Read the World Today - Apple's Plans for iOS 17 Could Make Your Locked iPhone Screen a Smart Home-Esque Display

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Weather and calendar appointments could soon be shown horizontally on your locked phone like a smart home display, a report says.

Corinne Reichert Senior Writer

Corinne Reichert (she/her) grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to California in 2019. She holds degrees in law and communications, and currently oversees the CNET breaking news desk for the West Coast. Corinne covers everything from phones, social media and security to movies, politics, 5G and pop culture. In her spare time, she watches soccer games, F1 races and Disney movies.

Apple’s upcoming iOS 17 software update for iPhones could come with a feature that lets you view more items on your locked phone screen, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The smart display would reportedly show things such as calendar appointments, weather and notifications.

The display would appear horizontally and resemble a smart home display like those sold by Amazon and Google while your phone is locked and lying unused on your desk or nightstand, Bloomberg said, citing unidentified sources. It’ll have a “dark background with bright text,” the report says, so that you can easily read the information.

A similar horizontal smart display would reportedly come to iPads at a later date.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but the news will reportedly be revealed at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference next month.

The smart display rumor follows Apple last year launching lock screen widgets on iPhones and a customizable lock screen under iOS 16. The smart display would be a different experience, potentially giving you information without you having to touch your phone.

Apple’s WWDC event will kick off with a keynote on June 5, where it’s expected the tech giant will unveil iOS 17, an AR/VR mixed-reality headset and possibly a new MacBook Air. You’ll be able to watch WWDC online as well as on the Apple TV app.