Music

ReachPlayer fills the Reachability interface’s void with Now Playing info

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated June 8, 2021

Apple knows that its largest handsets can be unwieldy for one-handed usage, and that’s the primary reason why all modern iPhones come equipped with an accessibility feature dubbed Reachability.

I take advantage of Reachability somewhat frequently on my massive 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max, and while doing so, I often think to myself about just how much potential screen real estate is being wasted at the top of the display. After all, Apple could at least show device information of some sort in the unused Reachability space so that it isn’t occupied by a whole lot of nothing.

Read More

MediaBar14 augments the Home Bar with powerful media controls

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 9, 2021

All of Apple’s notched devices, iPhones and iPads alike, come equipped with a software alternative to the Home Button known as the Home Bar — the thin line that manifests itself at the bottom-center of the display.

I love the Home Bar as an alternative to the antiquated Home Button, especially when paired with the bigger edge-to-edge displays that modern iPhones and iPads now possess. But with a jailbreak, it’s possible to make the Home Bar even better than it already is.

Read More

Jailbreakers can customize the Now Playing widget with aquarius

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 4, 2021

If you’re jailbroken and listen to lots of music, then chances are you interface with the Lock Screen’s Now Playing widget rather often and might take an interest in customizing it.

iOS developer Nico Carbone has just released a new and free jailbreak tweak called aquarius that permits jailbreakers to personalize the Now Playing widget with minimal effort.

Read More

Vinyl shrinks iOS’ oversized Now Playing widget and makes it more customizable

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 2, 2021

I’ve got nothing against the iPhone’s Now Playing widget; after all, it’s a convenient tool for controlling media playback from the Lock Screen without going through the process of unlocking your device and launching the Now Playing app every time you want to make a small adjustment.

Praise aside, I also agree with anyone who says that the Lock Screen’s Now Playing widget is larger than it needs to be, and that’s one reason why I’m excited about a new and free jailbreak tweak release dubbed Vinyl by iOS developer Lightmann.

Read More

TinyWidget14 puts the Lock Screen’s Now Playing widget on a diet

Anthony Bouchard ∙ February 23, 2021

Most iPhone users are familiar with the Now Playing widget. It’s the thing that pops on your Lock Screen whenever you have any type of media playing in the background.

While it’s useful for granular playback controls, the Now Playing widget certainly takes up a lot of vertical screen real estate on the Lock Screen, which severely limits available space for missed notification banners. Fortunately, a new and free jailbreak tweak dubbed TinyWidget14 by iOS developer P2KDev puts the Now Playing widget on a diet.

Read More