◀ WIRUS

iOS Active Widgets Concept

iOS can keep its elegant grid based home screen and still have active icons retaining its skuemorphic represents-real-objects theme. As for iOS competitors, both Windows Mobile and Android have live information on their home screen. Keeping the iOS widgets true to their square based nature also has a nice bonus for wrist wearable devices.

Windows Live Tiles Comparision

While Windows new metro theme is visually attractive, it is difficult to know what a certain icon is for. Icons are lost in a sea of similar shapes and colours.

Android Widgets Comparision

Android widgets are .... well if you don't mind them I have nothing else to say.

iOS Active Widgets Activation

iOS Active Widgets would be activated in the icon edit screen. In addition to the X button, an app that supports the Active mode would have a green plus, like on OS X.

iOS Widget Sizing

The icon would then expand to take up four icon spaces. Other icons would move out of the way like they do in rearrange mode.

iOS Widget Active and Identity Area

Apple's developer guidelines would specify the outside area must include graphical identity of the app. This would prevent the Window's metro issue of sameness. The white area indicates space that is active. For example with Alarm Talk, it shows the current time and the alarm time, and that the alarm is on (orange tinge to alarm hand).

iOS Widget Active Bonus

The sizing of iOS Active Widgets comes with one great bonus. Lower power bluetooth makes real communication between larger iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad, and small wrist wearable devices like the iPod Nano possible. Once the nano runs a scaled down version of iOS, the active widget could be transferred to the Nano.

Written by Jot Kali. I make iOS apps such as Alarm Talk. Alarm talk has a beautiful interface, and upon alarm speaks the weather and your day's agenda to you.

March 2012