Ondrej Holzman iOS 7 is supposed to be the next milestone in the development of Apple's mobile operating system, which everyone is already looking forward to. The new system for iPhone and iPad with serial number seven can bring big changes to Apple devices…
Although iOS and Android are competing for the leading position in the market (in terms of sales, of course, Android is the leader, which is found on a huge number of mobile devices) and iPhones and iPads are sold by the thousands every day, it is clear that there are many flies in iOS that would could wipe out iOS 7.
Many current users of Apple's mobile operating system might argue that they don't miss anything in iOS and that they don't want to change anything. However, development is inexorable, Apple has committed to releasing a new version every year, so it can't just stand still. As he has been doing for the past few years.
So let's take a look at some of the features and elements that iOS 7 might have. These are things that are taken from competing operating systems, designed based on our own experience or the requirements of the user base. Apple is definitely not deaf to its customers, although it doesn't show it very often, so maybe we will see some of the features below in iOS 7.
The news and features mentioned below usually assume that Apple will leave the current skeleton of iOS and not completely rework the form of the user interface, which is also one of the possibilities, but not so likely.
FUNCTION
Lock screen
The current lock screen in iOS 6 doesn't offer much. In addition to the classic status bar, only the date and time, quick access to the camera and a slider for unlocking the device. When playing music, you can also control the song title and double-press the Home button. However, most of the lock screen is occupied by an unused image. At the same time, the weather forecast, or a monthly look at the calendar or an overview of the following events could be very useful here. Either directly on the locked screen or, for example, after flicking your finger. At the same time, the connection with the Notification Center, or the options for displayed events (see below), could be improved. With regard to privacy protection, however, the option not to display the wording of messages and e-mails, but only their number, for example, should not be missing. Not everyone wants to show the world who called and texted them or even the wording of the messages.
It would also be interesting to adapt the button next to the slider for unlocking, i.e. that not only the camera but also other applications would open through it (see video).
[youtube id=”t5FzjwhNagQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]
Notification Center
The Notification Center appeared for the first time in iOS 5, but in iOS 6 Apple did not innovate it in any way, so there were possibilities of how the Notification Center could change in iOS 7. Currently, it is possible to immediately dial a number in the event of a missed call, reply to a text message, but it is no longer possible, for example, to reply to an e-mail directly from here, etc. Apple could be inspired by some third-party applications and add several action buttons to individual records in the center buttons that would appear, for example, after swiping. The possibility of adding a flag to the mail, deleting it or quick reply, most of it without the need to activate the relevant application. Fast and efficient. And it's not just about emailing.
[youtube id=”NKYvpFxXMSA” width=”600″ height=”350″]
And if Apple wanted to use the Notification Center in a different way than just for information about current events, it could implement shortcuts to activate functions such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Personal Hotspot or Do Not Disturb, but this is better suited to the multitasking panel (see below ).
Spotlight
While on the Mac the Spotlight system search engine is used by a large number of users, on iPhones and iPads the use of Spotlight is significantly lower. I personally use Spotlight instead on a Mac Alfred and Apple could be inspired by it. Currently, Spotlight on iOS can search for apps, contacts, and phrases within text and email messages, or search for a given phrase on Google or Wikipedia. In addition to these well-established servers, it would nevertheless be nice to be able to search on other selected websites, which would certainly not be difficult. A dictionary could also be integrated into Spotlight in iOS, similar to the one on Mac, and I would see inspiration from Alfred in the possibility of entering simple commands via Spotlight, it would practically work like a text Siri.
Multitasking panel
In iOS 6, the multitasking panel offers several basic functions – switching between applications, closing them, controlling the player, locking rotation/mute sounds, and volume control. At the same time, the last mentioned function is quite unnecessary, since the sound can be regulated much more easily using hardware buttons. It would make a lot more sense if he went directly from the multitasking panel to regulate the brightness of the device, which we now have to hunt for in Settings.
When the multitasking panel is extended, the rest of the screen is inactive, so there's no reason why the panel should only shrink to the bottom of the display. Instead of icons, or alongside them, iOS could also display a live preview of running applications. Shutting down applications could also look simpler - simply take the icon from the panel and throw it away, a practice known from the dock in OS X.
One more completely new feature for the multitasking bar is offered – quick access to activate features like 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Personal Hotspot, airplane mode, etc. For all of them, the user now has to open Settings and often go through several menus before reaching the desired destination . The idea of swiping to the right and after controlling the music to see buttons to activate these services is tempting.
iPad multitasking
The iPad is increasingly becoming a productive device as well, it is no longer just about consuming content, but with the Apple tablet you are also able to create value. However, the downside at the moment is that you can only have one active application displayed. Therefore, Apple could allow two applications to run side by side on the iPad, as the new Windows 8 can do on the Microsoft Surface, for example. Again, for a lot of users, this would mean a significant shift in productivity, and it would definitely make sense with certain apps on the iPad's large display.
APPLICATION
Mail client
Mail.app on iOS looks pretty much the same now as it did six years ago. Over time, it received certain minor improvements, but the competition (Sparrow, Mailbox) has already shown several times that much more can be demonstrated with a mail client on a mobile device. The problem is that Apple has a kind of monopoly with its client, and competition is hard to come by. However, if he implemented some of the functions that we could see elsewhere, at least the users would certainly cheer. After the last addition of updating the list by pulling the display down, things like traditional swipe gestures to show the quick menu, integration with social networks, or just the simple ability to use more flag colors could randomly come up.
Maps
If we completely ignore the problems with the map background in iOS 6 and let go of the fact that in some corners of the Czech Republic you simply cannot rely on Apple maps, the engineers could add offline maps to the next version, or the possibility of downloading a certain part of the maps for use without the Internet , which users will especially welcome when they travel or go to places where there is simply no Internet connection. The competition offers such an option, and in addition, many map applications for iOS are capable of offline mode.
AirDrop
AirDrop is a great idea, but relatively underdeveloped by Apple. Only certain Macs and iOS devices currently support AirDrop. I personally fell in love with the app Instashare, which is exactly the kind of AirDrop I would imagine from Apple. Easy file transfer across OS X and iOS, something Apple should have introduced a long time ago.
SETTINGS
Set default applications
A perennial problem that plagues users and developers alike – Apple doesn't allow you to set default apps in iOS, i.e. that Safari, Mail, Camera or Maps always play prim, and if competing applications appear, it has a hard time gaining ground. At the same time, all the mentioned applications have good alternatives in the App Store and users often prefer them. Whether it is the Chrome web browser, the Mailbox email client, the Camera+ photo application or Google Maps. However, everything gets complicated if another one links to one of these applications, then the default program will always open, and no matter what alternative the user uses, they must always use the Apple variant at that moment. Although Tweetbot, for example, already offers to open links in other browsers, this is an anomaly and needs to be system-wide. However, Apple will probably not let its application be touched.
Uninstall/hide native apps
In every iOS device, after launch, we find several pre-installed applications that Apple offers to its users and which, unfortunately, we will never get from iPhones and iPads. It often happens that we replace the default apps with alternatives that we like better, but basic apps like Clock, Calendar, Weather, Calculator, Voice Memos, Notes, Reminders, Actions, Passbook, Video and Newsstand still remain on one of the screens. Although it is unlikely that Apple would allow custom apps to be deleted/hidden, it would certainly be a welcome move from a user's point of view. After all, having an extra folder with Apple applications that we don't use is pointless. Apple could then provide all these apps in the App Store for eventual reinstallation.
Multiple user accounts on one device
Common practice on computers, yet science fiction on the iPad. At the same time, the iPad is often used by several users. However, multiple user accounts may not be useful only if, for example, the whole family uses the iPad. Two accounts are suitable, for example, for separating the personal and work areas of the iPad. Example: You come home from work, switch to another account, and all of a sudden you have a number of games in front of you that you simply don't need at work. It's the same with contacts, e-mails, etc. In addition, this would also create the possibility of creating a Guest account, that is, one that you activate when you lend your iPad or iPhone to children or friends, and you do not want them to access your data, just as you do not want , so that your application and data do not disturb you during presentations, etc.
Activation of functions by location
Some applications already offer this functionality, including Reminders from Apple, so there is no reason why the entire system should not be able to do it. You set your iOS device to turn on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or activate silent mode when you get home. In Maps, you determine the selected places and tick which functions should and should not be turned on. A simple thing that can save a lot of time and "clicking".
DIFFERENT
Finally, we selected a few more little things that would not mean any fundamental change, but could be worth several times their weight in gold for users. For example, why couldn't the iOS keyboard have a back button? Or at least some shortcut that will undo the action taken? Shaking the device works partially at the moment, but who wants to shake an iPad or iPhone when they just want to get back an accidentally deleted text.
Another little thing that will make it easier to work with the application is the unified address and search bar in Safari. Apple should be inspired here by Google's Chrome and, after all, by its Safari for Mac, which already offers a unified line. Some argue that Apple did not unify these two fields in iOS due to the fact that in the case of entering an address, it would lose easier access to the period, slash and terminal on the keyboard, but Apple could certainly have dealt with this.
The last little thing concerns the alarm clock in iOS and setting the snooze function. If your alarm rings now and you "snooze" it, it will automatically ring again in nine minutes. But why not be able to set this time delay? For example, someone would be satisfied with the ringing again much earlier, because they are able to fall asleep again in nine minutes.
Yes, please incorporate the above-mentioned hacks or already working Cydia tweaks ;-)
Notification Center - Types of Lines of Text - iOS 6… more like iOS7 right? :)
I don't want to be rude, but my xperia t includes these functions. But for ease of use, I just recommended the iphone 5 to my mother, and she cannot praise it enough
it would be enough for me if my ipad2 worked again with wifi at 5ghz... just like in IOS5...
Improved security
In iOS for a long time, you can set any long password consisting of all the different characters that the keyboard allows, just turn it on in the settings.
Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Turn off Simple Passcode
We have already been warned, thanks.
Nice article! I would really welcome some features... Maybe they should read Jablíčkař in Cupertino :)
I can recommend you a phone with the latest version of Android. In Cupertino, they track iPhone sales and customer satisfaction, not geek sites.
you're making it Android... I don't like how you keep criticizing Apple that every year and at every keynote they didn't present the latest megamrd and they won't do much with that product. that pen behind the hilt computer sees everything a trich simpler than it really works.
When someone points out things that could be changed, is it wrong to edit them right away? I don't see anything Android there. These are basic improvements that iOS should have, could have in order to improve again. Slapping on the spot has never done anyone any good.
This is exactly the "sheepish" attitude that gives Apple fans a bad name. Automatically mentioning Android and how Apple always knows what it's doing and others don't. The article is not about Apple vs. Android, copying functions and blah blah blah. The article only discusses potential features that are part of the natural development of iOS as a platform. I've been using iOS since the first generation iPhone, and the reality is that Apple has been faltering in many aspects of iOS and hasn't fundamentally innovated the platform since Friday. I'm an optimist and hope that Apple will deliver this year
Thanks, that's exactly it. I stand by the fact that, as far as iOS is concerned, Apple has been beating the crap out of it for some time now.
Then the question is whether it is not better to spend a few years in a place that you have carefully chosen, than to frantically run here and there like a confused dog, because the environment does not know where you should really be.
But if you look at the difference between iPhone OS 1 and iOS 6, it's a huge difference. Similar to OS X 10.0 and 10.8 - it is constantly slowly improving, but no one complains that they "don't innovate".
But that was more of a rhetorical question - whether to be a crazy runner or a confident character :-) But of course, neither can work in the long term.
I see it the same way. They have created something that they are gradually perfecting, everything is in complete harmony and it is stable. Look at Windows 8 for example (and don't tell me it doesn't belong here)... They tried to do something completely new again and in the end it turned out to be a puzzle that is impossible to work with. Although at first glance it looked overwhelming. This could happen with iOS and Mac OS as well and that's what I definitely don't want.
OS X was constantly improved until version 10.4. Since then, the file has been constantly full of nonsense, instead of solving old problems (when will OS X finally stop digging up the FAT table on the SD card?) and the obsolescence of advice (such as the filesystem). But what to pay for, rape via iOS has priority and so another bugged mess is added (see lastly the semi-functional unsolicited comedy notification center). A sad sight for the aged macare.
iOS was created as a maximally simple system. Not for geeks, really not. You may be missing billions of settings and options, but the vast majority of people aren't, just look at the satisfaction ratings of iPhone owners with their phone. But of course you can complain about overstepping, it probably works as therapy.
I see that marketing doesn't tell you anything from afar.. try cydia (if your display flashes with all the colors you should be satisfied), if you want to make a lot of money, go for it..
further, it would like better photo management, more shortcuts on the homescreen, or the possibility to add your own apps, similar to the camera now, to enable the upload of entire folders to the application via iTunes, integration of the Google dictionary, similar to the translation, +5 free gigabytes on iCloud would be nice and enable nano access from itunes, enable gps in airplane mode, condition all applications in the appstore to support multitasking and, of course, faster access to settings. I probably don't need more at this point :)
We solved a better file management in the editorial office, but it is an iCloud problem rather than an iOS problem. If it had Dropbox functionality in it, everything would be simpler. Similar to how Photo Stream works.
If Apple wanted iOS to have Dropbox functionality in it, it already has it. So it is irrelevant to lament about it.
I could do without all that. The only thing I still miss on the iPhone is a proper multitap keyboard with T9 (like on HTC with Android). I can't help it, simply when I'm riding a tram and I only have one hand free, the qwerty is terribly shaky and writing on it is terribly slow.
Whenever someone mentions it anywhere (various discussion forums), the iOves (I distinguish this group from the classic fans) fall on him and explain to him how it is better that there is no such ALTERNATIVE and that Apple knows better :-D I would simply welcomed as another option.
It doesn't have a T9, but a classic (almost) multitap can be solved easily. Add another Japan/Kana keyboard and just use the globe to switch to it while texting, then one more click on ABC and you're almost classic…
I've heard about that before. But I wrote "with T9" on purpose... I have experience with the keyboard on the HTC Desire, on which it was perhaps even faster to type via multitap with the T9 than with both thumbs on the iPhone qwerty... But whatever, Apple is going a different way (from my point of view, less user- friendly) on the way ;-)
...
As I had this post written, I tried the Japanese one. Unfortunately, this cannot be used in reality. For example, the gap is behaving very strangely (can't describe it) etc., it just wouldn't be possible... But there are multitap keyboards on the AppStore. It's just useless without the T9 ;-)
I have to say that I really miss the T9 keyboard, especially for dialing numbers or searching in the phone book. Considering that the iPhone is a phone, I find the ergonomics of the call to be weak. Otherwise fine. Even if some improvements were mentioned, I would probably welcome them.
Do not use the phone book, but spotlight. I don't dial numbers any other way, it's the fastest way.
display additional information for the caller such as: Company, Classification, Department, etc...!!!!!
That live app preview in the multitasking panel is useless. On the one hand, it is too small for anyone to see anything in it, and on the other hand, everyone recognizes the application mainly by its icon (its main character), which is now smaller.
And what is the use of dividing the screen for 2 applications on the iPad?
It is simple. For example, simplification when writing/translating text, when there is text in one application, then we write in the other.
Ok, I didn't think of that. It would be suitable for some applications, but it would have to be done somehow conveniently :)
The problem is that the developers would have to support the new match, namely 512 in landscape and 384 in portrait mode. Two new matches would be quite a stretch.
How about using the 768 portrait match and offer portrait 768 + 256 = 1024 in landscape? That's a ratio of 3:1 per match, and developers would only have to add one match, 256 points - ideal for Email, Twitter, most applications, which are just a long list. And for developers, it will be possible to support or not to support, and who would like to just add width 256. The second application would look like it is in portrait mode, so it would be functional even with the support of only one application (the narrow one).
In addition, with a width of 256 points, you can fit exactly 3 applications next to each other in portrait and 4 applications in landscape.
So we would get a lot of new possibilities just by adding one match to the iOS application. I would believe that Apple made something like that.
I would definitely not throw away the volume control from the multitasking panel. It's often easier to reach there than the hw buttons. As far as I know, the brightness control of the device is also there.
Safari's search bar is also intended for on-page searches, which is why it's split.
I don't mind the default application that much since I usually have the option to choose where to open what.
I'm still missing the date in the top status bar with the time display.
Also missing is better work with more screens full of icons (move).
The control of volume and brightness would certainly fit into the panel, that would not be a problem. Both are now iPad only.
Searching in Safari could certainly be solved differently. He will implement it in that one line, or add a special button like in Chrome.
For me, it would be enough to make at least a standard software keyboard on the iPad, where accents would be written before the letter and not after it, and where there would also be cursor keys and a tab. it would easily fit on the iPad and it would be much better to do with it.
Apple goes against the grain in a lot of things, but it really doesn't make sense when it comes to the keyboard.
I understand that iOS 7 must be revolutionary (we want it), but these things and all that seem kind of useless to me, I use android and windows 7 at work, but if I just take an iPad, iPhone and Mac, everything somehow it "slides" better and it feels better... Thanks to such simplicity or whatever you want to call it...:)
Agreement. But it doesn't necessarily mean that it should stay the same forever and not add something and at the same time not invent something to keep it working simply. And let's face it, some things are complicated at the expense of simplicity.
But yes, it can definitely be improved, I'm just afraid of overeating at the expense of such simplicity:) Well, let's see what the apples come up with:)
Dear apple lovers. I'm sure I'll be condemned and pillaged and shamed, but I'll take the cold shower anyway. I am the owner of iPhone 4s 16 GB since 10/2012, so iZajíc against you :-)
I had the option of choosing a Samsung Galaxy SII or "apple". I chose an apple and I am satisfied and beyond. I don't mind the "closedness" of the system to the outside world, I still don't understand why I could/should Jailbreak my phone (is it better to buy an Android phone or not?) and I admit that I'm looking forward to iOS 7. I'm curious what guys and girls from California invents…
I will certainly welcome some of the mentioned improvements, but as I wrote in the introduction - I am an iZajíc and so far I am satisfied :-)
Peter Pitrisek
example: I have a jailbreak and now I already have some improvements available a long time ago, because someone created them and made them available through Cydia. As a concrete example, two-line "multitasking" and probably the best thing I have available like this is to slide out the multitasking panel with my finger and not have to press the double home button. A lot of these innovations are based on tweaks, which are available through Cydia for free or paid.
exactly..
Hello, I'm not going to argue here about how Apple doesn't innovate and doesn't come up with new things. I still think you can't make a revolution every year. I use Apple products every day from iPhone, iPad to MacBook air. And I have to admit that I either didn't know about most of the functions that are supposed to change or I never used them.
PS: what's more, the gentlemen in Cupertino know better than anyone what they have to do and they don't let it get in the way
Fortunately, I can always express my opinion. Let them do what they want in Cupertino, gentlemen.
Hello.
I want to ask. What devices will IOS 7 be on?
Probably iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad mini, iPad 4, iPad 3, maybe iPad 2. Of course, this is speculation, plus a new device could be introduced by then.
Is there a reason to throw away the iPhone 3GS? I think that when it launches, it will launch together with the iPhone 4 (the architecture of the 3GS and 4 is more similar than that of the 4 and 4S).
Personally, I think that the iPhone 3GS will remain.
And iPad 2 will definitely get it too, they always sold better than 3 even after 3 was released. My opinion is that compatibility iOS 6 == iOS 7.
Dear friends, I would like to highly commend the author of the article for an excellently structured and analytically presented text, including very interesting and illustrative photo renderings. I very much agree with him in many cases. It's interesting that all reminders to myself are directed towards the Phone in my mind. Personally, I consider the iPad to be a much better device than the iPhone, especially in terms of ergonomics. I'll give one example for everyone: on the iPad, I don't mind having to unlock the lock screen every time. It bothered me on the phone. And it bothered me all the more that the only way to unlock the screen is to swipe a precisely defined slider located not very conveniently at the bottom of the display. Here, the Samsung Galaxy SIII is much more friendly, allowing you to unlock the screen by swiping in any direction. Going even further, I will express my belief that the lock screen is unnecessary. I could mention a few more topics for improving the ergonomics of the iPhone, but I'd rather end my note with positives, to at least appease some outraged (because orthodox) Apple users ;-) : hardware Home button, care for high-quality speaker sound, security of personal data in iOS, excellent SW keyboard (except for the missing comma).
Excellent sw keyboard? Yes, it is very accurate, but that's about it. The impossibility of typing with prediction, the absolutely demented magnifier instead of currency shortcuts - these are two essential things that certainly do not make it an excellent keyboard :(
iOS is a good combination of simplicity and comprehensiveness. Yes, it has its drawbacks, but like any OS. I think it is not a problem to add more functions and options. The problem is to keep the system simple and user-friendly. And that and iOS has done well so far. For example, I don't like the Android environment and homescreen. I don't miss widgets (at least not the ones that are there). I like some of the ideas in the article. But sometimes, no matter how many functions and extensions you add, there will be other users who will always be few.
No, I don't want iOS to not change and I don't want it to stand still. For several reasons. I hope that iOS 7 will bring many good things. But at the same time it will retain its good design, simplicity and ergonomics. The old adage still applies - sometimes less is more. Apple will have a difficult task this time (it is constantly compared to what Android has, for example). Fingers crossed for them.
With the iPhone, I would welcome a periodic notification of missed calls or sms, for example by beeping with the option to set the sound and delay or number of repetitions. That's probably what I miss most about the phone.
For sms, it's probably already from ios5.
Yes, it is possible for sms, although only the number of repetitions can be set, not the interval, which is fixed at 2 minutes. Missed calls are not resolved at all.
Are comments implicitly hidden and waiting for moderation? Good way to kill the discussion, congratulations.
No, only comments containing URLs are subject to moderation for appropriate reasons.
Oh, I'm looking. Ok, I get it.
Thanks for that comment. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get this article out sooner than I originally wanted. It was supposed to be a continuation of my previous article about the revolution. Because I roughly knew what I wanted from Apple, but in short, the purpose of the previous article was not to show what I want, but to suggest that it should change something.
And as you rightly pointed out, I also don't think that if the changes I described in this article were made, it would be a revolution. Again, it would just be improving the existing (and high-quality) system as before. I also wrote here that such changes are possible if there is no complete redesign of iOS in the sense of the homescreen concept, etc. That would be the revolution that will most likely not come and which, moreover, is not worth writing about, or inventing, how we would they wanted her. There are tons of concepts on YouTube…
I'm not sure how it would revolutionize iOS. If we take the axiom that people want simplicity, that means there would have to be a revolution that would simplify iOS, then I'm not really sure how to do it. I don't see what is simpler than a grid of icons, where everything is applications (including settings), there is a lock screen, a notification center and a multitasking bar - that's all. It would probably merge the notification center and the multitasking data bar into one... Maybe something with the lockscreen. But I really don't see it any other way.
So I don't really want a revolution, because I don't know what could improve the basic functioning of iOS - the icon grid suits me and I understand the advantage of its simplicity (live tiles in W8 are interesting, but from practice I see that most applications don't use them at all, so it's a case of failed widgets).
Otherwise, I totally get it, Ondro. I would also like some news in the Apple world every day (otherwise I wouldn't read macrumors, theverge, jablickare and many other servers every day). But then again, most of the day I do things either at work or for school, when I have the Apple device as a tool. And I am very satisfied with them, as they enable me to learn/create value - and when I think about it as a student/programmer, I absolutely do not desire any revolutions - because most of the time changes are only complications and delays. These must be changes that have a value that exceeds the spring of getting used to something else during my workflow. And there, I'm glad that Apple keeps back and changes things in people's hands very rarely and really only for the better (so if they don't have something great, I prefer not to release anything - a contrast with the rest of the industry, which releases anything, just to have something there was something new, even if it's bullshit).
That's why I have such a doublethink - as a productive person, I don't want any changes or only rarely, and really something that will improve my workflow. However, as a geek and Apple fan, of course I long for a thousand new items every day that I could talk about and play with. However, in both personalities, I realize that I am actually grateful for the fact that Apple has more in mind than I do and adheres to the needs of a productive person.
The worst thing they can do is change something just to make it new.
Just why jump here and there like Android. Have your concept, so tweak and adjust it to make it even faster to use. Gestures need to be invented on the iPhone as well, so that a person does not have to press HB all the time. Just modernize the UI slightly, don't dig. And don't make it WP8, that's really not necessary.
They keep innovating, but they won't put the recording of calls that every moron has a mobile phone around. I'm an Applist, but I'm forced to listen to a ton of stupid excuses. others may not have a problem with it, but for me it is a major shortcoming.