The updated lock screen interface in iOS 17 will turn the iPhone into a “smart home screen,” according to bloombergMarcus Gorman. When not in use and placed in landscape orientation, the iPhone will display information including calendar appointments, weather data, notifications, and more, allowing it to act as a home data center.
With the iPhone attached to the MagSafe charging dock in landscape orientation, for example, the smart home interface will appear, mimicking what users might see with a device like the Echo Show or Google Nest Hub. The functionality will be based on the widget options that Apple added to the Lock screen in iOS 16.
Apple wants to make iPhones more useful when they are not in active use and sitting on a desk or nightstand. Apple plans to use a dark background with lighter colored text to make the information on the screen easier to read.
Apple is also developing a landscape interface for the iPad, but it may not be ready for release in iOS 17, and the company is also working on a low-cost tablet that magnetically attaches to walls and acts as a custom home.
iOS 17 will be announced at the keynote event on June 5 that kicks off the Worldwide Developers Conference 2023. For more information on what to expect, we have a roundup dedicated to iOS 17, and the full Gurman report can be read at bloomberg.
