OPINION: Apple’s WWDC livestream happened last night and the company unveiled a load of new updates for iPhone via iOS 16 but if you’re an Apple Watch user then one of the biggest features might have a felt a bit familiar.
Right at the start of its iOS 16 presentation, Apple led the charge by announcing the completely revamped lock screen that will soon be coming to all compatible iPhones. This new system finally allows for widgets to be added to the lock screen itself.
This means that you’ll be able to glance at key information such as the weather, upcoming calendar notifications and even the battery life of your connected devices. On top of that, the artistic design of the lock screen will also be changing, as the time (typically shown at the top of the display) will now blend seamlessly with any portrait or landscape shots you have to hand.
It’s all great stuff and as an iPhone user myself, I can easily imagine making use of the feature on a daily basis, but I can’t help but feel as if Apple has simply turned the iPhone into an Apple Watch.
After all, one of the best things about the Apple Watch is its complications, which lets you see vital bits of information at the flick of your wrist. Similarly, in the last Apple Watch update, Apple added the Portrait watch face which let users turn their favourite portrait shots into stylised images that could then be display on the watch itself.
Both of those features have now, essentially, been recreated almost verbatim on the iPhone. And again, it’s hardly a gripe but more of an oddity to see one Apple product adopt so many features from another.
After all, Apple has always remained keen on keeping their products distinct from one another – it’s the same reason why, despite having the same M1 chip as the MacBook Air, the iPad Pro and iPad Air will never feature MacOS.
What this essentially means if that if you’re an iPhone user who’s previously been on the fence about forking out for an Apple Watch, because of the updates available via iOS 16, you don’t really need to make that purchase any more unless you need a solid fitness tracker.
You might like…
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
