You can soon fill your iOS 16 lock screen with Google Maps and Gmail widgets
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The latest iPhone software update has arrived and has added several new features to Apple’s services, and soon Google will follow suit with its own lock screen widgets.
The iOS 16 update gives people with Apple smartphones from iPhone 8 to iPhone 14 new benefits, including the return of battery percentage in the status bar, an undo button in iMessage, and app widgets on the lock screen.
These widgets give you instant access to essential services and information, and they can be customized to tailor the lock screen to your needs.
Now, Google has revealed that iOS 16’s lock screen customization options will soon be available for its own suite of apps as well.
In a message on The keyword blog (opens in new tab)Google has said that six of its apps will have widgets on the lock screen.
A Google Search widget gives you the ability to search using text, voice, or a photo from your camera — and includes other Google Lens tricks like translation and homework help. If you’re someone with a Gmail account, a widget for that app will automatically show you how many unread messages are waiting for you and what folder they’re in.
And if you prefer Google Maps over Apple’s own more private Maps app, the Maps Frequent Trips widget gives you real-time updates on your most important trips (like your trip home or your commute). Just tap the trip you want to take and Google Maps will take it from there.
In addition to these, Google Chrome, Google News, and Google Drive are also getting iOS 16 widgets.
In the blog post, Google just tells us to “keep an eye out for all these widgets in the coming weeks,” so there’s no exact timeline for when they’ll be out. But we’d see these widgets added soon, and with Google calling the run a “sneak peek,” it could indicate other Google iOS 16 widgets are on the way, too.
If you’re looking for iOS apps to use today, check out our picks for the best iPhone apps.