Five things, Apple Needs to Improve in iOS

After giving an overview of Siri and Apple Maps now it’s the turn of iOS that is The Apple mobile operating system which will be revealed next version probably in June 2013. Below you will find an analysis of the five things that Apple needs to improve in iOS 7 (besides the aforementioned voice assistant and maps) to meet the demands of users and demonstrate their commitment to the new engine of the company, led mobile devices for the iPhone and iPad.

1. File Management

Despite what you may think, one of the great successes of Apple iOS was making a fresh start with the old metaphor of the file system and the hierarchical structure of directories. Just justify that decision and we can talk about the vaunted post-PC era, and make tremendously easier for the average user on the bandwagon of new technology.

But brave Politeness does not and if Apple has made great strides with iOS 6 and OS X 10.8 Lion Mountain thanks to iCloud, still missing a key part of his approach to applications linked documents is as practical and versatile as it is simple: Spaces for networking applications  or more simply said,document libraries with the same performance as the photo that not only allowed as far to create a document in Pages for Mac and continue editing in Pages for iOS, but to read it from any format compatible app or send it to a friend directly from Mail

Similarly, do not you think it’s time that AirDrop , one of the new features introduced with OS X 10.7 Lion, become compatible with iOS devices? Do you want a song, photo, document, video or whatever to your iPhone or iPad from your Mac? AirDrop open in Finder and drag the files on the device icon to transfer them wirelessly as we do today among multiple Macs.

2. Lock Screen

The evolution of the lock screen over the past six years has been, to be generous, “discreet”. Only three changes differ in this respect the original iPhone launched in 2007 in the latest versions of iOS further resolution and screen size: Direct access to the camera next to the unlock bar, notices to the Center reflects cumulative Notifications introduced in iOS 5 and the alternative options of response when we make a call.

Not that I have anything against the current lock screen, but I think Apple could learn a thing or two Windows Phone 8 and its compromise between minimalism and utility. You can make a more customizable lock screen, practical and informative. The competition already, so I see no reason why Apple has to keep holding on to this burning stick.

Moreover, the Center has already Notifications widgets (weather, stock exchange and social networks) so brush up on existing ones, create some new (or open the door to developers) and place them on the screen allow lock would not great effort. Nothing new for users of Cydia.

3. Contacts Calendar 2.0

I’ve been dreaming of a renewal of the address book from before the release of iOS 5 when it started as a role model to Windows Phone 7. It would be funny it was precisely at 7 when Apple iOS respect unto my supplications but considering the steps that have been taken to integrate Twitter and Facebook may even be the case.

I do not want to reinvent the wheel, just to solve the problems of duplication of contacts that appear after syncing our agenda with these networks (or failing that, provide a system faster than the current cumbersome to link them individually edit) and slightly updated design to dynamically reflect the latest contributions from our contacts on Twitter, Facebook and company. Neither more nor less than what I wrote in March 2011 :

A dynamic agenda, which is not limited to store four contact details of a person in question but to enable us to keep tabs on the major social networks like Facebook and Twitter.Oh, and if you pass both interface evolves (I want to see the photos and avatars of my contacts in the list, please) and functionalities related to the phone itself (configure the group “Work” for all the flames after hours automatically go to voice-mail  or to have our phone appears off or out of coverage for a contact “banned” or calls with hidden number …) and it would be to catch someone in shoulders.

4. User Accounts

Another feature I’ve been claiming for the past couple of years is the new star of Android 2.4 (Jelly Bean), the multi-user support . As I said in the past, this function makes all the sense in the world in the iPad , a device that is typically shared with the family, but also on the iPhone to (for example) have an account with limited privileges and their own applications for our son when he takes over (something increasingly common as observed in my circle of friends).

Internally iOS already supports multiple user accounts (in fact has two, root and mobile) so that all you need to do is develop the Apple interface.Something that should not take you too long given its close relationship with OS X and representation of these in the Mac operating system.

5. Multitasking and Multi-Application

Contrary to popular belief, iOS is not only a true multitasking system but also makes a great job managing applications automatically in the background to maintain the delicate balance between autonomy and functionality. Not all applications are retained occupying processor cycles, only those who really need it, but there is still room for improvement in its user interface.

Specifying what I like to see, I invite you to take a look at this redesign of the iPhone multitasking bar . If it is also the reason to adapt somehow iPad multitasking gestures to the iPhone and enhance the transition from one application to another to see more clearly all that we are using, my happiness would be complete.

Related to this point there is something for which there is no simple solution but everyone is striving for:to use multiple applications simultaneously . The interface call-me-not-Metro Windows 8 allows for some applications and Android tablets from Samsung to get it patched with varying success. For my part for now I’ll settle for that first step Apple adding this option to some system applications such as Safari or Mail

Annex

Are you sure you can think of many other things that need to be added or improved but there are two in particular that I have kept off the list with malice aforethought. The first is a general redesign of many iOS applications and the system itself now that Jonathan Ive is leading human interface . Ive is renowned for its obsession with minimalist design and hopefully influencing ends skeumorfismo iOS flooding , but a priori not consider it a matter of state. Each stream has its own admirers and detractors.

The other thing that I have left out an important but so diametrically collides with Apple’s philosophy that is unlikely to happen in the short term: let the user freedom to choose the applications that are used by default . You know, you can change by Sparrow Mail, Chrome or Safari maps the application you prefer to (even if it HERE Nokia Maps ). The issue is more complex than it appears but without getting too technical, you should know that there is something as simple as putting a new section in Settings.

Instead, it is something that could will trash the ease of use, integration and reliability of iOS. The API of Xcode, which makes it so easy for a developer to integrate its system functions in applications are designed to work with Apple applications. If we changed one of them for good, in the worst case we would have a ripple effect that would cause other applications stop working correctly. At best, Apple’s application continue to be used for such cases, finding such configurations with double when sending an email.

Do not get me wrong, it can be done and I’d like to see in iOS, but I doubt that happens soon. It’s better to be realistic. If someone has a serious problem with this, is better than iOS leave until further notice.

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Posted by Paracha on November 21, 2012. Filed under Apple, Articles, Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.