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Current iPhone "Icon" Filesystem

S

stylesjl

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 5, 2008
22
0
As I load up my phone with apps, I'm slowly starting to realize a major problem with how this "icon" filesystem the iphone uses will become cumbersome in time. As it is now, I already have 3 full screens of program icons on my iPhone. The App store, is still fairly new, so I start to think, what about when I really start getting a ton of apps. Lets say as time goes you end up with 60+ apps. Imagine having to scroll through 8+ iPhone icon screens to find the app you want to use? This sounds horrible!

So I was thinking for a more effcient way, Microsoft Win Mobile uses the start menu type style, to help get through alot of apps. Now what I have in mind here is 2 ideas.

1st Cover Flow Style:
Make it so when you rotate the phone into a horizontal position while at an icon screen, you go into a coverflow style app screen. So you can flick through each app icon.

2nd Contacts Styled App Search:
This works the same way the contacts program works with names and such. Basically, lets call this "App Search" the icon could show the App Symbol with a magnifying glass. You click on that, I'm sorry, I meant to say you "tap" on that... and it brings up every aplication installed on your iphone in alphabetical order with a search bar feature uptop for you type in the apps specific name.

I think these should be implemented in the near future. At the rate im going, the current iphone style of icon screens will get very cumbersome very quickly. We need a more effcient way to get to the app we want, not have to sidescroll through 100 icon screens.

So I'd like your input on these ideas... let me know what you think. Maybe we can get Apple to notice this.
 
stylesjl said:
As I load up my phone with apps, I'm slowly starting to realize a major problem with how this "icon" filesystem the iphone uses will become cumbersome in time. As it is now, I already have 3 full screens of program icons on my iPhone. The App store, is still fairly new, so I start tot hink, what about when I really start getting a ton of apps. Lets say as time goes you end up with 50+ apps. Imagine having to scroll through like 8+ iPhone icon screens to find the app you want to use? This sounds horrible!

So I was thinking for a more effcient way, Microsoft Win Mobile uses the start menu type style, to help get through a lot of apps. Now what I have in mind here is either 2 things.

1st Cover Flow Style:
Make it so when you rotate the phone into a horizontal position while at an icon screen, you go into a coverflow style app screen. So you can flick through each app icon.

2nd Contacts Styled App Search:
This works the same way the contacts program works with names and such. Basically, lets call this "App Search" the icon could show the App Symbol with a magnifying glass. You click on that, and it brings up every aplication installed on your iphone in alphabetical order with a search bar feature uptop for you type in the apps specific name.

I think these should be implemented in the near future. At the rate im going, the current iphone style of icon screens will get very cumbersome very quickly. We need a more effcient way to get to the app we want, not have to sidescroll through 100 icon screens.
Click to expand...

Surely coverflow will slow you down, it's going to be much quicker flicking through 3 pages compared to 50+ apps from the one you want?

I'd love a spotlight-esque search though.
 
Yeah you do have a point coverflow might just be as bad as the icon screens once you have a ton of apps. Maybe they could throw in a search bar feature at the top of it, to type in the app name?

I do have to say though, after some thought, I think the Contacts Styled App Search would be the best way to go.

What I do now is something has to be done, they have the iPod prog designed so well, we need something of the same nature for Apps!
 
Both these launchers currently exist on installer.app with a 2g jailbroken iphone. Not sure what the status is off jailbreaking the 3g phone.
 
It would be nice to get stack functionality in at least the bottom dock like you can get on jailbroken phones.
 
teiresias said:
It would be nice to get stack functionality in at least the bottom dock like you can get on jailbroken phones.
Click to expand...

+ 1000

I have my stacks display 2D style on my MacBook now, and they look almost like the iPhone interface does in that regard. So, why not just give us stacks on the iPhone? Just allow us to create a stack anywhere an icon can be placed currently. This would make things much simpler, since it would present a tree-like organizational structure instead of a flat one like we have now.
 
Can someone not just make an App that's an App Launcher that you could buy from the App Store?
 
Wildog27 said:
Can someone not just make an App that's an App Launcher that you could buy from the App Store?
Click to expand...

They could, but it couldn't change the iPhone's main screen.

So, you'd always have to click on THAT program, launch it, and then look for your apps. And it wouldn't erase the apps off the main screen either.

So, in other words, you'd still have the 8 pages of apps, but by going into this one application you could find things quicker. It would work, but I know that wouldn't appeal to some people.

To totally re-do the menu system it would have to be a change made by Apple. I suspect this is a change you'll see in software 3.0. The app store is still new, but the need for this will grow with time. Apple is the master of releasing products and features right when the most amount of people need it, and not before.
 
Small White Car said:
They could, but it couldn't change the iPhone's main screen.

So, you'd always have to click on THAT program, launch it, and then look for your apps. And it wouldn't erase the apps off the main screen either.

So, in other words, you'd still have the 8 pages of apps, but by going into this one application you could find things quicker. It would work, but I know that wouldn't appeal to some people.

To totally re-do the menu system it would have to be a change made by Apple. I suspect this is a change you'll see in software 3.0. The app store is still new, but the need for this will grow with time. Apple is the master of releasing products and features right when the most amount of people need it, and not before.
Click to expand...

I know Apple won't redo the iPhone file system anytime soon. Although the best bet would be that app.

Sure you might have tons of pages of apps and see all the little circles at the bottom of your screen but atleast you won't have to scroll through it all to find the app you want. Should hold us over until a real change is made by apple.

it does surprise me that Apple didn't think this out. The original iPhone didn't have 3rd party apps (im not talking about unlocking). So this icon syste worked fine, given one couldn't really have tons of programs. I do see them designing an iPod style application to use for Apps.

The way we are able to sort through music, videos, podcasts, etc. Sort them by song, artist, etc. This could all be done to apps aswell. Sort them by name, app type, app creator, and so on.
 
sva said:
I'd love a spotlight-esque search though.
Click to expand...

Please Apple, include spotlight on the iPhone. It should be able to search contacts, programs, emails, attachments, calendar, and other stuff. Allow us to bring up a spotlight window with a double tap on the home screen or home button.

That would be awesome.
 
Small White Car said:
Apple is the master of releasing products and features right when the most amount of people need it, and not before.
Click to expand...

lol Lets not make fanboy type statements like this...

I wouldn't go as far to really state this about Apple. Actually if you look at their track record they release features on the late side, after people already needed them. Look at the iPhone for example, 3G came late, GPS late, we are still even waiting for missing features. So I would call Apple the master of being late, nothing more.

To top it off, the 3G comming late as it is, and Apple doesn't even give us the most current 3G chip. We get stuck with a 3.2mbps chip while the competion offers 7.2mbps. The camera is still far behind.

I am an advocate for having features BEFORE I need it, not after. Who wants to need something then get stuck waiting for it to be implemented rather then already having the feature waiting for you. Apple has just been behind the ball honestly.

As a whole we can't just sit back and let them release features as they please. Have to speak up, make some noise, let it be known, that their are other options for consumers.
 
stylesjl said:
We get stuck with a 3.2mbps chip while the competion offers 7.2mbps.
Click to expand...


I believe the iPhone's 3G chip is the 7.2 version.


EDIT:

I am an advocate for having features BEFORE I need it, not after.
Click to expand...

To be fair, Apple included 802.11 A and N networking before many other companies and didn't even advertise that they included them. They worked with future hardware released (the Apple TV) and will work in the future when people use 802.11a and n more.
 
Badandy said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotlight_(software)


Read, and convert to the light side. Best feature on OSX.
Click to expand...

That is a cool feature! Something like that on the iPhone would be very nice.

I'm sticking to the dark side for my desktop though. :D Mainly because I'm to much of a PC Gamer for OSX to work out for me. Apple is getting there though, from what I hear WoW, Battlefield, and a few other big titles now are compatible. I do like the OSX better as an OS overall to Windows. Once Apple catches up with game support, I'll be all over it. :)
 
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