Buzz
The lock screen undergoes a significant transformation in iOS 16, released by Apple last night for iPhone users. Despite the absence of the rumored always on display (AOD), the new lock screen is now more visually appealing, vibrant, and displays a wealth of information.For over a decade, the iPhone lock screen has been limited to displaying time and notifications, period. All of that changes with iOS 16. We can now add multiple widgets to the time display area, interact with wallpapers, customize fonts or colors of text and numbers on it.
Selecting and adjusting widgets on this new lock screen resembles that of the Apple Watch, divided into three rows. The middle row exclusively displays the time. Users can choose from various time display styles and colors. It feels akin to Android 12's Material You. The remaining two rows offer a selection of widgets such as calendar, workouts, weather, stocks, Homekit... While these widgets contain limited information, they suffice for a lock screen with minimal customization as before.
Regarding wallpapers, iOS 16 now boasts a diverse range from color arrays to astronomy and emojis. Users can interact with images from the library, particularly with depth effects. These effects aren't restricted to portrait mode blur; even landscape images can incorporate them, as decided by the device. For instance, users can opt to blend part of the time widget into the wallpaper rather than keeping them as distinct elements. For portrait images, users can choose studio effects or black and white to emphasize the subject.
Notifications on the lock screen also receive a facelift. They are now displayed in a layered format at the bottom instead of spanning the entire screen. A beautiful lock screen necessitates changes in how notifications are presented. The lock screen adjusts based on the chosen Focus mode, such as at home, at work, driving, or do not disturb. Users can long-press the lock screen to swipe and quickly switch between these Focus modes. Overall, we have a lock screen that is more visually appealing and interactive than before. This marks the first developer beta version, with possible changes in subsequent beta versions. Stay tuned for updates.
