Time for a new phone...

[Grieve]

The iPhone can never be "the best smartphone available" when it doesn't have any widgets.

And no, Notification Center is not nearly the same thing. Dashboard X is closer but you have to hack your phone to get even that much. Apple has dictated that thou shalt not operate thy Pandora or Amazon MP3 player without opening up an app and all must obey.

Notification Center and Control Center actually pretty much are exactly that. I can see the weather, today's calendar events, stocks, news, traffic, etc without opening any apps. And I can toggle my flashlight, wifi, airplane mode, etc, all without unlocking the phone. Plus I can control my music (play, pause, next/last track, etc), whether it's Mp3s, Pandora, Amazon, or whatever without opening an app. I can also choose to direct the music/video to any Apple TV or speakers in the house without opening an app or even unlocking the phone.

I think you are assuming a lot of stuff because you don't use Apple products.