iOS 18 Control Center to Include Redesigned Music Widget and HomeKit Controls

Among other advancements in iOS 18, key emphasis has been placed on cognitive functions. According to Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter, Apple is to refresh the iPhone Control Center with the launch of iOS 18 which will include new versions of the ‘now playing’ music widget along with HomeKit smart home controls.

More About the iOS 18 Control Center

Gurman provides more details regarding iOS 18, stating that the Settings app will feature refreshed aesthetics, better organization, and stronger search. The Control Center is getting some new features, such as a redesigned music widget and improved compatibility for smart home devices.

The Control Center design has been effectively unchanged since it first appeared alongside the iPhone X in 2017, indicating a refresh is well overdue. Though we haven’t been provided with specific notes related to design, it’s likely that the ‘Now Playing’ UI could be enlarged to accommodate for album art and a progress bar by default, a long-standing user request.

For HomeKit, the current iOS system automatically picks six accessories to highlight in the Home section of the Control Center. But what is automatic to some might be annoying to others as it will not reflect in his or her own preferences and it might change unexpectedly. This feature would allow the Control Center menu to be manually edited by the user, and the layout would be fixed in order to be more easily accessible. Plus, tile sizes effectively pointing at the Home app would make it a lot more user-friendly. Users appreciate less reliance on ‘AI’ for the iOS 18 update

In a nutshell, iOS 18 is set to refresh the entirety of the operating system with enhancements to improve user experience and functionality in all parts of the interface. Users are looking forward to the official iOS 18 release that contains the expected alterations in Control Center among other features, to experience these on their devices in full effect.

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