Tim Cook at D11: Apple to Open Up APIs in the Future, but No Chat Heads

[aheying7]

They ported Safari and iTunes under his watch to Windows.

The day iTunes came out for Windows, the Apple home page said something about Hell having frozen over.

They took it down pretty quickly because one of the schools they sold iBooks (the computer, not the ebooks) to complained about it.

I would love to see a screenshot of this. Surely there is one somewhere on the web.

 

[jk111]

I would love to see a screenshot of this. Surely there is one somewhere on the web.

 

[jaw04005]

So I'm thinking Swype and widgets. Anyone else?

 

[Xytal]

Except you do. That's how they manage to keep the experience of using their products so simple. They go through every UI dialog and say, "Do we really need to give the user this option, or are they going to want to hit this button 99+% of the time?" and if the answer is that the user is generally going to want to hit that button, then they'll remove the dialog and just have that be the default behavior.

The alternative is to have endless popups. IE, what should happen when you download a file? The answer, 99% of the time, is it should go into downloads, TYVM, get out of my way. Other OS's and browsers will present other options when you want to download a file. You as the user may not even understand the implications of certain choices.

If you don't like Apple making the choices for you, you should ditch iOS and get pure Android, and you should ditch OS X and get pure Unix or Linux. Then you can begin to understand the choices that Apple has made on your behalf and the time and frustration they've saved you in doing so. Or maybe you really like all that control, and you don't like Apple making those choices, in which case, good for you, stick with those other platforms where you can make your own choices.

I, for one, think the choices that have been made tend to be pretty good... there's a few exceptions... Mission Control really sucks and I can no longer organize 90% of my windows because I no longer have a grid of spaces to work with... the only organization I have is Spotify is always full screen to the right of my main space, and everything else is piled up in my main space.

I just want to say, I agree, 100%. I was about to post something similar, but you beat me to it. =D

 

[Solomani]

iMessage on android?

Why not? There is absolutely zero harm to Apple if they allowed iMessage to go to other platforms. It's NOT like iMessage is the main feature that draws iPhone/iPad sales.

 

[duffman9000]

According to Cook, while Chat Heads were not the ideal choice, Apple will allow third party apps to take over some iOS features in the future..

I take that as finally allowing 3rd party apps to replace the Apple defaults.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

I have a HTC One. Chat head sucks. Facebook ruins things.

Why did you even get that phone? I thought it wasn't on sale any more.

Edit: I meant HOW did you even get that phone? sorry

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Excuse me, have you ever used an Android phone with the Facebook/Messenger app? Chatheads are there even if you don't want them to be there. They are part of the apps and I haven't founded any way to shut it off.

Just delete Facebook and use the web version.

 

[Ungibbed]

I'm rather indifferent on Chat Heads... I don't like them on the iPhone as screen space is an issue and often annoying as they obscure UI elements. On Android things are a bit different as the chat heads run separate of the FB app running in the foreground but do clutter up things

I could see ways of this working on iOS only if Apple allowed opening up the messaging app for other applications to essentially "plug in" to the existing app but could open potential security problems as well. I love how iMessage and SMS work already. Having Facebook access would be nice and seamless as well as a more "elegant" way than chat heads but the ultimate decision is up to Apple...

Some Android phones have already done this with a unified inbox and its worked well on many HTC devices I've owned in the past. I've liked the way they worked and with the older versions of HTC Sense.

 

[blackhand1001]

Excuse me, have you ever used an Android phone with the Facebook/Messenger app? Chatheads are there even if you don't want them to be there. They are part of the apps and I haven't founded any way to shut it off.

You didn't look very hard then. its very easy to turn off. Its right in the notification settings. Uncheck chat heads. Same place you set the notification sound and vibrate behavior.

 

[JGIGS]

no need to port to other platforms. Everyone who would like to be able to use iMessage and less so Facetime with other platforms raise your hand and yell. me me me me me!!!

 

[bozzykid]

Ah, it's like the good ol' days when Jobs said the Facetime API would be opened up so it could be used on other platforms.

 

[StuddedLeather]

This is just too much to handle in one day.

Imagine what it'll be like in a couple of weeks!

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I wonder if it'll finally be viable to port Battery Status over to iOS? All I would really need is the ability to push notifications over a local wifi network...

 

[Lara F]

Ah, it's like the good ol' days when Jobs said the Facetime API would be opened up so it could be used on other platforms.

iMore made reference to a patent troll on last week's podcast. Googling came up with this:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/apple/judge-rules-against-apple-in-facetime-lawsuit/
http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/...etX-Apple-patent-thestreet/2/27/2013/id/48419

Very sucky if it's indeed the reason it hasn't happened.

 

[lk400]

I have a HTC One. Chat head sucks. Facebook ruins things.

So dump it - many people have, and lead very happy post-facebook lives. Every now and then I see a friend's facebook and it makes me shudder the kind of rubbish on there.

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So then don't use it.

Also, I absolutely do not pay Apple to make choices for me. That is profoundly asinine.

Apple have been paid to make choices for consumers since their inception. This is nothing new. I would be shocked and disappointed if they started opening up their products to more consumer choice as it would be chancing something that is deeply Apple (love it, or hate it).

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I'll believe it when I see it. Lip service has been Apple's specialty for the first few months of the year. That and litigation, I wonder how long it will be before Apple sues the developer that "codes it wrong".

The aggressive stance of Apple has shown it's ugly head in recent times, which may be but one reason they aren't doing as well as they would like in China.



http://www.technobuffalo.com/2013/05/28/samsung-apple-china-smartphone-market-share/

Apologising for maps, apologising for things like warranty in China, softening iphone negotiations with providers in Europe, and so on is their aggressive stance? I think they have softened.

 

[FirstNTenderbit]

Except you do. That's how they manage to keep the experience of using their products so simple. They go through every UI dialog and say, "Do we really need to give the user this option, or are they going to want to hit this button 99+% of the time?" and if the answer is that the user is generally going to want to hit that button, then they'll remove the dialog and just have that be the default behavior.

The alternative is to have endless popups. IE, what should happen when you download a file? The answer, 99% of the time, is it should go into downloads, TYVM, get out of my way. Other OS's and browsers will present other options when you want to download a file. You as the user may not even understand the implications of certain choices.

If you don't like Apple making the choices for you, you should ditch iOS and get pure Android, and you should ditch OS X and get pure Unix or Linux. Then you can begin to understand the choices that Apple has made on your behalf and the time and frustration they've saved you in doing so. Or maybe you really like all that control, and you don't like Apple making those choices, in which case, good for you, stick with those other platforms where you can make your own choices.

I, for one, think the choices that have been made tend to be pretty good... there's a few exceptions... Mission Control really sucks and I can no longer organize 90% of my windows because I no longer have a grid of spaces to work with... the only organization I have is Spotify is always full screen to the right of my main space, and everything else is piled up in my main space.

Using products from Apple is not an "all or none" proposition. I wish people would stop saying "if you don't like x then go to platform y". No one has to ditch their preferred platform because they don't like something about it. Using your own example, would you ditch OSX because of the choice Apple made for you regarding Mission Control? As you said, they've made some pretty good decisions. They've also made some pretty bad ones as well. I personally don't expect perfection.

The section I highlighted from your comment reads like a parent talking to an errant child. I'm not attacking you because I see statements like it all the time. I would like to meet some of these time challenged frustrated people Apple is saving... from themselves mind you. Apple has added more and more choice to iOS with every iteration and Cook says they will be adding more by opening API's. I think they're doing it because they realize they don't have all the answers for everyone. Apple is a smartly run company. They know iOS needs a little room to breathe.

I don't fall into one of the camps of exclusivity. I have a S3 from Samsung, an iPad and an MBA from Apple, 360 from Microsoft, and an Alienware gaming rig. I don't pay any of those companies to make decisions for me. I pay those companies for products they make; taking the +'s and -'s of each.

To me, that's the key here, to me that statement by Cook sounded a little too arrogant, bordering on narcissism.

 

[duffman9000]

Apple have been paid to make choices for consumers since their inception. This is nothing new. I would be shocked and disappointed if they started opening up their products to more consumer choice as it would be chancing something that is deeply Apple (love it, or hate it).

Lets see, on OS X a user can change the default web browser. Can't do that on iOS. On OS X a user can change the default email client. Can't do that on iOS.

So you're against consumer choice?

 

[iGrip]

Tim Cook said:

The customer pays us to make choices on their behalf.

Wow. That's pretty patronizing.

 

[bushido]

just open the damn notification center for 3rd party "widgets"

Why did you even get that phone? I thought it wasn't on sale any more.

Edit: I meant HOW did you even get that phone? sorry

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Just delete Facebook and use the web version.

wrong phone dude ... htc one is their flagship phone and not that horrible htc "fb" phone lol

 

[lk400]

Thanks for the tip.

Anyway, I find them very intrusive and I really don't want to see that on iOS.

Intrusive. Creepy! I havent used them as I dont have face book, but all the images I see on articles like this ,where I see a little bubble with Mark Zuckerberg's face smiling at me just creep me out.

 

[MattInOz]

So then don't use it.

Also, I absolutely do not pay Apple to make choices for me. That is profoundly asinine.

Every product is a company betting that consummers will pay them to do things for them.

 

[LFMNX]

Apple is a strong advocate for the user experience

I feel Apple does make a lot of decisions on behalf of the customer experience and is paid (in the cost of their products) to do so. I have no issues with Cook's comments. Even if it ruffles the ego. Lots of market research, simplification thinking, extensive human factors testing and incremental development practices.

 

[waloshin]

Excuse me, have you ever used an Android phone with the Facebook/Messenger app? Chatheads are there even if you don't want them to be there. They are part of the apps and I haven't founded any way to shut it off.

Excuuuuse Meeeee!

Yes you can turn chat heads off in Facebook! Just look in the settings!!

Now what are you talking about?

 

[lk400]

Lets see, on OS X a user can change the default web browser. Can't do that on iOS. On OS X a user can change the default email client. Can't do that on iOS.

So you're against consumer choice?

I don't believe I stated an opinion on the topic, and certainly did not say something so extreme as "I am against consumer choice". I simply made a neutral statement. Your examples are that there are more options on a more complex operating system compared to the more simple mobile one. That is entirely correct. However the fact remains that Apple's way of doing software has always been to prioritise smooth and easy use, which is executed in part by minimizing user choices. This is not to say completely removing all choice, but minimizing it for the task at hand. This is their differentiator in the software market. If they start adding endless menus and choices and opening up their ecosystem, while pleasing some advanced or power users like yourself, they will be neglecting one of their core principles and I just cant see it happening.

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Tim Cook said:




Wow. That's pretty patronizing.

Yet entirely true.

 

[theanimaster]

Good thing no chat heads! It's just another FBtarded "feature" that is HORRIBLY irritating and intrusive -- it doesn't take up less space -- it takes up MORE! There's a reason for tabs!