Apple Continues War on Notification Center Widgets, Asks 'Drafts' to Remove Note Creation Feature

[nagromme]

It's always a shame when devs are caught as collateral damage as new rules/features evolve. There's a definite communication problem there--and making devs afraid/frustrated isn't good for Apple or anyone! Make the rules more clear, sooner!

That said, Apple does HAVE to have rules about Notification Center, and those rules do have to evolve and adapt as different real-world situations come up.

Otherwise, we'd have everyone and his great-aunt throwing in (yes, optional) Notification widgets just because they're a trendy buzzword.

Is it good for we users if we have to wade through a ton of useless widgets (even ones for otherwise good apps) rather than a tight list of good ones with functionality that fits together in one quick-access place for (wait for it) Notifications?

Is it good for users to start ignoring new widgets because they've learned that so many are not real notifications and don't add much to the app experience?

Is it that helpful to launch a notes app from the pull down rather than clicking the home button to get there?

I'm not rushing to answer those--but they must be asked. I do know there cannot be a perfect answer. Even a Wild West free-for-all has downsides for users.

 

[C DM]

Just get rid of notification center and be done with it. Why offer it and then cripple it until it becomes worthless and dies?

Somehow limiting some functionality of some widgets doesn't quite seem to be even close to something that would result in anything like that--Notification Center was and is quite useful even without any widgets.

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When iOS 5 first introduced Notification Center, I thought it would be so awesome if Apple opened it up for dev to create widgets.

I was wrong.

Notification Center widgets are terribly designed, grossly implemented, and worst of all, usually comically useless. Just give up and forget about it.

Just like notifications themselves to quite a few people...yet it doesn't make them useless or bad to many others. Same goes for existing widgets: plenty of useful ones for quite a few people (and that's only just about a couple of months after that functionality was publicly introduced to begin with).

 

[buxtone17]

Majority of the consumers using a phone do not need an application that is outside Apple's boundaries of what is acceptable. This is something I completely agree with Apple, even if it limits some functionality that can only come from something like a jailbreak.

Serious question - not trying to be a jerk: Why are you OK with using your device according to what Apple believes is acceptable as opposed to according to what you believe is acceptable?

 

[C DM]

How is it that we let everything be run by such jerks?

"We" choose to use the devices/ecosystem that we want.

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Serious question - not trying to be a jerk: Why are you OK with using your device according to what Apple believes is acceptable as opposed to according to what you believe is acceptable?

Because that's a decision you made when you decided to go with iOS. Because you are an informed person who can make personal decisions, and after looking at and understanding your options you decided to go with iOS knowing what it entails (as it has for years and years now). Seems like a fairly straightforward and rational concept.

 

[nutjob]

Why not just let users install whatever and devs make whatever?

Good question. The answer is being Apple's default stance is control, independent of the question of if it is good for users or customers.

 

[CasinoOwl]

Can we retire the term "War on..." already? It's so overused. And here it implies that Apple is against developers, which is clearly not the case.

 

[nutjob]

Can we retire the term "War on..." already? It's so overused. And here it implies that Apple is against developers, which is clearly not the case.

When Apple interferes with developers' design choices, then it is clearly against developers and their customers.

The idea that this feature is so offensive that it must be banned is either a sad joke, or Apple just has contempt for its developers' work.

Apple ignores its own design guidelines and restrictions. Why are developers denied the same ability?

 

[Arran]

Can we retire the term "War on..." already? It's so overused. And here it implies that Apple is against developers, which is clearly not the case.

I propose a War on Hyperbole!

You're either with us or against us.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

I think it's a worthwhile "War". If an app is THAT important to a user, stick it in the dock!

Pity Apple didn't get it straight from the outset, however. Would've saved them a black eye.

Pity most developers cannot read and assume without explicit dos and don'ts that they can attempt to exploit more functionality out of an interface that isn't hard to determine its intended purpose.

 

[Stella]

Apple have regularly performed u-turns, changing their minds about app restrictions. Developers should expect this from Apple - a little scatter brained, and somewhat inconsistent...

 

[RedOrchestra]

Apple just making sure no one shows them up.

 

[bmehilos]

Yes, but the Yosemite widget lives in the dashboard, not the notification area. iOS doesn't have a dashboard - so it's not a straight comparison.

Its not in the Dashboard. Its in the "Today" view of Notification Center. Quite literally the same name as it is on iOS.

On a different note, the amount of condescension here is staggering. Its like if Apple doesn't approve, that means its automatically a security flaw/battery drain/too difficult for average users. Oh just jailbreak if you want that.

No. Why should someone have to forego timely OS updates just because they had the gall to not want to use their property as Apple deemed fit? How in god's name is a widget confusing (or at least more confusing than apps randomly taking out features at Apple's request)? What is so wrong with putting a toggle, hidden away in the Settings app, that says "I'm not Grandma, please un-Fisher Price my phone"? Why should someone have to hack their phone just to have certain features, most of which are honestly pretty obvious ones?

And I swear to God, I know I'm going to get some generic, canned, i-cant-believe-you-arent-a-marketing-shill-for-Apple response like "Oh its about vision", "oh its about cohesion", "oh people would blame Apple" or "oh its about my nebulous understanding of security".

And holy crap, almost no one would blame Apple. The kind of user stupid enough to blame Apple for something they installed on their phone that falls outside of Apple's "vision", are not the kind of users who would ever install something that fell outside of Apple's "vision". Apple's "vision" is to make those sorts of people happy with a device, but that shouldn't come at the cost of making all the people who enjoy those abilities on their Macs pissed off.

Apple needs to take a page from how they handle the Mac. For almost anyone, the road blocks they put up aren't ever noticed, so they aren't a problem. No average user probably gives a hoot about Gatekeeper, because they never notice it. But for people like me and likely many of you, turning it off isn't hard, and it warns the hell out of you when you turn it off.

 

[2010mini]

So... How did Apple allow this app through in the first place??

 

[C DM]

When Apple interferes with developers' design choices, then it is clearly against developers and their customers.

The idea that this feature is so offensive that it must be banned is either a sad joke, or Apple just has contempt for its developers' work.

Apple ignores its own design guidelines and restrictions. Why are developers denied the same ability?

Apple sets guidelines and rules and revises them as things come up, especially as it relates to newer areas which can have more revisions initially. Add to that the human factor in reviews where things might not be followed consistently or correctly at times and there's more area where changes can happen. This has been at the heart of iOS for years and years now. None of this is new or strange or different all of a sudden. None of this is a "war" or being against something--iOS is designed with a particular vision, and people are free to choose to use it or not. Sure many things could or would be nice to have here or there, but to be somehow offended or surprised that they aren't when for years and years we all already know how iOS and everything around it works, for quite a few years now too, is, well, rather silly.

 

[Arran]

Its not in the Dashboard. Its in the "Today" view of Notification Center. Quite literally the same name as it is on iOS.

So it is. Wow! Didn't know that.

(but there is a calculator on the dashboard too - not that it matters here)

 

[Cayden]

Why do they want to overly control the notification feature? I find it pretty ridiculous that they add a feature and then smother away its potential

 

[aerok]

I'm surprised at the number of people who visit an Apple rumours website who are so misinformed about Apple's vision ...

I'm just a consumer, I buy their products. I don't plan/want to spend time figuring out their vision.

 

[SolarShane]

When iOS 5 first introduced Notification Center, I thought it would be so awesome if Apple opened it up for dev to create widgets.

I was wrong.

Notification Center widgets are terribly designed, grossly implemented, and worst of all, usually comically useless. Just give up and forget about it.

Between that and the lag of Custom Keyboards, iOS 8 just another revision of iOS 7.

Will the Evernote app be taken down?

 

[Rafterman]

If you want out of control UIs from an out of control mobile OS, you are more than free to buy a OnePlus One or a Samsung Galaxy.

Yes, because everyone always wants less features and capabilities in something.

 

[gregrose]

Apple is such a pathetic, cheap, money hungry company.

 

[octothorpe8]

If someone owned this particular application, and that someone refused to update such application, would that person then be able to keep the nefarious widget features?

I have a couple apps that have been pulled from the store and still work. One is a "swiss rail clock" dating from before Apple got sued by the Swiss. It's long gone, but I still run it.

Also remember, if you're syncing your phone with iTunes and backing up with Time Machine (or whatever) you may have old versions that can be reinstalled even if you accidentally update. There are a bunch of instructions out there on doing this.

 

[blackboxxx]

It's appalling to see the fanboys here defending Apple and parroting the party line about ensuring consistent experience, preventing malware and protecting the users from their own stupidity. It's hard to see how a button that creates a new note could ruin user experience, expose system to malware and make the users throw their phones against the wall in frustration.

On the other hand, I completely agree with Apple's decision not to allow notification centre widgets that act as simple launchers.
It has already happened on Windows with system tray, where many apps stick their icon after installation (and Apple used to be guilty too with QuickTime), or offer an option to minimize their window into systray instead of the taskbar (iTunes also has that option). It became so bad that Microsoft started hiding most systray icons behind a chevron by default.
Now on OS X menu bar icons appear to follow the same trend. There's even a third party app that essentially replicates Microsoft's solution.
If Apple made the notification centre widgets a free-for-all, it would be the same bad experience.

 

[JGIGS]

I'm sooooo glad they are starting to open up iOs.

 

[Arran]

Apple is such a pathetic, cheap, money hungry company.

Is that just a general grouse you wanted off your chest - or can you explain how it relates to the thread?

 

[69Mustang]

Because that's a decision you made when you decided to go with iOS. Because you are an informed person who can make personal decisions, and after looking at and understanding your options you decided to go with iOS knowing what it entails (as it has for years and years now). Seems like a fairly straightforward and rational concept.

I'm going to have to disagree with your opinion. Not your opinion of an informed person making a decision; with that I agree completely. It's your assessment of iOS I take issue with. You're implying iOS is all about Apple's vision of how things should be for everyone. At least that's what I get from what you wrote. I think iOS is Apple's vision of how a mobile OS should run; as in a cohesive blend of software and hardware to provide a great user experience. The products of that vision are, in my opinion, to be used by the consumer in their own way. That's why you will rarely ever find two iPhones containing the exact same apps. If it was about Apple's vision for everyone, wouldn't all the apps Apple thought we needed be preloaded? Also there would be no need for an app store beyond music and games. If Apple wanted to add an app to their vision they would just download it to your phone. You know, like the U2 album. Sorry couldn't resist. In other words, Apple would curate all the devices. I think Apple provides a base platform for individuals to express their own preferences.

What you propose is neither straightforward nor rational (I should say my interpretation of what you propose. I could be dead wrong). No one would go for that. The garden may be walled but it's not a prison. Nor is it a take it or leave it proposition. It's entirely reasonable for someone to not like some thing about a product or service and still like it overall.