Slack has unveiled new iOS app widgets to improve worker engagement and collaboration.
Slack has added four new widgets to its iOS app: Catch Up, two versions of Status, and Slack Launcher, which help employees stay focused on their work no matter where they are. The first three are home screen widgets, while the last one is designed for iOS lock screens, allowing employees to jump right into their workflows or projects.
Slack announced the news on X:
Three new Slack iOS widgets are here to make your work life easier. Add the Catch Up widget, Status widget, and Slack Launcher widget to your device and stay informed wherever you are.
These solutions reinforce Slack’s ambition to transform its platform into an all-in-one collaboration and communication service with some of the most sophisticated features on the market.
To access the latest features in Slack for iOS, users should make sure their app is updated to the latest version. Once updated, users can simply long-press on their home or lock screen to identify and add the new widget options available.
Three new Slack iOS widgets are here to make your workday a lot easier.
Add the Catch Up widget, Status widget, and Slack Launcher widget to your device and stay informed on the go. pic.twitter.com/bEak0coGZK
— Slack (@SlackHQ) July 22, 2024
What exactly are widgets used for?
The new Catch Up widget on the Slack iOS home screen provides a convenient overview of unread messages and mentions, allowing users to stay informed without having to open the app. By tapping the Catch Up widget, users can jump directly to conversations they missed in the Slack app, allowing them to quickly catch up on what they missed. This feature aims to provide more detail than the notification badge on the Slack app icon.
The other widgets on the home screen are designed to make status updates easier to keep colleagues informed. The smaller Status widget lets users jump directly to the Status section of the Slack app with a single tap. The larger version offers the same direct access, plus three preset status options: a one-hour “Focus” status, a “Lunch” break, and a half-hour “Taking a Break” status. These preset options are not currently customizable.
Slack Launcher allows users to access Slack directly from the lock screen rather than having to search for the app on their home screen.
What else has Slack done recently?
In April, Salesforce announced that Slack AI was now available to all paying customers.
Previously available only to customers with a Slack Enterprise plan and limited to US and UK English, Salesforce is now emphasizing that businesses of all sizes can benefit from Slack AI. The tool uses a company’s conversational data to help users work smarter and more efficiently.
Slack AI has also been updated with new features, including an improved AI-powered summary that provides morning digest summaries, personalized search responses, advanced conversation summaries, and expanded language support.
Meanwhile, last month, Salesforce announced Slack Lists, a project and task management tool built directly into its collaboration platform.
Salesforce says Slack Lists introduces structure to conversations within Slack, allowing teams to manage projects, incoming requests, and top priorities directly within the platform. This feature eliminates the need to switch between multiple apps, streamlining workflows and keeping everything organized in one place.
Earlier this month, Slack revealed plans to delete data going back a year for free users.
Previously, free users could access data up to 90 days old, with older data hidden and only accessible when upgrading to a paid account. However, Slack has indicated that it “may” delete data that is up to a year old. Slack says this deletion will apply specifically to messages and shared files, in accordance with its service agreement and compliance regulations.