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Notification light on new iPhone?

M

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
iOS 8 is intiguing me and making me really think about getting an iPhone.

But one feature I'd have big problems doing without is the notification light - it's so useful to instantly see if I've missed something whilst I've been away from my phone.

My partner's iPhone will often buzz but the screen won't light. Pressing the home button displays a screen which is no different to the screen before it buzzed. So when he returns to his phone, he has no idea he's missed something.

I'll also miss the various icons in the toolbar - the envelope for email, the speech mark for a text etc.

What's the chances iPhone introduces a notification light? Or am I missing something and actually the iPhone deals with missed calls/emails/texts etc. in an even better way?
 
The flash for the camera can be set to fire a short burst when receiving a notification. If the phone is resting on its face, you will see the light. Then turn it over to see which app has the little red notification ear in its icon.
 
Mildredop said:
What's the chances iPhone introduces a notification light? Or am I missing something and actually the iPhone deals with missed calls/emails/texts etc. in an even better way?
Click to expand...
I think the odds are pretty slim we'll see any notification lights on the phone. As mentioned previously you can turn on the flash notification so you get some visual notification but I realize its not the same thing
 
ron7624 said:
The flash for the camera can be set to fire a short burst when receiving a notification. If the phone is resting on its face, you will see the light. Then turn it over to see which app has the little red notification ear in its icon.
Click to expand...

So it's still that thing that if you're out of the room when you get the message/call, when you re-enter the room you have no idea whether you have missed anything without unlocking your phone and checking through all your apps to see if there's anything new - it's not even like on the lock screen you see an icon in the tool bar. You actually need to unlock the phone to check.

I used to have to check my iPhone a hundred times a day to ensure I hadn't missed anything, something I haven't needed to do for the last few years. Not sure I could go back to that.

It's a shame, because iOS8 looks good.
 
Mildredop said:
So it's still that thing that if you're out of the room when you get the message/call, when you re-enter the room you have no idea whether you have missed anything without unlocking your phone and checking through all your apps to see if there's anything new - it's not even like on the lock screen you see an icon in the tool bar. You actually need to unlock the phone to check.

I used to have to check my iPhone a hundred times a day to ensure I hadn't missed anything, something I haven't needed to do for the last few years. Not sure I could go back to that.

It's a shame, because iOS8 looks good.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, but you are barking up the wrong tree in this forum, there has just been a blew in the alternatives forum between iPhone and android users.

It's simple android users love it because we have it, iphone users don't think it's needed because they can't have it.

If iphone 6 has it I may go back, I have had 4 iPhones and now a S5, different coloured lights for notifications is great.

Can't see Apple doing it though.
 
I have set my phone to flash when something comes up and also set my apps to have notifications on the lock screen.

So obviously I have to press the home button when want to know if I missed something, but I dont see that as a problem since I have set my phone to alert me on messages repeatedly and if someone has an urgent matter then they will call me...
 
Since I'm "on call" for work a notification light would be extremely beneficial.

I find myself carrying my phone in hand nearly 24/7 even at home when I'm on call. Kind of annoying.
 
It would be a welcome feature and a definite "nice to have" (along with 100 other "suggestions" made in this forum). I miss it from my Blackberry.

Having to be available nearly 24x7 hours though, in emergencies I get phone calls. It would be nice to be able to flag imessages, emails and general "events" from any app. However, this is not a make or break feature for me.
 
I7guy said:
It would be a welcome feature and a definite "nice to have" (along with 100 other "suggestions" made in this forum). I miss it from my Blackberry.

Having to be available nearly 24x7 hours though, in emergencies I get phone calls. It would be nice to be able to flag imessages, emails and general "events" from any app. However, this is not a make or break feature for me.
Click to expand...
True that. Probably one of the best features a Blackberry ever had.
 
Mildredop said:
So it's still that thing that if you're out of the room when you get the message/call, when you re-enter the room you have no idea whether you have missed anything without unlocking your phone and checking through all your apps to see if there's anything new - it's not even like on the lock screen you see an icon in the tool bar. You actually need to unlock the phone to check.

I used to have to check my iPhone a hundred times a day to ensure I hadn't missed anything, something I haven't needed to do for the last few years. Not sure I could go back to that.

It's a shame, because iOS8 looks good.
Click to expand...

True.
I'm in my 60's. I remember the good ole days when if someone did not contact you on the phone, they would call back till they did.
Today's smartphones have taken the world to a whole new and completely different level. Now instead of the caller being responsible for contact, the receiver must have multiple channels of communication available and open so as not to 'miss' the call, and it is the receivers responsibility to get back to the calling party. A complete 180. In a way it was better for the person wanting to initiate contact to stay responsible for that endeavor until contact was actually made.. After all, it is the caller that is wanting a service or to make contact.
I love my communication devices.
Steve did in fact change the world.
My brain hurts lol
 
ron7624 said:
True.
I'm in my 60's. I remember the good ole days when if someone did not contact you on the phone, they would call back till they did.
Today's smartphones have taken the world to a whole new and completely different level. Now instead of the caller being responsible for contact, the receiver must have multiple channels of communication available and open so as not to 'miss' the call, and it is the receivers responsibility to get back to the calling party. A complete 180. In a way it was better for the person wanting to initiate contact to stay responsible for that endeavor until contact was actually made.. After all, it is the caller that is wanting a service or to make contact.
I love my communication devices.
Steve did in fact change the world.
My brain hurts lol
Click to expand...

Well no, that started with Western Union back in the 1800's and then the postal service. Fast forward a hundred years or so and then it was voice mail. All of this stuff is voice mail++. Back in the 1800's as today, it is always possible the communication didn't reach it's intended target, even when says: "delivered". The onus is on the sender to contact you, if they really want to.
 
Mildredop said:
Can you not set it so it doesn't activate between, say, midnight and 7am?
Click to expand...

There is a Do Not Disturb feature and you can mute all notification alerts within a specified timeframe.

As for seeing your missed notifications, on iPhone you must push the home button to see any missed notifications on your lockscreen or you can view them in notification center by swiping down from the top. It's really not that inconvenient.
 
I7guy said:
Well no, that started with Western Union back in the 1800's and then the postal service. Fast forward a hundred years or so and then it was voice mail. All of this stuff is voice mail++. Back in the 1800's as today, it is always possible the communication didn't reach it's intended target, even when says: "delivered". The onus is on the sender to contact you, if they really want to.
Click to expand...

Right, right... But note the posters anxiety at possibly missing something if he stepped out of the room for a minute. Many feel the ball is in their court at that point. Myself included.
 
ron7624 said:
Sure can. Check out what the half moon (do not disturb) icon is about in settings.
Click to expand...

I wonder why the user above complains of being blinded at night then? (I don't have an iPhone so don't know about the half moon icon)
 
Mildredop said:
I wonder why the user above complains of being blinded at night then? (I don't have an iPhone so don't know about the half moon icon)
Click to expand...

You can turn on do not disturb, which I do. However, if you allow specific people to contact you while do not disturb is turned on, you'd still of course receive the notification.

That said it's not really an annoyance.

I on occasion fell asleep with the phone on my pillow or something. An LED going off by your eye in an otherwise pitch black room is not fun.

I actually disabled it now.
 
ron7624 said:
Right, right... But note the posters anxiety at possibly missing something if he stepped out of the room for a minute. Many feel the ball is in their court at that point. Myself included.
Click to expand...

Different strokes for different folks; imessage is not my approved emergency response mechanism. I have at least 3 telephones numbers that I can be reached at for immediate attention. Otherwise, an imessage (or the like) is just a communication that I will deal with as I see fit. No anxiety about worrying I'm missing something.
 
Robster3 said:
there has just been a blew in the alternatives forum between iPhone and android users.
Click to expand...

LOL what, you mean the constant battle going on ever since that subforum was created? :D

OneMike said:
I on occasion fell asleep with the phone on my pillow or something. An LED going off by your eye in an otherwise pitch black room is not fun.
Click to expand...

It's pretty terrible. Not a proper alternative to a notification LED at all, my girlfriend uses this sometimes and it has scared the crap out of me a few times. It's only good for emergencies.

I sure would love if Apple came up with some sort of solution here, it could be a slowly pulsating apple on the back or a thin translucent ring around the homebutton lighting up... But I don't see them doing it either.
 
Mildredop said:
My partner's iPhone will often buzz but the screen won't light. Pressing the home button displays a screen which is no different to the screen before it buzzed. So when he returns to his phone, he has no idea he's missed something.
Click to expand...

It's only that way because he has the settings set that way. By default, almost all of the things you mentioned DO display missed notifications on the lock screen.
 
To me, a notification light is redundant. Had it on my S4 and didn't care for it.

I didn't like the light on my S4 because whenever it was flashing it made me pick up my phone so I can clear the notification to stop the flashing.

The iPhone already makes an alert sound and without a notification light, I can pick up the phone at my leisure to see any missed notifications.

It's really not that hard to push the home button.
 
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