Good news: It looks like you’ll still be able to whip out your iOS 8-powered iPhone or iPad, head to Notification Center, and perform some quick calculations on a calculator widget that you previously placed in the Today section. TechCrunch now reports that Apple has decided against an earlier decision to reject calculator apps from building iOS 8 widgets, which should come as a relief to apps like PCalc that first started complaining about Apple’s widget policies earlier this week.
FROM EARLIER: The 10 best iPhone apps with iOS 8 Notification Center widgets
“The PCalc app and widget will remain in the App Store, and all calculator-type widgets will be allowed as well, an Apple spokesperson has confirmed to us,” TechCrunch writes. “From our understanding, the calculator use case was not one that Apple had anticipated, which is why an App Store reviewer originally explained to Thomson that he would need to adjust the app, or risk being pulled from the App Store”
For some reason, Apple had told developers to remove calculator widgets from their apps, MacRumors reported on Wednesday, and added that they would have to do it unless they want their apps removed from the App Store.
“Apple has told me that Notification Center widgets on iOS cannot perform any calculations, and the current PCalc widget must be removed,” PCalc’s developer James Thomson wrote on Twitter.
“I’m going to try to escalate the decision, but it sounds like it was made high up and won’t be changed.” he added. “I’ve basically got 2-3 weeks to remove it, barring a miracle.”
Ironically, Apple has PCalc highlighted in its App Store as one of the iOS 8-ready apps that comes with widgets support. But as soon as the calculator widget is gone, the app will not have any widgets for users, as it’s basically a calculator app.
“I would be allowed to make a widget that let you to ‘enter a formula’ but it couldn’t perform the calculation in the widget,” Thomson revealed.
Apple’s guidelines for Notification Center widgets say that these app extensions should have a “simple, streamlined UI,” and shouldn’t be a mini version of the app.
An image showing the current PCalc widget follows below.
