How to Do more with widgets in iOS

1 Launch Center Pro

If you like customizing for efficiency, you’ll love this powerful widget, which lets you create a mini Home screen of selected apps within your Today view. You can also invoke actions, such as messaging a regular contact.

2 Weather Underground

This has two widgets. WU Weather shows similar info to iOS’s own weather widget, but with better use of space and more options. WU Radar maps nearby rainfall. The free apps have ads, but they aren’t shown in the widgets.

3 IFTTT

This automation service offers a range of ready-made ‘recipes’ through its app. Turn on the IFTTT widget, then tap it to go to a list of widget–enabled tasks, from changing your Hue lights to saving a snap to Google Photos.

4 Google Transit Departures

Google Transit Departures shows much more than Apple’s equivalent. It needs no set–up and shows all transport services leaving your area soon in the Today view and Lock screen.

5 Quick Notes

Apple’s Notes widget misses the point by showing only a couple of lines of each note. Michal Kos’s gives you the whole note (with a Show Less option). It lacks extras like syncing, but it’s perfect for shopping lists.

6 The Jumping Dino

Steve is a dinosaur. He jumps. In the Today view. On your iPhone. Just tap to play. Yes, that’s all this does: it’s a 2D infinite running game featuring a T-Rex. Called Steve. In a widget. Stop thinking and install it.