When you consider how many times you check your iPhone every day, you would realize how
great an advertising platform your phone’s screen is. The lock screen wallpaper is the first thing
users see when they pick up their phone. You will typically set up a beautiful picture or the
photo of something or someone very special to you as your lock screen wallpaper. With iOS 16,
that is all about to change.
The New iOS 16 Update
The iOS 16 update was released in public beta a week ago. It is expected to make a full launch
this fall and is set to deliver more customization options and widgets to the lock screen. Users
will provide with a greater amount of information in an instant while being able to apply
aesthetic effects to their lock screen images.
Until so far, the lock screen has been seen as a more intimate space for users. It was meant for
information such as important notifications, personal photos, and tools such as flashlight.
However, Apple and other tech companies seem to be looking for ways to monetize this space.
Upcoming Changes
Many changes are expected to take place on the lock screen, given the following developments:
The launch of iOS 16
Glance’s planned expansion in the US market
Updates to the Google Pixel phone widgets
Glance is a subsidiary of InMobi, a Google-backed mobile ad tech firm. It is taking its lock screen
platform to the US market. All these changes mean that the iPhone lock screen is about to
undergo some significant changes.
Apple’s Announcement
Apple’s senior VP of software engineering, claimed the iOS 16 launch as “the biggest update
ever” during the Worldwide Developers Conference last month. According to the tech giant, the
update will allow users to customize the colors and font styles for the date and time. Users will
also be able to provide their background photo in a magazine cover-like style.
And then there are the new widgets that are expected to add greater utility to the lock screens
on iPhones. iPhones already allow users to place widgets on the Today View screen of their lock
screens. This secondary screen can be accessed by swiping to the right.
With the new changes, iOS 16 will be adding widgets to the primary lock screen to show
information such as:
Temperature
Calendar appointments
Activity Rings from the Apple Watch
Such functionality has been available to Android users for many years. The iOS update will also
allow users to create multiple lock screens and switch between them.
