Android features that the iPhone should have

matttye · Dec 27, 2011

- widgets. If not full blown widgets then at least toggle widgets for settings such as wifi, 3G/2g, Bluetooth etc. these could also be shown in the notification bar for quick access. I would prefer full widgets.

- the ability to access numbers and symbols more easily by long pressing on keys.

- some kind of gesture to access a menu with advanced options in some apps. The browser for example. There's no "find on page" options or anything like that, which can make browsing awkward. I'm not suggesting that iOS should become more menu based, just that menus are sometimes useful for less used options.

- third party apps should be able to integrate with the os. For example, the Facebook app should be able to add an option to the gallery to upload to Facebook. Other providers like Flickr should be able to do this too.

- Being able to attach files to emails from the email app itself.

- being able to mount the iPhone as a hard drive and add your music/images/etc that way. There's no reason this can't work alongside the current implementation.

I prefer the way iOS is managed; in that you're more likely to get a software update as its not fragmented, no malware in the app store etc, but there are a lot of features that iOS could borrow from other OSes to bring it more up to date!

Any other features people think it should adopt?

Discuss

sviato · Dec 27, 2011

Apple doesn't want to over-complicate by adding widgets and too many options, the average consumer likely doesn't care for them. Just jailbreak.

matttye · Dec 27, 2011

sviato said:
Apple doesn't want to over-complicate by adding widgets and too many options, the average consumer likely doesn't care for them. Just jailbreak.

A settings toggle widget doesn't over complicate, nor does having a gesture to access an advanced menu!

verwon · Dec 27, 2011

People want widgets, but they're already complaining about battery life....

matttye · Dec 27, 2011

verwon said:
People want widgets, but they're already complaining about battery life....

Not all widgets consume battery life. You're thinking of widgets like a Facebook widget which shows posts from your feed, but something like a widget that lets you change a setting or add a calendar event doesnt consume much battery.

scott craft · Dec 27, 2011

matttye said:
- third party apps should be able to integrate with the os. For example, the Facebook app should be able to add an option to the gallery to upload to Facebook. Other providers like Flickr should be able to do this too.

- Being able to attach files to emails from the email app itself.

These two would be really nice.

verwon · Dec 27, 2011

matttye said:
Not all widgets consume battery life. You're thinking of widgets like a Facebook widget which shows posts from your feed, but something like a widget that lets you change a setting or add a calendar event doesnt consume much battery.

So....a static icon to access settings?

matttye · Dec 27, 2011

verwon said:
So....a static icon to access settings?

No, a button that toggles options on/off. Like this one:

vitzr · Dec 27, 2011

I'm too busy enjoying these features and more on my Galaxy S II.

My iPhone 4S is just like Apple wanted it to be.

Let's remember it's Apple...

They build _what _they want, _when_ they want.

It's the Apple way & it works for them.

alex2792 · Dec 27, 2011

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3)

matttye said:
- widgets. If not full blown widgets then at least toggle widgets for settings such as wifi, 3G/2g, Bluetooth etc. these could also be shown in the notification bar for quick access. I would prefer full widgets.

- the ability to access numbers and symbols more easily by long pressing on keys.

- some kind of gesture to access a menu with advanced options in some apps. The browser for example. There's no "find on page" options or anything like that, which can make browsing awkward. I'm not suggesting that iOS should become more menu based, just that menus are sometimes useful for less used options.

- third party apps should be able to integrate with the os. For example, the Facebook app should be able to add an option to the gallery to upload to Facebook. Other providers like Flickr should be able to do this too.

- Being able to attach files to emails from the email app itself.

- being able to mount the iPhone as a hard drive and add your music/images/etc that way. There's no reason this can't work alongside the current implementation.

I prefer the way iOS is managed; in that you're more likely to get a software update as its not fragmented, no malware in the app store etc, but there are a lot of features that iOS could borrow from other OSes to bring it more up to date!

Any other features people think it should adopt?

Discuss

Attaching files via email app isn't happening unless Apple reworks the file system. This is the biggest annoyance I have with the iPhone is the fact that I have to constantly duplicate files if I want to open them with another app. IOS 6 needs to implement a centralized documents folder that can be accessed by other apps. This would be a good middle ground between Android's desktop-esque file system,which is an overkill for a cell phone and Apple's inefficient sandbox model.

SurferMan · Dec 27, 2011

Why Apple didn't put in toggles for various settings is beyond me, there isn't one reason except they were either lazy or didn't think people would care, there's no battery drain or anything like that. I travel a lot and even just in general for use, it's annoying not having toggles like SBS. For one thing SBS integrates so well with in the notification center. Plus WidgetTask lets you handle your apps from the notification center vs double pressing the home button, like that better.

I do love how much easier and convenient it is to mount my SGII as a drive and transfer files or do whatever I want, vs having to deal with iTunes and it's restrictions.

For those that have no idea what were talking about, or SBS lol, the top toggles scroll left and right but had to take two snapshots.

3bs · Dec 27, 2011

SurferMan said:
Why Apple didn't put in toggles for various settings is beyond me, there isn't one reason except they were either lazy or didn't think people would care, there's no battery drain or anything like that. I travel a lot and even just in general for use, it's annoying not having toggles like SBS. For one thing SBS integrates so well with in the notification center. Plus WidgetTask lets you handle your apps from the notification center vs double pressing the home button, like that better.

I do love how much easier and convenient it is to mount my SGII as a drive and transfer files or do whatever I want, vs having to deal with iTunes and it's restrictions.

For those that have no idea what were talking about, or SBS lol, the top toggles scroll left and right but had to take two snapshots.

Image
Image

What version OS are you running and I assume it's an iPhone 4 since the 4S can't be jailbroken? I know almost nothing about jailbreaking but I am considering getting in the game but since I have no experience I am reluctant and don't want to mess up my phone. I can't right now anyway, not until they release a jailbreak for the 4S

SurferMan · Dec 27, 2011

3bs said:
What version OS are you running and I assume it's an iPhone 4 since the 4S can't be jailbroken? I know almost nothing about jailbreaking but I am considering getting in the game but since I have no experience I am reluctant and don't want to mess up my phone. I can't right now anyway, not until they release a jailbreak for the 4S

That's iOS5 on my 3GS, I have an iPhone 4 but never jailbroke it as gf mainly used it.

Zcott · Dec 27, 2011

OP: There is a find in page. Just open the search box, type what you what to find in page and it's at the bottom of the search results.

onthecouchagain · Dec 27, 2011

I wonder if under Cook's leadership, will Apple start to lax a bit about the things they've been so against. I'm not expecting a full blown overhaul, but it'd certainly be nice if they implemented some of these things.

SurferMan · Dec 28, 2011

onthecouchagain said:
I wonder if under Cook's leadership, will Apple start to lax a bit about the things they've been so against. I'm not expecting a full blown overhaul, but it'd certainly be nice if they implemented some of these things.

I'd hope so, but I'm still seriously doubting they'll implement the toggles like I posted above in the next iOS. That's something that could have easily been done, and SBS developer had it integrated almost immediately no problem. Another quirk that's annoying is their restricted stance on folders, why limit the # apps per folder or folders within a folder, makes no sense? I use FolderEnhancer to get rid of those restrictions. Much nicer having a "games" folder with folders in it for organizing different apps like puzzles, action, strategy etc, or vise versa for business apps.

I have a ton of stuff done to this phone to get it to where I wanted it, I know there's a lot they would never allow, but there are certain things that just make no sense why they don't/or restrict in use.

Thai4s · Dec 28, 2011

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I don't care for the email attachments pictures thing. All it does is get you to the photos, so I just double tap and go there. Same thing.

The widgets now are useless. I can just ask Siri about the stock market. I don't know why Apple refuses to put toggles for the communications. I guess they think it should be on all the time. Why would people want to toggle them.

Ridiculous. I have a shortcut for Bluetooth on my screen. I tap it and it goes to the bluetooth settings. That's as good as you can have it. Basically just a browser shortcut.

M Quick · Dec 28, 2011

matttye said:
- widgets. If not full blown widgets then at least toggle widgets for settings such as wifi, 3G/2g, Bluetooth etc. these could also be shown in the notification bar for quick access. I would prefer full widgets.

Agreed.

matttye said:
- the ability to access numbers and symbols more easily by long pressing on keys.

- some kind of gesture to access a menu with advanced options in some apps. The browser for example. There's no "find on page" options or anything like that, which can make browsing awkward. I'm not suggesting that iOS should become more menu based, just that menus are sometimes useful for less used options.

That would also be nice!

matttye said:
- third party apps should be able to integrate with the os. For example, the Facebook app should be able to add an option to the gallery to upload to Facebook. Other providers like Flickr should be able to do this too.

Also a feature i miss! I usually see myself going into the photos and then i click on the share button and then i get remembered that there is no quick feature to share a photo to either..

matttye said:
- Being able to attach files to emails from the email app itself.

That should definitely be an added feature.

matttye said:
- being able to mount the iPhone as a hard drive and add your music/images/etc that way. There's no reason this can't work alongside the current implementation.

That would be really nice, but i see why apple isn't letting you do this as piracy is what they want to overcome and if they keep it like that people tend to buy more stuff instead of downloading it on the computer and then dragging it onto the unit.. Even if you can do the same in iTunes already.. But that's at least what i think is the reason of this.

Definitely something i would want though. Would make things so much easier.

matttye said:
I prefer the way iOS is managed; in that you're more likely to get a software update as its not fragmented, no malware in the app store etc, but there are a lot of features that iOS could borrow from other OSes to bring it more up to date!

Any other features people think it should adopt?

Discuss

Absolutely!

Many of the things you're asking though can easily be achieved by jail breaking.. But it'd be nicer if you didn't need to do that in order for that.

Thai4s · Dec 28, 2011

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Here is my BT toggle

NOT really. BT shortcut.

B777Forevar · Dec 28, 2011

Facebook/google+ integration.
A "theme" app store so I wouldn't have to jailbreak and download Winterboard

FSMBP · Dec 28, 2011

matttye said:
- widgets. If not full blown widgets then at least toggle widgets for settings such as wifi, 3G/2g, Bluetooth etc. these could also be shown in the notification bar for quick access. I would prefer full widgets.

- the ability to access numbers and symbols more easily by long pressing on keys. I agree, if iPhone LTE has a 4" screen - they should add an extra row on the keyboard for numbers/symbols

- some kind of gesture to access a menu with advanced options in some apps. The browser for example. There's no "find on page" options or anything like that, which can make browsing awkward. I'm not suggesting that iOS should become more menu based, just that menus are sometimes useful for less used options. As mentioned, they already have Find On This Page (since iOS 4.2)

- third party apps should be able to integrate with the os. For example, the Facebook app should be able to add an option to the gallery to upload to Facebook. Other providers like Flickr should be able to do this too. This is already there with Twitter - my guess is that Facebook & Apple couldn't reach an agreement.

- Being able to attach files to emails from the email app itself. I agree! At the very least, they should allow to attached Photos/Videos/Cards while already composing an email. I hate writing an email & realizing I forgot to attach a photo then have to start from scratch

- being able to mount the iPhone as a hard drive and add your music/images/etc that way. There's no reason this can't work alongside the current implementation. Won't happen. Clearly Apple is set on way of putting media on an iPhone. If people drag songs/videos onto their iPhone as a harddrive, it won't be added to the Music/Videos app on the iPhone - therefore confusing people. For whatever reason, those items must be purchased via iTunes or synced via iTunes

I prefer the way iOS is managed; in that you're more likely to get a software update as its not fragmented, no malware in the app store etc, but there are a lot of features that iOS could borrow from other OSes to bring it more up to date!

Any other features people think it should adopt?

Discuss

Thoughts above in bold.

PhoneI · Dec 28, 2011

verwon said:
People want widgets

Not me

buddybd · Dec 28, 2011

woah I was expecting more responses like 'Its not how Apple does things', 'iOS is not Android', 'Apple doesn't see use for it' lol.

Glad people want these things, its about time these especially the toggles were implemented.

Eager Beaver · Dec 28, 2011

I want widgets for sure, (and a bigger screen to see them on)

matttye · Dec 28, 2011

Zcott said:
OP: There is a find in page. Just open the search box, type what you what to find in page and it's at the bottom of the search results.

Thanks, I didn't see that.

Thai4s said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A406 Safari/7534.48.3)

I don't care for the email attachments pictures thing. All it does is get you to the photos, so I just double tap and go there. Same thing.

The widgets now are useless. I can just ask Siri about the stock market. I don't know why Apple refuses to put toggles for the communications. I guess they think it should be on all the time. Why would people want to toggle them.

Ridiculous. I have a shortcut for Bluetooth on my screen. I tap it and it goes to the bluetooth settings. That's as good as you can have it. Basically just a browser shortcut.

Having to go to the gallery is counter-intuitive though. The logical place to go to compose an email is to the email client. Having to remember to go to the gallery is not very user friendly.

Siri is not always suitable. What if you're on a crowded train, or underground or on a plane where you have no Internet connection? It is also not as user friendly to have to ask for something as it is to just have it right there on the home screen.

Android features that the iPhone should have

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