Feature request: Android widget on home screen

[chr15m]

The problem: It would be even faster to start a timer if it was possible to add a timer as a widget to the homescreen, and tapping it would start it.

Proposed solution: Ability to put cuppa tea timers as widgets on the homescreen.

Thanks for your work on this app!

[ncosgray]

Interesting idea -- thank you! This should be doable.

My concern is that offering widgets in addition to app icon shortcuts could be confusing because on Android, you can already add a homescreen icon for a particular tea just by dragging-and-dropping a favorited tea from the app's shortcut menu. A widget would do the same thing, which seems a bit redundant. On the other hand, I don't think iOS users have the same functionality available to them. For iOS users who want a tea timer shortcut available directly on the homescreen, a widget may be the only option.

When I have some time, I'll do some research and experimentation with widgets, especially on iOS.

[chr15m]

@ncosgray ah yes, adding a per-tea homescreen icon works great for me. I actually had no idea you could do this. I wonder if there's a way to make it more obvious for users?

For future readers who find this issue: long press the Cuppa icon and a popup will appear with a list of teas, which you can then add to homescreen.

I suppose the one thing a widget could offer is not having to open the app at all. So the countdown timer and start/cancel button would be shown on the homescreen itself.

The functionality you've already got in there is good enough for me though, thanks very much!

[felschr]

There are some hints that Google might add lock screen widgets with Android 14 or a future feature drop: https://www.androidpolice.com/lock-screen-widgets-android-14/

They've already added new lock screen customization features: https://www.androidpolice.com/android-14-lock-screen-customization-beta-3/ https://www.androidpolice.com/whats-new-in-android-14-qpr1/

The new lock screen customization support shortcuts, but only a limited preset: https://www.androidpolice.com/android-14-wont-use-custom-lock-screen-shortcuts/

If they add support for widgets but keep app shortcuts limited this be even more reason for Cuppa to support widgets.

[felschr]

Widgets would also allow additional interactivity. Somewhat off-topic, but I'd like to see options to quickly add or remove e.g. 10 seconds from a started timer. The duration should probably be customizable, ideally on a tea basis. This can be really helpful with multiple steeps of some teas and avoids the need to create custom teas for all those variants.

There could be different kinds of widgets including one that shows all/selected teas for starting timers as well as showing all running timers with the +/- 10 seconds option.

[ncosgray]

I wonder if there's a way to make it more obvious for users?

Agreed, that would be good. Cuppa has a short tutorial for new users (you can also get to it via the About page). So, I'm adding a tutorial tip about accessing shortcuts by long-pressing the app icon.