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iOS 8 Roundup: The latest apps with Today widgets in Notification Center

Apple introduced a new concept for developers with iOS 8 called Extensibility. This allows users to use services from apps throughout the system without actually being in the app itself, and widgets in Notification Center’s Today view are a major example of this feature in action.

Widgets from supported apps can be enabled by swiping down to the Today view in Notification Center, scrolling down to the “edit” button at the bottom, and tapping the “+” icon next to any supported apps. When you install a new app that supports a Today view widget, a badge will appear on the edit button to subtly notify you of the widget. You can also rearrange widgets as well as remove Apple’s own Notification Center widgets.

Many of these widgets present up-to-date information like the number of steps you’ve taken today, upcoming tasks or events on your third-party task management app or calendar, and much, much more. Below we’ll show you several of the latest apps offering widgets right now in Notification Center’s Today view.

24me (Free)

Personal assistant app with Today view widget for calendar, notes, and tasks.

Asana (Free)

The collaboration app now shows current tasks from the Today view in Notification Center.

Audible (Free)

A new “Today” widget! Easily track your listening time using your device’s pulldown menu. Swipe down from the device’s header and tap “Edit” to add the Audible widget to the main screen

Breaking News (Free)

Today view widget for breaking news.

British Airways (Free)

The widget displays information about your next flight in the Today view of notification centre. You can access notification centre from any screen. Just swipe down from the top of the screen and press edit to find the British Airways widget.

Calendars 5 ($6.99)

The alternative to Apple’s Calendar app now supports Notification Center including the ability to add new events from the Today view widget.

Clear ($4.99)

Access your upcoming to do items without opening the app via the Notification Center widget.

Countdowns (Free)

Track countdowns from Notification Center

DataMan ($1.99, $4.99, $9.99)

DataMan Widget gives just the right amount of information on a color-coded translucent background. In a glance you can instantly know your real-time data usage and forecast. At any screen, simply swipe down to Notification Center to view the widget.

Day One (Free)

Today Extension (Widget)**—Get inspired with flashbacks of past entries.
– Graphs of recent entry counts, daily word counts, photo counts
– Photo from a year(s) ago on this day (+ random photos)

Digg (Free)

See your top stories without opening the app

Dropbox (Free)

See your recent activity in the Today view widget in the Notification Center, easily save files to Dropbox, and open your files directly from within other apps

Duolingo (Free)

The free, language learning app received an update including Today widget support showing you your language coach and goals.

ETA ($1.99)

The personal driving assistant app is adding the powerful Today widget seen below and going half off at 99¢.

Evernote (Free)

Create different kinds of notes from your Notification Center with the new widget

Finish (Free)

Not only is the task management app getting a new Today widget for accessing upcoming items, it’s also picking up interactive notifications.

iTranslate (Free)

This handy language translator is putting quickly translate any text without opening the app.

LinkedIn (Free)

In iOS8, we’ve made it even easier to share and stay informed about your network:

• Enjoy quick access to who’s viewed you today in your Notification Center.
• Conveniently share links and photos with your connections.
• Easily accept connection invitations and quickly respond to message from your phone’s lock screen.

Luminos ($6.99)

We’ve included two iOS 8 Today extensions so you can have the Sun and Moon rise and set times and Jupiter’s Galilean moon arrangement at your fingertips anytime.

Matter ($1.99)

Inspiration widget in Today view

NYT Now (Free)

This current events and news widget is loaded with images and headlines. Both the New York Times for iPhone and iPad offer similar widgets as well. A new NYT Cooking app for iPad with a widget also launched today.

OmniFocus ($19.99)

The task management system now shows the Today section of the Forecast view in Notification Center.

OpenTable (Free)

Notification Center widget support to display upcoming reservations

Parcel (Free)

Today widget (requires iOS 8). Informs you if you have any deliveries arriving today or tomorrow (deliveries with expected delivery date only)

PCalc ($9.99)

Notification Center widget for quickly performing calculations and jumping into PCalc. Also supports Handoff for switching between devices when using the app.

Pedometer++ (Free)

The popular step counting app is updating to allow you to view your steps taken in the Today view in Notification Center. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users will also see the number of floors climbed using the new M8 chip.

Retro for Instagram on iPad (Free)

Today extension support for iOS 8 – keep track your timeline & subscriptions in Today View.

Also features 1Password extension support.

Sky Guide ($1.99)

At-a-glance essentials can now be added to your Today section of Notification Center, including rise and set times for the Sun, Moon and planets along with a day/night timeline and altitude plots. It will also list any meteor showers and lunar eclipses. Great info is always just a swipe away.

Strava (Free)

Strava members can start and stop the recording of their activities through a new Notification Center widget, eliminating the need to navigate to the Strava app during a workout. The widget also displays real-time activity information including elapsed time, speed or pace, and total distance traveled.

TeeVee ($2.99)

Today widget for showing episodes you track without opening the app

Vice News (Free)

Brand new app launched today: See our most important stories at a glance in iOS 8’s Today view. Also supports Handoff between iOS 8 apps and website on Safari.

Wattpad (Free)

Free e-book reader with recent reads and your works on the Today screen.

Wdgts (Free)

This version includes the following 5 widgets:

1. Calculator
2. Currency Converter
3. Time Zone
4. Calendar
5. Photo Frame

Weather Channel (Free)

iOS8 allows us to bring The Weather Channel widgets to you, so you can easily get weather information on-the-go.

Wunderlist (Free)

Say hello to the Today widget. Whenever you need to know what’s on your agenda, simply swipe down from any screen, and you’ll find all your to-dos due today in your Notification Centre.

Yahoo Weather (Free)

New with iOS 8: Today Extension allowing you to access the current weather with a single swipe

 

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Comments

  1. mpnine - 10 years ago

    OpenTable shows your reservations in Notification center.

  2. Jonny - 10 years ago

    I appreciate this list! Any chance of doing a similar one for Handoff compatible apps?

  3. andreww500 - 10 years ago

    My first app also supports the Today Widget Extension. If only Apple would speed up the review process…

    • Alfarabi (@Alfaraabi) - 10 years ago

      what app? can you show me?

      • andreww500 - 10 years ago

        It’s not on the store yet as it’s still in the review process. Hopefully it will be approved within the next few days.

      • andreww500 - 10 years ago

        It actually just got approved! Here it is: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id915828557

        The widget basically allows you to see what your initial and current budget is at any time. I will be adding the ability to add transactions directly from the widget in an upcoming update. Please remember that this is version 1.0 of my first app!

  4. One Widget (@OneWidget) - 10 years ago

    Hi Zac. We are an app company and we have submitted an app to app store, containing a nice collection of iOS8 Today Extns.Please checkout. http://Onewidgetapp.com. Would be great if you can add ours to the list

  5. Damo Lokmic - 10 years ago

    I’m so excited to install all these task-apps – not.

  6. cfl1999 - 10 years ago

    DataMan has now a widget!

  7. ryancallihan18 - 10 years ago

    Sportscenter… oh where, oh where could you be?

    • Hopefully they’ll be arriving soon! Apple displayed them in the WWDC presentation… It should just be a simple update for ESPN to push out.

      • ryancallihan18 - 10 years ago

        Yeah I know! Haha that’s what I’m saying. As long as it’s here by College Football Saturday :)

  8. Can your thumb touch all these widgets on the screen? Use #nobiggi thumb extender, hmm, it’s not that extender you think you know.

  9. Joe Frabotta - 10 years ago

    Trunx (photo backup app) has a flashback widget now. Let me know what you think if you check it out, I’m on the team :)

  10. zachsimone - 10 years ago

    “Daily Steps” shows your step count in Notification Center

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/daily-steps/id720629415?mt=8

  11. al0963 - 10 years ago

    Waaooo everybody iare jumping in the Vanwagon!! Great stuff!!

  12. Christopher Lau - 10 years ago

    UpWord Notepad not only lets you view tasks in the Today Center. You can also push tasks to later, or mark them as priority – all from the widget.

  13. B Kastner (@bckastner) - 10 years ago

    Stocard also provides a notification center widget and supports Touch ID.

  14. Simon B (@siburb) - 10 years ago

    CLP+ Copy & Paste Clipboard Manager has a great notification centre widget where you can see (and select) the items in your clipboard so you can paste them easily into any app.

    Really worthwhile to add to the list: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/clp+-copy-paste-clipboard/id933445978?mt=8&uo=4&at=10l5YJ

  15. Robert Wohnoutka - 10 years ago

    PCalc Lite is okay, but if you want a easy to use editable calculator you need to try “EZCalculate Widget”

    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ezcalculate-widget/id920959293?mt=8

  16. Mohammad Rasel Ahmed - 10 years ago

    Nice post.Thanks for sharing. I just wanted to know one thing ….just above the clear widget pic there is a weather info. written ….mostly cloudy currently…etc. Is this an widget bcz its just below the date & there is no level of the widget…. most probably it is not an widget then how did you do that ???

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