App widgets were a big part of Apple's strategy across Mac, iOS, and iPadOS when it introduced its latest major updates at the end of 2020.
Widgets refer to small apps which update in the background, and can be used to provide at-a-glance information about everything from weather to device usage statistics to to-do lists.
But while Apple went full-tilt with widgets as part of iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur, it wants developers to help in improving them further.
Building Great Widget Experiences
According to 9to5Mac, Apple has sent out invitations to Apple developers to join a special online event taking place February 1, 2021. Entitled "Building Great Widget Experiences," the invite-only event will allow iOS, iPadOS, and macOS app devs to join with Apple's engineers and designers to hear more about developing insanely great widgets.
As with all Apple events since last year's WWDC, Building Great Widget Experiences will take place entirely online, rather than by inviting a select group of developers to visit Apple’s campus, as might have happened in the past. This is as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
The invitation to the event reads, in part:
"We'd like you to join us for Building Great Widget Experiences on Monday, February 1, 2021. This event will be conducted online. Useful and delightful, widgets let you elevate key content from your app and display it where users can see it at a glance on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. They can also help users personalize their home screens in unique ways. Join us for an in-depth look at building great widget experiences."
The invite, which was sent to those with an Apple Developer account, notes that there will be the opportunity for devs to ask questions as part of the event. This makes it sound similar to the Q&A sessions that Apple offers as part of WWDC each year.
Widgets Are Here to Stay
As 9to5Mac notes, Apple has organized events such as this previously. Two that took place in 2020 focused on the transition to Apple Silicon with the first M1 Macs, and building accessibility features into apps.
It's highly unlikely that Apple will reveal any of its future plans for widgets during the February event. Nonetheless, this does suggest that widgets are likely to remain a big focus of Apple's going forwards.
Having been a long-demanded addition to Apple software, it seems that the Cupertino company has most certainly listened---and now it wants to listen to its developers as well.
