iOS 8 Widget Customisations using Launcher

[pacorob]

Is anyone using Magic Launcher (previously it was called S Launcher)? How does it compare with Launcher Pro.?
It seems to have a better interface but stutters sometimes.

I have tried all of them besides Launcher (e.g. Magic Launcher/S Launcher, Launch Center Pro, iLauncher, GO Launcher, Quick-Tap see also the widget topic here and search for 'Quick launch' to see a lot of them which I mostly added).
In the end I love the stability and the huge list of apps and settings they support. I have send a lot of suggestions to Greg and colleagues at Cromulent Labs and they always added apps, in app features or settings quickly.
I've paid immediately for the original Pro version of Launcher but didn't pay for the more recent category/day of time pro upgrade which I don't need.

Magic Launcher e.g. lacks:
- Settings > Battery usage
- Spark > write new e-mail
- WhatsApp > still indicates that you can send a (standard) message to someone which unfortunately isn't possible anymore for quite some months. See earlier my posts in this topic

 

[Paco II]

ML definitely has a quick settings to Settings -> Battery.

I have tried all of them besides Launcher (e.g. Magic Launcher/S Launcher, Launch Center Pro, iLauncher, GO Launcher, Quick-Tap see also the widget topic here and search for 'Quick launch' to see a lot of them which I mostly added).
In the end I love the stability and the huge list of apps and settings they support. I have send a lot of suggestions to Greg and colleagues at Cromulent Labs and they always added apps, in app features or settings quickly.
I've paid immediately for the original Pro version of Launcher but didn't pay for the more recent category/day of time pro upgrade which I don't need.

Magic Launcher e.g. lacks:
- Settings > Battery usage
- Spark > write new e-mail
- WhatsApp > still indicates that you can send a (standard) message to someone which unfortunately isn't possible anymore for quite some months. See earlier my posts in this topic

 

[pacorob]

ML definitely has a quick settings to Settings -> Battery.

But I'm talking about 'Battery usage (per app) which does work in Launcher. When I select 'Battery' with the Magic launcher app it switched to General settings so isn't helpfull at all.

 

[Paco II]

Maybe try to reinstall ML. For me, I've tried both the Battery Quick Setting, as well as the Battery launcher, and both correctly take me to the Battery section in Settings (Settings -> Battery).

But I'm talking about 'Battery usage (per app) which does work in Launcher. When I select 'Battery' with the Magic launcher app it switched to General settings so isn't helpfull at all.

 

[pacorob]

Maybe try to reinstall ML. For me, I've tried both the Battery Quick Setting, as well as the Battery launcher, and both correctly take me to the Battery section in Settings (Settings -> Battery).

I will try that, but still I think Launcher deserves it more (the whole process of rejecting and getting it allowed again by Apple) and it works great.

 

[Paco II]

Ah now that's sticky territory. I give allegiance to the app that works best for me. Launcher is definitely a very capable and stable app, but I like that Magic Launcher continues to innovate, more so than Launcher. ML is introducing dividers, and has some very interesting 'Magic' Launchers (much more so than Launcher). Launcher supports more apps. Reality is I alternate between them as one ups the other. Competition is good for us users. I don't think one app deserves to be used more than the other.

I will try that, but still I think Launcher deserves it more (the whole process of rejecting and getting it allowed again by Apple) and it works great.

 

[pacorob]

Ah now that's sticky territory. I give allegiance to the app that works best for me. Launcher is definitely a very capable and stable app, but I like that Magic Launcher continues to innovate, more so than Launcher. ML is introducing dividers, and has some very interesting 'Magic' Launchers (much more so than Launcher). Launcher supports more apps. Reality is I alternate between them as one ups the other. Competition is good for us users. I don't think one app deserves to be used more than the other.

Competition is definitely good I agree.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Is anyone on iOS 10? If so, what do the Launcher widgets look like. Is there a way to use png images?

 

[pacorob]

No sorry iOS9 and as long as Greg from Cromulent Labs said not to upgrade I won't.

 

[Paco II]

Launcher is quite buggy. Sometimes it expands to show all Launchers, other times the widget displays in standard size and Launchers are cut off. Special Launchers don't open corresponding settings. First time tapping an app launcher will require you to ok opening the app. Not horrible, but definitely not a good experience.

Is anyone on iOS 10? If so, what do the Launcher widgets look like. Is there a way to use png images?

 

[gaanee]

Both ML and LP can launch other 3rd party apps. Is there any way to revoke permission later on? You can revoke permissions to Photos, contacts, location.. etc. but didn't find any way to revoke 3rd party apps.

Launcher is quite buggy. Sometimes it expands to show all Launchers, other times the widget displays in standard size and Launchers are cut off. Special Launchers don't open corresponding settings. First time tapping an app launcher will require you to ok opening the app. Not horrible, but definitely not a good experience.

 

[Paco II]

I don't think so. But what is your use case?

Both ML and LP can launch other 3rd party apps. Is there any way to revoke permission later on? You can revoke permissions to Photos, contacts, location.. etc. but didn't find any way to revoke 3rd party apps.

 

[gaanee]

My concern was giving access to messaging and social media apps. For those, I prefer not to give automatic access to 3rd party apps or at least be able to disable it when not needed.
I think in LP and ML case, they are only launching respective apps, so shouldn't be a concern. It just occurred to me the other day when I was adding a launcher to a messaging app and later on checked under Settings where permissions for photos, contacts.. etc. are listed but not the 3rd party apps.

I don't think so. But what is your use case?

 

[Paco II]

So another iOS 10 (beta) comment: it's not really specific to launcher widgets, but the look of the new widgets makes me really wish Apple went full width on iPads. It just looks odd (more odd?) that they just sit in the middle with all that wastes space. I think about how much launcher widgets could make use of that space. Another interesting issue that launcher widgets will need to sort out is that, at least currently, widgets have a minimum height.

 

[pacorob]

First time tapping an app launcher will require you to ok opening the app. Not horrible, but definitely not a good experience.

That was also the case since iOS9, I think it's something Apple build in to allow it the first time. This wasn't the case in iOS8.

So another iOS 10 (beta) comment: it's not really specific to launcher widgets, but the look of the new widgets makes me really wish Apple went full width on iPads. It just looks odd (more odd?) that they just sit in the middle with all that wastes space. I think about how much launcher widgets could make use of that space. Another interesting issue that launcher widgets will need to sort out is that, at least currently, widgets have a minimum height.

I absolutely agree with you but this isn't only the case on iPad but also on iPhone that there is so much wasted space around the widgets now. I probably can't show the same amount of app icons in the iOS10 widget as I now can on iOS9. In my case three rows with each 6 icons (smallest Launcher icon setting).

 

[Ledsteplin]

On my Launcher widgets, most do work ok. Here's what doesn't:
All Settings app
Voice memos
Clock app
Contacts
Facetime
Xfinity Connect = black screen
All other Launcher widgets work. I have 91 widgets set up in all.

 

[Jessica Lares]

91, wow, and you customized them all. I really need to do that again.

It got updated with a multi contact launcher today which I think is pretty nice. You click on the icon, and it changes to another view where you can click to call, message, FaceTime, and email.

The show and hide widgets now work with multiple locations too.

 

[pacorob]

91, wow, and you customized them all. I really need to do that again.

It got updated with a multi contact launcher today which I think is pretty nice. You click on the icon, and it changes to another view where you can click to call, message, FaceTime, and email.

The show and hide widgets now work with multiple locations too.

91 is indeed a lot! I have 18 icons (smallest size) in my Launcher widget. See screenshot below.
After you said this regarding the update of Launcher I also decided to pay the extra 1.99 euro for it. They absolutely deserve it. I do hope that the new contact feature will get some extra features so I can merge a few icons/actions which now aren't possible with that 'multiple contact' feature e.g.:

- Facetime audio with a certain contact (besides video)
- have a standard sms text message ready for a certain contact
- have a standard Telegram message ready for a certain contact

 

[Ledsteplin]

91 is indeed a lot! I have 18 icons (smallest size) in my Launcher widget. See screenshot below.
After you said this regarding the update of Launcher I also decided to pay the extra 1.99 euro for it. They absolutely deserve it. I do hope that the new contact feature will get some extra features so I can merge a few icons/actions which now aren't possible with that 'multiple contact' feature e.g.:

- Facetime audio with a certain contact (besides video)
- have a standard sms text message ready for a certain contact
- have a standard Telegram message ready for a certain contact

All of yours should work in iOS 10, except Battery Usage and Bluetooth.

 

[pacorob]

All of yours should work in iOS 10, except Battery Usage and Bluetooth.

Why shouldn't Battery usage (per app) and Bluetooth not work in iOS10?

 

[Ledsteplin]

Why shouldn't Battery usage (per app) and Bluetooth not work in iOS10?

Because nothing from Settings works in the beta. Nothing from the clock app works. Nor from Facetime and Contacts. I can't help but think it was intentional on Apple's part. I hope not. I hope Cromulent Labs has a fix in September.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Facetime now works.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Why shouldn't Battery usage (per app) and Bluetooth not work in iOS10?

I had left a bug report on the Launcher issue in the feedback app for the iOS 10 beta. I actually got a reply. I was told the public beta 7 should have fixed it. But it didn't. I told Greg at Cromulent Labs about it, and he was amazed I got a reply. No one else had. So he's now hopeful they'll fix it. Here's the email I got from the Apple beta team.

 

[pacorob]

Let's hope it will be resolved in the final release at least otherwise I don't want to upgrade to iOS10 any time soon.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Let's hope it will be resolved in the final release at least otherwise I don't want to upgrade to iOS10 any time soon.

There's still a lot that works. All 3rd party apps and some Apple stuff.

Any idea what URL would be for the import page in Camera+? The Camera+ widget has it. The Launcher widget for Camera+ doesn't go that far. I'd like to add the import page to Launcher.

I'm beta testing Launcher, and it has the option to "Show more" or "Show less". I like that.

Update: Never mind about camera+. Figured it out.
cameraplus://photos