If the rumored Airdrop feature comes to iOS, would that mean a Finder type app would be necessary? Or would only Apple supported files be supported that would be sent to specific apps (I.e, .pdf files dropped into iBooks)?
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Airdrop = Finder, right?
- Thread starter CosmoPilot
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I would lean toward the latter more so than the former...
Apple is all about simplicity. Can you imagine the soccer moms when a finder window popped up asking them what app they wanted to import the file into?
I'd love it to be the former, but likely will be the latter.
However, say for instance that you want to send an ... Evernote doc to someone, but they don't have Evernote, there would either have to be a convoluted system by which you can send a file to a compatable program ... or you have a simplified finder system to handle it?
However, say for instance that you want to send an ... Evernote doc to someone, but they don't have Evernote, there would either have to be a convoluted system by which you can send a file to a compatable program ... or you have a simplified finder system to handle it?
iOS already implements an "Open with..." System. Wouldn't it just be expanding on that?
The question is whether they are bringing back an iDisk like feature to allow storage, or whether you're forced to import a file into an app immediately.
The question is whether they are bringing back an iDisk like feature to allow storage, or whether you're forced to import a file into an app immediately.
I really hope they do bring a file management-type application to iOS. I really dislike how documents are contained within applications. It means if you delete an application, you lose any files contained within it. It means you end up with different versions of the same file in several applications.
An area on the filesystem dedicated to a file library app makes perfect sense to me. Files can be kept outside applications, imported into applications, worked on from several apps.
Sure, some apps can keep files within themselves if they so choose, for example if they have proprietary filetypes that other apps couldn't use, but can still be given export options.
It's probably never going to happen, but a man can dream.
Basically a camera roll (photos app) for files. That would do the trick wouldn't it?
You can look through your files and using a share sheet can open them in the app of your choice. Then the file is saved right back into your 'Files' app ready to opened by something else.
If it implements the OSX feel, an iOS user would be prompted that another user has sent a file, and then ask if you'd like to accept it or not. It's at this point, the receiving user would need to know where the file is being "dropped" onto the iOS device.
If the file is to use the "Open With" feature, then I imagine only certain file types will be supported. If a Finder/Documents type app comes with iOS7, then I would imaging all files would be supported but maybe not recognized.
Another option would be to use iCloud as an in between client that would allow "Airdrop" without even being close to a user (similar to shared photo streams). To me, this would be an Apple-type solution and require that both users have the corresponding app that the file originates from. Developers would have to build Airdrop compatibility within each app just like AirPlay. To me, this seems like what would be most realistic.
If the file is to use the "Open With" feature, then I imagine only certain file types will be supported. If a Finder/Documents type app comes with iOS7, then I would imaging all files would be supported but maybe not recognized.
Another option would be to use iCloud as an in between client that would allow "Airdrop" without even being close to a user (similar to shared photo streams). To me, this would be an Apple-type solution and require that both users have the corresponding app that the file originates from. Developers would have to build Airdrop compatibility within each app just like AirPlay. To me, this seems like what would be most realistic.
Thats the thing though..they can simplify finder as a concept.
Imagine a simple app that has a flat filesystem structure (no folders). You can open the app itself and see your grid of files, and just tap to open it. If you have multiple apps that can open a file it lets you choose, and set as default for next time. A search bar up top and the ability to sort in different ways (By date, type, name.) And the final thing is simple tagging (So I can tag something as "business" or "school", but you can have multiple tags on a document.) Tagging would be completely optional though and only necessary for users with a lot of documents on their device.
Apps get an api to access these files (With the same looking interface that pops up), and when they show the list it will only show the filetypes they support (So Pages only shows doc/pages, numbers XLS/CSV/numbers, etc.)
And finally the huge advantage that this brings - You can finally attach files to emails that aren't pictures.
That is what I want. Get rid of file duplication. And of course the old "Open In.." menu would still work as it does now, but apps would have a path to go on for the future.
My wish for this is that files live everywhere and one can attach locations like tags. Folders are basically nothing else but one tag per file. So when I'm on my Mac, I can plce it in projects/mmxiii but also on my iPad in customers/apple and other places. Whereever I edit it, it's virtually only one file.
The location is attached to the file, not the file to the location.
But I guess that's abit too much of a sync challenge.
The location is attached to the file, not the file to the location.
But I guess that's abit too much of a sync challenge.
Pretty much, but I imagine it would be more like the "All My Files" section of Finder - at least in concept. That would be awesome.