.
Now some social media users are noticing that the mode has started to function with the latest installed version of the YouTube app for iOS, but reportedly, the feature is not working for all videos. This may indicate that the mode is still being tested and YouTube hasn't officially rolled it out on a larger scale.
Picture in Picture working on iPadOS with the YouTube app.
— Daniel Yount (@dyountmusic) August 27, 2020
(But only worked with this live stream, there must be some codec trickery happening behind the scenes for certain playback scenarios). pic.twitter.com/75vG7Ai4ln
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