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iOS 14’s new Home screen widgets aren’t as powerful as you might think

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Home screen widgets in iOS 14
Widgets are awesome, but they're missing one thing.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020 For many iPhone users, the biggest and most exciting change in iOS 14 is the addition of Home screen widgets. It’s a feature we’ve been waiting years to get — and a feature Android has offered since the very beginning. But there’s something you should know before you start using them this fall.

iOS 14 Home screen widgets aren’t quite as powerful as you might think they are.

Tap the back of your iPhone to activate handy shortcuts in iOS 14

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Back Tap settings in iOS 14
A quicker, easier way to get things done.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020One of many hidden new features in iOS 14 is an option to set new shortcuts that are activated by tapping the back of your iPhone. It’s a new accessibility option that can be used for things like returning to the Home screen, snapping a screenshot, muting your device, and more. Here’s how it works.

Apple gets it ‘write’ with Scribble on iPadOS

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Scribble is the most significant new feature in iPadOS 14
Apple’s Scribble handwriting-recognition system makes iPad styli more useful.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple finally brought handwriting recognition to iPad. With Scribble built in iPadOS 14, it’s possible to enter text simply by drawing on the screen.

My testing with the first version shows its an amazing feature. But one with room for improvement.

Apple opens Find My app to rival item trackers

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The Find My‌ Network is created by iPhone, iPad and Mac devices
Tile and other location-aware Bluetooth item trackers could soon be accessible through Apple’s Find My app.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020Third-party item trackers will be able to connect to the Find My‌ Network created by iPhone, Mac and other Apple devices, the company announced Monday during its annual developers conference.

This will be a huge benefit to Tile, who recently complained to the EU Commission that Apple is making it harder for customers to use Tile’s location-aware tracking tags even as Apple prepares to launch its own.

iOS 14 accessibility feature listens out for crying babies, smoke alarms, and more

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Baby crying
iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 will listen out for the important sounds taking place in the background.
Photo: Tim Bish/Unsplash CC

iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 has an impressive accessibility feature that can listen out for sounds like running water, a person knocking on the door, smoke alarms, babies crying, and more — and then warn users about it with an on-screen notification.

It’s an incredibly smart feature, based on machine learning technology, that could range from useful to life-saving. Who says that always-listening tech has to be limited to “Hey, Siri”?

Apple makes it easier for devs to challenge App Store review process

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app-store
The App Store has been mired in controversy lately.
Photo: Apple

Apple will allow developers to challenge its app review process, and also end its current practice of blocking bug fixes due to minor violations of its rules, Reuters reported Monday.

Apple has not yet revealed the details of the mechanism devs can use to appeal rulings, and an Apple spokesperson declined to comment. However, the feature is supposedly on the way.