iOS 16 will make a lot of changes to your iPhone once it’s up and running, but sometimes it’s the smallest details that really make the difference. And it’s one of those little improvements I’ve been making the most since installing the iOS 16 beta on my phone.
One of the tools I use most often on my iPhone is the timer in the Clock app, whether it’s to time the coffee I’m using, check the phone’s charging speed for a review, make sure dinner isn’t burnt or something else. If you had asked me a few weeks ago if there was anything missing from this feature, I would have said no. But the new Timer widget that pops up on the lock screen when in use is a game changer for me.
Previously, the lock screen only showed you how much time is left, and in a very small font at the top of the screen. Here’s how it looks on an iPhone with iOS 15.
And this is what it looks like in iOS 16.
As you can see, it is much larger, appears above your notifications like a media player, and most importantly, offers pause and cancel buttons. Before now, if you want to suspend the timer, you will have to go back to the app or go through the Control Center. You can only stop the timer by referring to the application. This makes accessing both a lot easier if you leave your phone or are using other apps while timing something.
This is something that some Android devices can do, such as Samsung phones that have a time popup and lock screen widget. But for the millions of iPhone users who don’t have an interest in switching, this is a great upgrade.
Among the iOS 16 features I’ve been using, I still think the new haptic keyboard feedback is better from an everyday usability standpoint, especially considering it’s a standard feature on competing Android phones. But the new timer widget on the lock screen comes in second, and will undoubtedly be useful to many people for many reasons.
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