The iPad is reportedly getting lock screen widgets in iPadOS 17, and like a number of other iPhone-only features, they'll be a lot more useful on the iPad's big screen.
Customizable iPad Pro Lock Screen…#iPadOS17
When it comes to leaks and rumors, this is the “like, duh, obviously” end of the scale. When the iPhone got widgets in iOS 14, the iPad followed suit in iPadOS 15. The iPhone got lock screen widgets and customizations in iOS 16 last year, so it should come as no surprise to see the iPad getting them, too. And unlike the iPhone, which struggles to cram in more than a few widgets, the iPad has ample room for both. In fact, a few iPhone UI features would be better on the iPad.
"Weather background will become my permanent iPad wallpaper. My location uses every weather image and changes regularly," iPad user and weather observer Charles Shaw said in a MacRumors forum thread about the new feature.
The iPhone’s lock-screen situation is a bit complex. First, there are the lock-screen widgets, of which you can add only four (five if you opt to replace the date display above the time). Then there’s Live Activities, which let apps show real-time updates for things like sports scores or flight status.
