Widgets, widgets, widgets. Has there ever been an Android feature so full of promise that s gone unloved by Google for so very long?
Okay, so maybe there has been erm, lots of times, actually. But even so, Android s widgets system is a perfect example of an exceptional advantage that Google basically buried, abandoned, and left on the brink of extinction up until its sudden revival in this year s upcoming Android 12 release. (And that revival, by the way, is happening for no apparent reason whatsoever. Just a totally random, unprompted change of heart after a decade of indifference. Riiiiiiiiight.)
Google may have more or less given up on widgets for a while, but the good news is that the Android developer community has been chuggin along and coming up with creative new ways to embrace widgets all this time. And you don t have to wait until Android 12 to step up your own Android widget game and give yourself some fresh and fruitful paths to make the most of your phone s framewor
Google s Android 12 software is nowhere near ready for prime time, but Goog almighty: We ve sure seen plenty of hints about some of the tantalizing touches it could include. And if you re anything like me, that makes it tough not to feel at least a
teensy bit hungry for a taste.
The current Android 12 developer preview, unfortunately, won t do much to satisfy that craving. It s basically just a barebones framework of the software, made mostly for developers, and most of the mouthwatering morsels are carefully tucked away, disabled, and not yet visible or available for regular-mammal phone-owner use.
But wait! Before you go off sulking and seeking out a consolation snack, take heed: A few of the treats that seem to be under development for Android 12 can actually be brought into