Android smartphones will soon become smart screens thanks to lock screen widgets
The Google Pixel tablet is already able to display widgets on the lock screen, and with Android 16 this functionality will be extended to third-party tablets. In this context, Android Authority has just learned from the code of a beta version of Android 16 that Google is also planning lock screen widgets for smartphones and intends to use them as part of a standby mode.
In doing so, Google appears to be adopting a feature that iPhone users have known for years – standby mode. This automatically activates when an iPhone is charging on a Qi2 or MagSafe charger and is in landscape mode. Apple gives users the freedom to place up to two widgets, effectively transforming the iPhone into a small smart display that can, for example, control smart home devices or display upcoming calendar entries.
In the video embedded below, Android Authority uses an early beta version to demonstrate what Google's lock screen widgets might look like. According to the video, Google will allow the placement of more than two widgets, while users can create multiple pages with widgets and switch between them. A button in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen closes this standby mode.
In standby mode, Android smartphones will also function as Chromecast receivers, allowing videos and music to be streamed wirelessly to the smartphones. Google is said to call this feature "Hub Mode." The fact that Google is developing an alternative to Apple's standby mode could be an indication that the Google Pixel 10 series will finally officially support magnetic Qi2 chargers without having to buy a corresponding protective case with magnets.
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