1. In a computer system including an operating system comprising a runtime engine that is part of the operating system and a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising: the computer system performing the steps of: detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer, the unified interest layer comprising a web view that is executed by the runtime engine that is part of the operating system; responsive to the first trigger event: displaying, in the area of the display screen, the unified interest layer that replaces the user interface and receives user inputs in place of the user interface, the unified interest layer comprising a plurality of widgets, wherein the plurality of widgets comprise a weather widget comprising a visual layout specific to the weather widget; detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and responsive to the second trigger event: dismissing the unified interest layer; and reactivating the user interface; wherein the visual layout specific to the weather widget comprises: a first area displaying a current time associated with a geographic location; a second area concurrently displayed with and distinct from the first area that displays a temperature associated with the current time and the geographic location; and a third area concurrently displayed with and distinct from the first area and the second area that displays a low temperature and a high temperature, for the geographic location.