Concept Video Demonstrates Apple Watch-Style Interface on iPhone

[MacRumors]

Apple's upcoming wearable, the Apple Watch, takes advantage of a unique interface that arranges apps with circular icons in a cluster-based design for quick and easy access with the device's included Digital Crown, or scroll wheel.

YouTuber Lucas Menge has created a mockup of what the Apple Watch interface might look like when translated to a larger device, like the iPhone. As with the Apple Watch, Menge's concept lets users zoom in and out on the app landscape, viewing one small cluster of apps or all the apps installed on the device.

The interface incorporates app names, which deviates from the design on the Apple Watch, and simple swipes allow users to scroll through the apps installed on the phone. Tapping when zoomed out will zoom into the area that's been tapped, and when zoomed in, a tap on an icon launches an app.

Menge, whose design was inspired by a mockup post created by 9to5Mac's Michael Steeber, has published his prototype code for the design on GitHub. Apple Watch, with its unique Watch OS operating system, will be available beginning in early 2015.

Article Link: Concept Video Demonstrates Apple Watch-Style Interface on iPhone

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

This make your wrist itch.

 

[farewelwilliams]

anything is better than the current setup.

who's going to swipe to page 9 to launch an app that they barely use? most people just launch apps from page 1 or search for it I think

 

[Eddy Munn]

Doesn't seem to suit it so well without a digital crown, but it is nonetheless beautifully fluid.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Doesn't suit it so well without a digital crown.

hmm? the whole point of digital crown was to not obstruct the screen when zooming. the phone has plenty of screen estate, so it should be fine.

 

[JUiCEJamie]

This NEEDS to go on Cydia.


PLEASE.

 

[lotzosushi]

I'll be looking forward to seeing this in Cydia

 

[pscl]

this is not handy. way too confusing... one must remember every position of their apps.

 

[Glassed Silver]

Still not sold on it.

I like pagination and folders a lot more, it's just closer to how I think and how I mentally sort and find my apps.

My games are on page 2, there you find folders like Arcade, Strategy, Action, Racing.
My most commonly used ones are on page 1, some in a folder in my dock, because at some point that felt natural for me, also nice to access them from any page I'm on in Springboard.

The mandatory folder of stuff I never open except when apps or links link to it/now as well extensions/Swift (or any potential keyboard), that's called "Silent Existence" and is on my last page of course.

Just some examples of pages and folders rule my world, the Apple Watch layout seems okay for the device it's made for and the limited space available and possibly not reaching the amount of apps that I have on my iPhone or iPad.

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[sshambles]

Did anyone else notice when he kept on pronouncing icon, iken?

 

[brunosh]

This was the first thing I thought as soon I saw the Apple Watch UI. The iOS homescreen really needs a new UI, and this is pretty good and fresh!

 

[cmChimera]

anything is better than the current setup.

who's going to swipe to page 9 to launch an app that they barely use?

Folders are your friend.

 

[coolfactor]

Did anyone else notice when he kept on pronouncing icon, iken?

Just his accent.

----------

This was the first thing I thought as soon I saw the Apple Watch UI. The iOS homescreen really needs a new UI, and this is pretty good and fresh!

I think this is absolutely genius! What a fresh take on the home screen! Sure, may not be entirely practical, but it definitely has that "cool factor"!

 

[Alphabetize]

I'm not a fan of that interface!

I like my apps to be alphabetized.

 

[Sandstorm]

I like this. Definitely would want to try for some time and then decide, if it really is better than current icon grid. It might be!

 

[mw360]

this is not handy. way too confusing... one must remember every position of their apps.

I disagree. With this, you can potentially lay out your apps in a more irregular shape, which takes much better advantage of your evolved ability to memorise the layouts of natural landscapes. Grids are for computers, not human minds. I bet tests would show users able to find their apps far quicker in this layout.

 

[Rogifan]

No, just no. The only reason people are liking it is because it's different.

 

[footballcop18]

This NEEDS to go on Cydia.


PLEASE.

I second that notion. Seeing this on Cydia would make jail breaking well worth it. Also you could still essentially have folders with apps but this could really help apple if they did this with iOS 9

 

[rwilliams]

I don't think iOS needs a radical redesign. If they want to freshen things up, Apple should simply release the OS from the stale grid design and allow icon/folder/widget placement wherever the user chooses. Let each person create their own "redesign" of the home screen. Look at the "post your home screen" threads. Other than wallpaper, every home screen looks the damn same. Get rid of the grid. Where's the "think different"?

 

[roland.g]

I've never been a spotlight user and I'm not sure it is as useful on the iPhone as it is on the Mac, but I have started using Spotlight as a launcher more and more with Yosemite, and will try to do the same with my Phone except for key apps. That and multitasking switcher. I think either of those is better than drilling into folders.

This was well executed and I can see it going on Cydia, but it really doesn't represent as useful other than in some sort of "new" candy appearance to give users a change.

 

[definitive]

more icon clutter to the front of the screen? that's exactly what we need.

 

[brunosh]

I don't think iOS needs a radical redesign. If they want to freshen things up, Apple should simply release the OS from the stale grid design and allow icon/folder/widget placement wherever the user chooses. Let each person create their own "redesign" of the home screen. Look at the "post your home screen" threads. Other than wallpaper, every home screen looks the damn same. Get rid of the grid. Where's the "think different"?

And become the mess Android UI homescreen is? No, thanks! Of course iOS needs a radical redesign, it's been the same old grid of icons since the first iPhone for god sake. This looks very fresh and at first sight I find it very easy and quick to find the app you're looking for.

 

[farewelwilliams]

this is not handy. way too confusing... one must remember every position of their apps.

not sure if trolling

1. when you press the home button, you are returning to a central point.
2. can you remember every single app on the 6th page? unlikely.

 

[Icaras]

Looks neat, but whatever future version of iOS looks like in terms of app navigation, what I'd really like to see is an option for an App Drawer, or Launchpad to hide and reveal my apps when I want to.

 

[farewelwilliams]

Folders are your friend.

who's going to swipe to page 9 in their folder to launch an app that they barely use?