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So, Apple did their big WWDC thing this week, and there’s this new widget system for Vision Pro they’re all hyped about. visionOS 26 (yeah, that’s a mouthful) has something that lets you slap widgets on walls or tables, and they won’t budge—even if you reboot the whole thing. It’s like magic wallpaper, but techy. Honestly, who thought we’d end up with widgets becoming part of our décor?
Okay, so during one of these developer sessions, Apple was showing off this system for Vision Pro. Widgets are no longer just these floaty little squares in space that move whenever you nudge them. No, now they stick to walls like a cat poster you’d put up in your college dorm. And weirdly enough, even if everything else resets, those things stay put. Almost like they’ve claimed their space and refuse to move.
They explained you can use existing widgets that were made for iOS or iPadOS, which means, lucky you, there’s a treasure trove of options already out there. Plus, they’ve tweaked WidgetKit (I know, right? Another kit.) with extras just for Vision Pro, like funky sizes and shapes.
I saw some screenshots or images—whatever—and for some reason, that Apple watermark just gets me every time. I digress. They’ve got these ‘paper’ and ‘glass’ overlays you can chuck on your widget. Why? So it looks good with room lighting. Because all your friends talk about how perfectly your widgets match your lamp, I guess.
Alright, here’s a fun one: if you have a static widget (think album art or just a pretty picture of your cat), go with the ‘paper’ look. It dims with the room light—perfect for setting that moody evening vibe. For stuff that changes, like news or buddy lists or whatever, the ‘glass’ one is your go-to. Keeps things bright, so you’re always in the know.
Widgets in visionOS 26 apparently have this Spidey-sense thing going on (not really calling it that, but let’s roll with it). They know when you’re coming up close and can switch up the info they’re showing. It’s like, “Hey, here’s the basic weather if you’re far, and boom—week’s forecast as you get near.” Sneaky, right?
Oh, and Apple’s apparently got their own widgets like an album art poster. You click, music plays. Ta-da. Also, there’s a ‘photo window’ which doesn’t sound much like a window but more like a flat photo—baby steps, I guess.
Clock widgets have their bling now. More designs, more detail. Why so much detail? I dunno. But hey, if you’re a clock-watching enthusiast, this might be thrilling.
Oh, and there’s this thing about placing widgets right. Against walls or tables, not floating in the air like before. It’s all supposed to fit with your world. And they do this shadow casting thing, which, if you ask me, is more a show-off piece to sound smart about it.
Anyway, developers can get fancy with these widgets, but we mere users also have some wiggle room to customize. Like, you can make them way bigger or smaller. Set them flush against the wall like they’re shy, or have them stick out frame-style, loud and proud. Plus, you can bring in some color—dark or light, ‘cause choices matter!
In case you’re worried your widgets will misbehave (they do that), they’ll snap into grids when near each other. Neat freaks rejoice. You can also fiddle with them. Like, tap and pinch to tick off your to-do list—Oh, and if a widget’s too shy to interact, it’ll just pop open the app instead.
Right, so these widgets are out in the VisionOS 26 developer beta. They’re hitting the public sometime this fall. And there you go, an unfiltered glimpse into the future of tech wallpaper.
