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The One-Home-Screen Edition Tuesday, January 5, 2021

You Only Really Need One Home Screen, by Beth Skwarecki, Lifehacker

I dedicate my one and only home screen to the apps that I actually want my phone to remind me about, or that I want the easiest possible access to. These include my camera, texting apps, and a few health and habit-related apps. If I want to browse old photos or check my work email, I have to take the extra two seconds to locate the appropriate app. As a result, my home screen represents what I want to use my phone for, rather than a hodgepodge of every app that’s made its way on there. And I’m happier this way.

Apple Still Hasn't Fixed iOS 14 Notifications Bug For Some Users, by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, ZDNet

Basically, the problem was (or is) that iPhone owners just aren't getting notifications for things like messages. Those with an Apple Watch were noticing that notifications were being delivered to their wrist, but that the iPhone was remaining silent. Those owning just an iPhone were left in the dark when a message came in.

Stuff

This Handy Fitness App Got Me Active Again At Home – Here’s Why You Should Try It, by Lauren Murdoch-Smith, Vogue

It’s got me moving, something that I admit I hadn’t been doing as much since being stuck at home, and I’ve discovered new workouts that I would have once shied away from. It’s truly a refreshing approach to taking an exercise class.

This App Puts Timers On Your iPhone Screen No Matter What You're Doing, by Oliver Haslam, iMore

Pop Out Timer & Stopwatch cleverly turns itself into a video and then allows users to watch that video via picture-in-picture. The result is a movable timer and stopwatch that you can always see, whether you're on your Home screen or checking up on Twitter.

Belkin Delays Its 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charger, by William Gallagher, AppleInsider

Despite being among the first to announce a range of MagSafe accessories, Belkin has now said that its chief product has been delayed. The $149 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with Magsafe, which charges iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, will now not be released until February.

Notes

Apple To Close All UK Retail Locations Amid New Government Lockdown, by Mike Peterson, AppleInsider

Apple will shutter all of its retail locations in the United Kingdom amid a new national lockdown implemented in response to a surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

WhatsApp Soundly Beaten By Apple’s Stunning New iMessage Update, by Zak Doffman, Forbes

In a fairly stark example of being careful what you wish for, Apple has updated its website and that same level of privacy information for iMessage is now live, presenting a stunning contrast between iMessage and WhatsApp.

Bottom of the Page

Even before iOS 14, I only had one home screen. All the other 'unnecessary' apps were hidden away in folders. iOS 14 makes this hiding even easier, though. It makes my fidgeting around the home screens even less likely to conjure up unnecessary apps that I can fiddle with.

Screen Time on my iPhone can set limits on certain categories of apps. Perhaps Apple can consider to also allow limits to be set on apps that are not on the home screen?

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Thanks for reading.