It seems unbelievable to say this, but for the past few generations, iPhones have offered more customization options in an essential part of the smartphone: the lock screen. Although Android used to offer the most freedom, over time Google has decided to limit the information and access displayed; The good news is that Android 15 will bring back many lock screen options.
In Android 14, we are already starting to see changes in this direction. The lock screen now allows for greater customization, including different clocks and setting two shortcuts to basic functions like the flashlight or camera. This was just the beginning, and Android 15 will allow for more changes.
For starters, it seems almost confirmed that widgets will return to the lock screen with Android 15, allowing us to see app information without having to unlock the device; However, everything indicates that this function will only be available on tablets, where it makes more sense due to the larger screen size that will allow more widgets to be displayed.
This will be the Android 15 lock screen
On mobile, Google is preparing something else to compensate for the lack of widgets: a new “At a glance” widget (In one look). Remember that this function has already been available since the first Pixel phones, using Google Assistant to display information that could be important to us, such as upcoming calendar events or weather forecasts.
NOW, Android Authority found that Google can reinvent “At a Glance,” turning it into something more similar to what iPhones offer, “Live Activities.” According to the screenshots shared, this section would occupy the lower part of the lock screen, below the fingerprint reader; Here we would see messages with upcoming events we have planned, weather information and pending tasks.
What’s interesting is that Google is working on implementing access to RemoteViews, an API (developer instructions) that would allow “At a Glance” to access widget data that we installed. In other words, this section would be able to display information from app widgets, both from Google and third-party apps.
This would be a more suitable solution for small mobile screens, which do not have space to display full widgets like tablets. Instead, “At a Glance” would take care of retrieve data from widgets and display them in this dedicated section.
