Apple's latest widget move — an expanded sports widget on macOS that brings iPhone and iPad widgets to the desktop — has reignited a familiar frustration: Windows 11's Widgets Board still feels unfinished, underpopulated, and deprioritized compared with the widget momentum Apple and other platforms are building. The contrast isn't just aesthetic; it exposes strategic gaps in developer support, product focus, and user experience that Microsoft needs to address if Widgets are to be more than a token feature tucked behind a news feed. (macrumors.com)
Apple's modern widget story moved differently. Widgets have been a first-class citizen on iOS for years and were integrated onto the Mac desktop starting with macOS Sonoma, then refined in later macOS releases. Apple has steadily expanded widgets' reach across device types through Continuity and by making Home Screen-style widgets a native part of the desktop experience — including sports, news, and app-level widgets that are often richer and more interactive. That steady invest-and-integrate approach is the backdrop for the latest sports widget announcement on macOS. (macrumors.com)
Microsoft has already made some corrections: toggles to hide the news feed, third-party widget support, and ongoing experiments with AI personalization. Those are necessary steps, but not sufficient. To close the perceived gap with macOS and actually deliver a compelling widgets ecosystem, Microsoft needs to re-center Widgets on utility, incentivize developer investment, and ensure that AI-powered discovery complements rather than buries the tools users want to reach in a single click.
For Windows power users and administrators, the immediate path is clear: disable the news feed if you want a widgets-only board, evaluate third-party solutions where appropriate, and pressure key app vendors to ship genuinely useful widgets. For Microsoft, the challenge is strategic: convert testing into confident, developer-friendly defaults that make Widgets unmistakably useful, discoverable, and worth building for — otherwise the Widgets Board risks becoming a relic that other platforms left behind. (windowscentral.com)
Source: Windows Central Apple’s new macOS widget makes Windows 11 look embarrassing
Background
Where Widgets Came From on the PC and Mac
Microsoft's Widgets experience traces its lineage to the "News and interests" feed introduced on Windows 10 in 2021 and then reimagined as the Widgets Board in Windows 11. Widgets were intended to provide quick, glanceable information — weather, calendar, sports, stocks, and other small cards — accessible from the taskbar or Win+W. Microsoft positioned Widgets as a personalized overlay for dynamic content and app snippets, but the initial design and rollout mixed system-controlled news/content with a constrained widgets palette. (blogs.windows.com)Apple's modern widget story moved differently. Widgets have been a first-class citizen on iOS for years and were integrated onto the Mac desktop starting with macOS Sonoma, then refined in later macOS releases. Apple has steadily expanded widgets' reach across device types through Continuity and by making Home Screen-style widgets a native part of the desktop experience — including sports, news, and app-level widgets that are often richer and more interactive. That steady invest-and-integrate approach is the backdrop for the latest sports widget announcement on macOS. (macrumors.com)
What Apple Added — And Why It Stings for Windows Users
The macOS Sports Widget: Desktop Continuity for Fans
Apple's recent update brings a sports widget to macOS that mirrors the iPhone and iPad experience: scores, schedules, and Live Activities synced via the same Apple ID, visible directly on the desktop and lock screen. For fans who rely on quick score checks, this is a natural extension of already established behavior on iOS and iPadOS. The widget's arrival on macOS is both practical and symbolic: Apple continues to make widgets useful, discoverable, and consistent across its ecosystem. (macrumors.com)Why Windows 11 Users Interpret This as a Taunt
The reaction among many Windows 11 users isn't merely brand rivalry. It's a response to a product experience inconsistency: on macOS, widgets are visible on the desktop, promoted across platforms, and backed by continuous feature updates. On Windows, the Widgets Board historically opened into a news-dense feed, was slow to allow users to disable that feed, and has had a limited catalog of third-party widgets — leading to an impression of "abandonware" or deprioritization relative to other OS features. That sense is understandable; when a competitor iterates on a visible, widely-used feature while your own feels static, the comparison is unflattering.Windows 11 Widgets Board: Timeline and Current State
Launch and Early Evolution
Widgets in the Windows ecosystem evolved from Microsoft’s News and interests concept in Windows 10 into the Widgets Board for Windows 11. The Widgets Board was introduced alongside Windows 11 and was designed as an overlay for personalized content and small interactive cards. From the outset, Microsoft integrated Microsoft Start / MSN content directly into the feed — providing news alongside widgets. That design decision helped Microsoft seed the experience with content, but it also set up a long-term tension between news-first presentation and utility-first widgets. (blogs.windows.com)The News-First Problem and the Option to Turn It Off
For many users, the Widgets Board felt like a billboard for MSN rather than a utility drawer. Microsoft responded to user feedback: during Build 2023 the company announced plans to give users a “widgets only” layout and later shipped settings that allow the news feed — often labeled Microsoft Start / MSN — to be turned off. That toggle rolled out to Insider channels and into Stable builds in phases, and by early 2024 many users could disable the news feed so the board would show widgets only. The fact that the option took well over a year to arrive after Widgets' debut underlines the perception problem: it took too long to make widgets the primary, uncluttered experience. (windowscentral.com)Copilot, AI Feeds, and a New Tabbed Layout
More recently, Microsoft has been testing a redesigned Widgets Board that introduces an AI-curated feed — branded in testing as Copilot Discover — replacing the traditional MSN layout and reorganizing the panel into tabs that separate articles from widgets. The intent appears to be improving relevancy with AI personalization, but the interim effect is ironic: widgets (the namesake feature) get pushed to a separate tab and the primary landing view becomes an AI-driven news feed. For users who want quick access to tools and glanceable information, adding an AI news layer as the main attraction can feel like a step backwards. Microsoft is testing this layout, so outcomes could change; the present testing rollouts suggest Microsoft is betting the Widgets Board will be more valuable as a news/discovery surface enhanced by Copilot. (windowscentral.com)The App Gap: How Many Widgets Are There, Really?
One of the most tangible criticisms is sheer quantity and quality: Windows 11's widget catalog in the Microsoft Store is small and uneven. Various outlets and observations at different points in time report different counts — the catalog has fluctuated as Microsoft added, removed, or updated widget entries.- At certain points in late 2024 and 2025, reporters noted totals in the low dozens (18, 34) while other writeups referenced a count near 50. Those differences reflect frequent removals and regional availability changes: Microsoft temporarily removed items like Calendar and To Do from the Widgets collection while reworking them — a sign that the Store's widgets section is dynamic and fragile. This variance also makes any single-count claim brittle unless timestamped. Treat the specific widget count as time-sensitive: the number depends on region, Microsoft Store updates, and which Microsoft-managed widgets are currently published. (windowscentral.com)
- Widgets are useful only if developers build them; a sparse marketplace reduces discoverability and utility.
- Many current widgets duplicate functionality already present in core apps, and a number are low-value (games, simple clocks, or minimal previews).
- Even high-profile developers sometimes ship limited widget functionality (for example, a music app showing playlists rather than playback controls), which reduces the perceived utility of installing a widget.
Why Widgets Underperformed on Windows: Strategic and Technical Factors
1. Platform priorities and strategic focus
Microsoft's strategic priorities over the past several years have increasingly centered on the cloud, Office and Microsoft 365, Edge, Azure, and Copilot AI. While Windows remains foundational, the company has often funneled marquee features and integration efforts into cloud services and cross-platform apps. That strategic tilt may have relegated incremental investments in widget polish and developer outreach for Windows widgets. The Copilot and AI investments are now front-and-center, which is influencing Widgets' redesign toward AI-curated content rather than developer-driven mini-apps. (windowscentral.com)2. Developer friction and widget tooling
Windows 11’s widget framework relies on Adaptive Cards, packaged Win32 apps, and PWAs. While that provides a path for many developers, the execution surface has been confusing and limited. Some developers prioritize building richer in-app experiences over tiny adaptive card widgets; others find the developer docs and tooling unfamiliar or not worth the effort for a small UI real estate. Microsoft has documentation and APIs, but adoption requires outreach, incentives, and a clear value proposition for developers — areas where Apple’s ecosystem advantage (single vendor, consistent developer tooling, and deep incentives to support widgets across iPhone, iPad, and Mac) is stronger. (learn.microsoft.com)3. UX choices that suppressed adoption
Design choices matter. A Widgets Board that opens to a news feed and buries widgets behind tabs is less inviting to third-party developers and less discoverable for users. When the primary experience feels like a content hub rather than an app-extension surface, users and developers both receive the signal that widgets are secondary. Microsoft has been iterating — adding widget-only layouts, enabling third-party widgets, and experimenting with Copilot-curated feeds — but the perception damage takes time to undo. (windowscentral.com)4. Historical baggage and security concerns
Desktop widgets have a rough history: Windows Vista’s Sidebar, various gadget platforms, and earlier security issues made Microsoft cautious. The company needs to ensure widgets run securely, respect permissions, and play nicely with enterprise policies — requirements that increase development overhead and slow third-party adoption. That caution is sensible, but it also contributes to slower growth in the widget ecosystem. (howtogeek.com)Strengths and Recent Improvements — There Are Bright Spots
- Microsoft has opened the platform to third-party widgets and shipped developer documentation and runtime support, allowing PWAs and Win32 apps to publish widgets to the Store. That technical groundwork is essential and non-trivial. (learn.microsoft.com)
- The company listened to user feedback and added an option to disable or hide the Microsoft Start / MSN feed, enabling a “widgets-only” layout for users who want a utility-first experience. That was a long-overdue move that directly addressed the biggest user complaint. (windowscentral.com)
- Microsoft is iterating with AI-driven personalization (Copilot Discover) to improve relevancy for news and discovery; in principle, a smarter feed can increase engagement for the feed-oriented users while keeping widgets accessible via a separate tab. Whether that tradeoff favors widgets depends on execution and defaults. (windowscentral.com)
Risks and Unintended Consequences
Risk: Widgets become a secondary tab inside a news-first board
If the Copilot Discover layout ships with the news feed as the default landing view and widgets relegated to a tab, Microsoft risks entrenching the very perception they attempted to fix: "Widgets" should be about small productivity tools, not a news aggregator. Defaults are powerful signals; making news the front door undermines the product name and user expectation. (windowscentral.com)Risk: Developer apathy crystallizes into a weak ecosystem
Developers will invest where they see users. If Windows' widgets remain low-download, low-visibility, and limited in functionality, the virtuous cycle that drives widget investment on other platforms won't start. That leads to fewer and lower-quality widgets, which further depresses user interest. Breaking this vicious cycle requires visible platform advocacy, better tooling, and demonstrable value for developers.Privacy and content moderation concerns
Expanding AI-curated stories and feeds raises privacy questions. How is personalization trained? What signals are used? Microsoft must be transparent about the data flows and options for users to control personalization. Additionally, content moderation for a feed that can surface news and videos needs safeguards to avoid amplifying low-quality or manipulative sources. These are not new challenges, but the Copilot-driven feed heightens scrutiny. (windowscentral.com)What Microsoft Should Do Next (A Tactical Roadmap)
- Re-center the Widgets Board on tools and utility
- Make a "widgets-first" default option globally available; treat news as an opt-in tab rather than the landing view.
- Promote widget discoverability with a clear “Add widget” flow, richer previews, and curated starter packs (e.g., Productivity, Entertainment, System Utilities).
- Incentivize developers
- Provide SDKs, templates, and example code for common scenarios (media controls, live status, quick actions).
- Introduce a developer incentive program or highlight top widgets in the Store with featured placements and promotional credits.
- Expand widget capabilities safely
- Allow richer interactivity (media controls, contextual actions) while enforcing strict permission models.
- Pilot lock-screen and desktop-pinnable widgets for power users and enterprise scenarios.
- Balance Copilot and widgets
- If AI-curated content improves discovery, keep it separate from the widget surface or allow users to pin preferred widgets into a Copilot-curated mix.
- Ensure transparency and controls for AI personalization and content filters.
- Improve cross-platform parity for Microsoft apps
- If Office, Spotify, and other Microsoft-first apps have richer widgets on macOS or mobile, strive for feature parity on Windows. That parity reduces the "taunt" factor and demonstrates commitment to Windows users.
Short-Term Fixes for Users Who Want Better Widget Experiences Now
- Turn off the news feed: open the Widgets Board, click the gear icon and use “Show or hide feeds” to disable Microsoft Start / MSN and restore a widgets-first panel. That user setting is widely available now on updated installations. (windowscentral.com)
- Use third-party alternatives: Rainmeter, desktop gadget suites, and independent widget apps can deliver Mac-like widgets on Windows today, but they require maintenance and sometimes edge-case tweaks.
- Encourage apps you love to ship widgets: user demand matters. Request better widgets from app vendors (music, messaging, cloud services) through feedback channels. Developer interest follows clear user signals.
Conclusion
Apple's macOS sports widget is a reminder that small platform experiences shape user perceptions of attention and priority. Widgets are more than decorative cards; they are fast paths to information and frictionless interaction. Windows 11’s Widgets Board has the architectural pieces — Adaptive Cards, a Store presence, and a user base — to become a powerful productivity surface. Yet years of design choices, an early news-first focus, and a slow developer ramp have left the Widgets Board feeling underbaked.Microsoft has already made some corrections: toggles to hide the news feed, third-party widget support, and ongoing experiments with AI personalization. Those are necessary steps, but not sufficient. To close the perceived gap with macOS and actually deliver a compelling widgets ecosystem, Microsoft needs to re-center Widgets on utility, incentivize developer investment, and ensure that AI-powered discovery complements rather than buries the tools users want to reach in a single click.
For Windows power users and administrators, the immediate path is clear: disable the news feed if you want a widgets-only board, evaluate third-party solutions where appropriate, and pressure key app vendors to ship genuinely useful widgets. For Microsoft, the challenge is strategic: convert testing into confident, developer-friendly defaults that make Widgets unmistakably useful, discoverable, and worth building for — otherwise the Widgets Board risks becoming a relic that other platforms left behind. (windowscentral.com)
Source: Windows Central Apple’s new macOS widget makes Windows 11 look embarrassing
