The latest iPhone software update introduced the concept of widgets - an ability for apps to take up a bit more space on the home screen and display more useful information than just a link to the individual app. The software was rolled out quickly and at the expense of time for developers to do what they do best, so it’s taking a while for apps to be updated, but the few that I’ve seen so far have been really good.

I can already see that the process of playing about with widgets and organising my home screens is going to take a while, not least because while I was trying to add one all of my previously organised folders exploded and now the apps are all over the place. I literally can’t find anything.

But, that aside, one of the things these widgets have done is got me using Streaks again. I’ve loved the app for a while, but in all honesty dropped off using it recently. Now, I’ve got two rows of six tasks in plain view and can easily see what I’ve done and what is still to do. The abillity to just view it at a glance make so much difference to trying to keep these habits going!

I’m hoping that it’s on the roadmap for these widgets to get even more useful in future, and be interactive as opposed to just displaying information and being a link to the apps. Tapping on a habit and marking it off from the widget would be even better.

But I’m fascinated to see which apps get updated to include these widgets, what options they offer, and which other ones it’ll make me start using again. The whole app world has opened up again!