FAQ: iOS 14

Here’s what Apple has in store for your iPhone this autumn. Jason Cross reports

As expected, Apple announced the next major revision to its phone operating system at its WWDC 2020 virtual developer conference. And as usual, the new iOS is full of features big and small.

A new home screen with the App Library

Apple is finally changing the iOS home screen. With iOS 14, you’ll be able to actually remove apps from your home screens, and even eliminate entire screens. Your apps will all remain in a new App Library, a page that is one swipe beyond your final home screen.

The App Library automatically groups all your apps together into big folders that show the most recently used apps within. You can search for apps with a search box at the top, see automated suggestions in the upperleft box, and recently used apps in the upper-right box. Folders will also be automatically organized by categories, such as Social, Health & Fitness, and so on.

It is a great way to clean up your iPhone’s home screen without losing access to all your stuff, and it is the most significant change to the iPhone’s home screen in years.

New Widgets on the Today view and home screen

Widgets have been available on iOS for years, living in a simple vertical list of full-width boxes on the Today screen (that screen to the left of your first home screen).

With iOS 14, Apple will completely overhaul the widgets experience. The new widgets can have more information and a bunch of new sizes, but most importantly, they can be dragged right off the Today view and onto your home screen.

One swipe past your last home screen is the App Library, where all your apps live, and are automatically organized

The first two boxes show suggested apps based on your time and location and most recently used apps

Widgets now come in lots of new shapes and sizes

Widgets on the home screen? Finally!