What you need to know
- Focused Work has received a big iOS 14 update.
- The app now features three different types of widgets.
- The usual array of fun fixes are also included.
Focused Work is already an app that a ton of people are using to try and stay focused while they're working and studying from home. The app recently received a big update that brings one important new feature in a brave new world of Home screen customization – iOS 14 Home screen widgets.
If you find yourself working from home but struggling to focus, you aren't alone. Working from home isn't for everyone, but with the situation the way it is right now we don't all have the choice of going into the office. That's where Focused Work has you covered.
For example, you can create a session for study, coding, or content writing tasks, with a structure of; a 5-minute planning stage, two 45-minute focused work stages, and a 10-minute break stage in the middle. The app will remind you to focus mid-session, and take a break to keep your mind fresh.
The new update, version number 1.1.1, brings not just one but three different widgets for your Home screen. All offering different ways to keep your focus where it needs to be, even while you're at home.
- Widgets: Three types! Observe the current focus session timer, quickly start a favourite focus session, and see your productivity goal progress for today.
It isn't just about widgets, either. This update brings a couple of bug fixes that existing users might be pleased to see arrive, too.
- Focus Sessions & Recent Sessions: Random duplications, causing crashes on either screen.
- Strange crash on launch for some people updating from v1.0.1. Note to self - don't push production builds on a Friday night!
This update is now available for download from the App Store (opens in new tab). Focused Work is free with in-app purchases available for those who want to unlock all of the "Pro" features.
Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.
Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.
