iOS 14: A Transformative Redesign of the Home Screen

Apple unveiled iOS 14 on June 22, 2020, at WWDC 2020 and released it to the public on September 16, 2020. This update brought the most visual and functional changes to the iPhone experience in years — especially with iOS 14, which came with Home Screen widgets, a huge change in how people use their devices.

For example, iOS 14 remained compatible with all devices that supported iOS 13 — which even includes older models like the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and the original iPhone SE — showing just how much Apple really values long-term device support.

Home Screen Widgets & App Library: A New Way to Use Your iPhone

This was Apple’s first time letting users add widgets to the Home Screen — and also bringing more glanceable layouts involved in using iOS:

Sizes for widgets, which showed things at-a-glance like weather, calendar events and activity stats.

Smart Stack, which was based on-device intelligence and automatically switched out widgets through the day depending on usage patterns.

And they were all App Store compatible and could be dragged and dropped to mix widgets with app icons at will — on any Home Screen, blowing up the grid.

Apple also took the wraps off App Library, a new page at the end of your Home Screen that put all your apps into categorized folders:

For people that wanted to tidy up, it provided a neat-looking top-down view.

This therefore provided a quick way to find apps without going through each screen and organizing them manually.

With this update users had more customization and control.

Striking the BalanceCompact UI: More.

Many of these fit in well with the more compact interface designs introduced by iOS 14 that lessen on-screen distractions.

Incoming calls ceased to show up full screen and rather resembled a flag notice.

Siri got a redesign, with a new, minimalistic, floating interface that didn’t block the entire screen you are in.

On iPhone, Picture-in-Picture allows users to watch a video or take a FaceTime call while using another app in the form of a small overlay that can be resized and positioned.

These changes made it easier to multitask and less cumbersome.

Messages — Better Conversations and Group Chats

Messages got big makeovers to make it easy to chat and keep up with your replies:

The conversations pinned to the top of the Messages listicensuspendLayoutViewBackend & Environment The view backends were modified (ContentPane, SplitPane).

Inline replies, mentions and group icons customization to the group chat.

New hairstyles, headwear, face coverings and age options were added to Memoji.

App Clips: Lightweight, Instant Apps

Let’s say you have used App Clips in the past.

These were little bite-sized app tastings that launched fast from NFC, QR codes, Safari, Messages or Apple Maps.

Good for one-off tasks like; paying at a parking, renting a bike or order food.

App Clips have made interacting with real-world services more immediate and convenient.

Privacy Enhancements: Transparency and Control

Major strides in privacy and data transparency occurred in iOS 14:

For example, apps were told they could no longer track users across other apps and websites without explicit permission.

Proposed an App Store feature called privacy “nutrition labels” to tell people what data an app gathers before they download it.

A visual indicator in the status bar warned users when an app used either camera or microphone.

These steps empowered users to understand and tweak how their data was being utilized.

In short: Siri, Translate & Search Becoming More Intelligent

Siri was generally better with context, faster, and also answered a lot more questions.

Apple also debuted Translate, a brand new, real-time translation app that works for for 11 languages and is operational online and off.

These included an updated version of Universal Search, which has been revamped to provide faster and cleaner universal results, including app suggestions, documents, shortcuts and web results.

Other Notable Features

Cycling directions, EV routing and curated Guides for different cities now available in Maps.

CarPlay Custom wallpapers and digital car keys (Initial availability starting with select BMW models.)

Apple introduced the Home app with adaptive lighting, face recognition for video doorbells and expanded automation.

The browserSafari has become a Privacy Report, built-in translation and improved performance.

iOS 14. x Updates: Continuous Improvements

iOS 14.1 (bugs fixed and iPhone 12 series support)

iOS 14.2 brings over 100 new emoji, Shazam in the Control Center, and powers up HomePod with Intercom support

Apple Announces iOS 14.3 with Apple Fitness+, ProRAW Photo for iPhone 12 Pro and AirPods Max Support

iOS 14.4 — 14.8 (Security, performance and more COVID-19 Exposure Notifications + App Tracking Transparency)

In Summary

Alongside with iOS 14, Apple debuted a slew of features that redefined how users interacted with the iPhone, such as home screen widgets, App Library and basic UI changes to improve multitasking. It aimed to add greater user control and customization, more intelligent interactions, and stronger privacy controls. This also marked the beginning of an updated iOS experience, one more intimate, efficient and privacy aware than ever before and paved the way for a higher-grade personalization in future iOS releases like iOS 15.

1. When was iOS 14 released?

Apple announced iOS 14 at WWDC on June 22, 2020, and released it to the public on September 16, 2020. It launched alongside the iPhone 12 series, but was also available for older iPhones. This update was seen as one of the biggest redesigns of the iOS experience in years, thanks to its focus on personalization and widgets.

2. Which devices supported iOS 14?

iOS 14 supported all the devices that were compatible with iOS 13. This meant it worked on the iPhone 6s and newer, including the iPhone SE (1st and 2nd generation) and the iPod touch (7th generation). Apple’s decision to keep support for older devices like the iPhone 6s, which was already five years old, was praised by many users.

3. What was the biggest new feature in iOS 14?

The most notable feature of iOS 14 was the introduction of home screen widgets. For the first time, iPhone users could place resizable widgets among their apps, providing glanceable information like weather, calendar events, or fitness data. This gave iOS a level of customization that users had long requested, making home screens more personal and functional.

4. What was the App Library?

iOS 14 introduced the App Library, a new page at the end of the home screens that automatically organized all installed apps into categories like Social, Entertainment, and Productivity. This feature reduced home screen clutter and made it easier to find apps without needing to remember exactly where they were placed. Users could also hide entire app pages for a cleaner look.

5. How did Messages improve in iOS 14?

Messages became more organized with the ability to pin conversations at the top of the app for quick access. Group chats gained inline replies and mentions, making them more structured and easier to follow. Apple also expanded Memoji customization with new hairstyles, stickers, and accessories, keeping communication fun and expressive.

6. What new features came to Siri?

Siri was redesigned in iOS 14 to be less intrusive. Instead of taking over the full screen, it appeared as a compact overlay at the bottom of the display. Siri also became smarter, offering more web-based answers and supporting voice translation between several languages. These improvements made Siri more useful and less disruptive to multitasking.

7. What changes were made to Maps?

Apple Maps gained cycling directions, offering routes that considered bike lanes, hills, and stairs. Maps also introduced EV routing, which displayed charging stations along a journey for electric vehicle users. In select cities, guides were added to highlight popular attractions, restaurants, and shopping spots, making Maps more helpful for exploring.

8. What was new in Privacy features?

Privacy was a big focus of iOS 14. A small indicator dot appeared at the top of the screen whenever the microphone (orange dot) or camera (green dot) was in use. The App Store also began requiring privacy labels showing what data apps collect. Users could also choose to share an approximate location instead of their exact one, giving them more control over personal data.

9. Were there any other new apps or system improvements?

Yes, iOS 14 introduced the Translate app, which allowed offline language translation between 11 languages at launch. The Picture-in-Picture feature was added to iPhones, letting users watch videos or continue FaceTime calls while using other apps. The Home app also expanded smart home controls, and CarPlay became more customizable with new wallpapers and app types.

10. How was iOS 14 received overall?

iOS 14 was widely praised as one of Apple’s most impactful updates in years. Widgets, the App Library, and compact Siri made iPhones feel more modern and customizable. Privacy enhancements were seen as a strong step forward in user protection. While some users initially found the App Library unfamiliar, iOS 14 overall was considered a polished, feature-rich update that balanced fun, productivity, and security.