App library

[BigPotatoLobbyist]

It is 2021, and Apple still refuse to give us an effing standard app library with non-stupid/non-nanny sorting available by default. When people ask what Android has that's still differentiated and valuable, this and USB-C are almost enough to get me to switch. I just want to be able to swipe right directly to an A-Z or chronologically-sorted list with scaling options. Currently it's still a clusterf*ck and not at all qualifying for "just works" because one has to tap the top and search to access such a list, as if it's not an Approved Use Case. This is lame.

I haven't seen any indication this has changed. Surely I am not the only one with this first-world^2 grievance?

 

[fwmireault]

No I don’t think that has even changed, and I doubt it will before iOS 16 because Apple is rolling out the exact same feature on iPadOS for this year. I’d love to customize more the App Library, but Apple has never been very good in customization features

 

[BigPotatoLobbyist]

No I don’t think that has even changed, and I doubt it will before iOS 16 because Apple is rolling out the exact same feature on iPadOS for this year. I’d love to customize more the App Library, but Apple has never been very good in customization features

it's such a low bar tbh. I only recently realized how bad even macOS is att times.

 

[dcp10]

It is 2021, and Apple still refuse to give us an effing standard app library with non-stupid/non-nanny sorting available by default. When people ask what Android has that's still differentiated and valuable, this and USB-C are almost enough to get me to switch. I just want to be able to swipe right directly to an A-Z or chronologically-sorted list with scaling options. Currently it's still a clusterf*ck and not at all qualifying for "just works" because one has to tap the top and search to access such a list, as if it's not an Approved Use Case. This is lame.

I haven't seen any indication this has changed. Surely I am not the only one with this first-world^2 grievance?

Surely you don’t scroll through the A-Z list to open apps?

 

[mark34]

I really like the way the App Library works on iOS. I am not sure what the company’s are. Wouldn’t it be quicker to pull down a quick search than going through an A-Z? That sounds awful. Some people do that on their Apple Watches. I never understood that.

 

[dcp10]

I really like the way the App Library works on iOS. I am not sure what the company’s are. Wouldn’t it be quicker to pull down a quick search than going through an A-Z? That sounds awful. Some people do that on their Apple Watches. I never understood that.

Exactly. I gave the App Library a chance last summer and it changed how I use my phone. Not only did I get rid of all my folders, but I discovered how well Spotlight works as well.

 

[11235813]

For the app library to be useful, it should let me pick the categories and apps in them myself. It's no use to me when it puts my finance app in entertainment.

 

[mrochester]

For the app library to be useful, it should let me pick the categories and apps in them myself. It's no use to me when it puts my finance app in entertainment.

You’re talking about folders on the Home Screen there aren’t you?

 

[11235813]

You’re talking about folders on the Home Screen there aren’t you?

Home Screen folders don't let you open apps with one tap. You have to open the folder first. With App Library, you can open your most used three apps in each folder with one tap. I can't use it however, since I keep wanting apps to be in different folders.

 

[mrochester]

Home Screen folders don't let you open apps with one tap. You have to open the folder first. With App Library, you can open your most used three apps in each folder with one tap. I can't use it however, since I keep wanting apps to be in different folders.

Yep.

 

[Abazigal]

For the app library to be useful, it should let me pick the categories and apps in them myself. It's no use to me when it puts my finance app in entertainment.

App Library is meant for consumers who don't bother organising the apps on their home screen. If they couldn't be bothered to do so before, why would they bother to do what you are suggesting in picking categories and apps?

I find that in order to maximise App Library, you have to basically "trust the system". That's what I have done. One home screen with a medium fantastical widget and 2 Siri suggestions, and the second page is App Library. After a while, you kinda get the hang of where everything is, the more commonly-used apps will be surfaced first so you can launch them directly without needing to open the folder.

That or use spotlight directly. Either way, it's actually quite a liberating feeling.

 

[circatee]

When the App Library was first released, I could not understand it, just didn't get the point.

Now, I just use the search option or better still, I ask Siri to open X or Y.

 

[NorthernSkyLights]

Most people I know. Don't even know how to do anything with there homescreen till this day. They still have rolls and more rolls of pages of apps and 1 or 2 folders and no clue about the app library or don't even care for it. So why add more features to the app libary at this point. When people still just have tons of icons all over there home pages of many pages. I have a room mate that has a iphone 12 pro. And he has like 5 pages of apps. And still donnt get around on keeping things tighty.

 

[Ansath]

It's no use to me when it puts my finance app in entertainment.

Feed back to the developer of the app, as they've obviously chosen the wrong category for their app.

The categories are based on the ones chosen by Devs as part of building their apps, they're App Store categories.

 

[fatTribble]

App Library is frustrating for me because I really wanted to love it. I don’t like that it picks my most used apps to show on its main page. My most used apps are on my first two home pages so I would never go to the App Library for those. How many people go to App Library to find iMessage for example. I’d love the option to show apps either on a home page or in the App Library but not both. Then my App Library would just have a dozen or two apps that I rarely use.

I really hope iPadOS let’s you hide that App Library from the dock.

To be fair, I am constantly adjusting my app locations to keep them orderly. So I don’t need Apple to organize them for me.

 

[bmac89]

I really hope iPadOS let’s you hide that App Library from the dock.

Does anyone know if the app Library can be moved or hidden from the dock on iPadOS?

For example, can you move it off the dock and onto the home screen like a normal folder?
Are there any other ways to access the app library on the iPad?

Thanks!

 

[BigPotatoLobbyist]

Home Screen folders don't let you open apps with one tap. You have to open the folder first. With App Library, you can open your most used three apps in each folder with one tap. I can't use it however, since I keep wanting apps to be in different folders.

exactly.

 

[Ludatyk]

Home Screen folders don't let you open apps with one tap. You have to open the folder first. With App Library, you can open your most used three apps in each folder with one tap. I can't use it however, since I keep wanting apps to be in different folders.

Well, you can put folders within folders… but what I like about the AppLibrary for the iPad, albeit it’s minor… the animation you get from opening from the dock.

Before iPad OS 15, I used to place all my apps on the dock… few apps on the dock while the rest in one folder. As much as I wish I could manage the placement of apps in the AppLibrary, as long as I keep my apps off the HomeScreen… I’m alright with how AppLibrary is currently.

 

[dwellselectric]

It is 2021, and Apple still refuse to give us an effing standard app library with non-stupid/non-nanny sorting available by default. When people ask what Android has that's still differentiated and valuable, this and USB-C are almost enough to get me to switch. I just want to be able to swipe right directly to an A-Z or chronologically-sorted list with scaling options. Currently it's still a clusterf*ck and not at all qualifying for "just works" because one has to tap the top and search to access such a list, as if it's not an Approved Use Case. This is lame.

I haven't seen any indication this has changed. Surely I am not the only one with this first-world^2 grievance?

I Agee 100% so annoying

 

[contacos]

I personally just use spotlight to open apps, most of the time it already suggests the correct apps based on my behaviour

 

[Ludatyk]

I personally just use spotlight to open apps, most of the time it already suggests the correct apps based on my behaviour

I believe at that point, Siri is suggesting the correct app.

But yeah, I try to avoid going into AppLibrary as much as possible when CMD+Space is quicker for me on the iPad.

 

[mark34]

The real benefit is not having to take the time to put a rarely used app somewhere. Just add it and search for it when you need it, keep your actual pages clear of clutter. It’s perfect. Heavily used apps go on a page. If it’s rare, who cares if you search or actually go to App Library, either one will be super fast.

 

[dk001]

Home Screen folders don't let you open apps with one tap. You have to open the folder first. With App Library, you can open your most used three apps in each folder with one tap. I can't use it however, since I keep wanting apps to be in different folders.

Since the start of App Library, I have yet to have the "big three" be more than 50% accurate.
The concept is decent however the implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[dk001]

Feed back to the developer of the app, as they've obviously chosen the wrong category for their app.

The categories are based on the ones chosen by Devs as part of building their apps, they're App Store categories.

Then why am I seeing Apple Maps in the Other folder?

My current Other folder:

 

[Ansath]

Then why am I seeing Apple Maps in the Other folder?

My current Other folder:
View attachment 1799506

If you don't have enough apps of a category, they get bumped into Other. For me, Maps is in Travel, as I have 11 travel related apps. The App Library tries to group similar categories together (Travel and Navigation into 1 category. Books, News and weather gets bundled into Information and Reading).

Finance apps, provided the developer set the primary category as Finance, it would be Productivity & Finance.