Interesting Article

[ksuyen]

Has anyone read this? http://www.macstories.net/stories/ios-9-our-complete-overview/

It's worth to set aside a little coffee time to read that. The review (or rather first impression and overview) is pretty details but not too much. What I found fascinating mainly about the Siri 2.0, but other stuffs like new improvements over existing apps are also pretty cool.

 

[Noble Actual]

Good stuff. I forgot how awesome iOS 9 is due to a rather long and cluttered WWDC (it was like sandwiched between OS X, watchOS, and Apple Music).

Now looking, back its easily my favorite particularly for the iPad. Apple finally cares about the iPad again by giving it exclusive features that make sense on its larger screen.

 

[nj-morris]

Good stuff. I forgot how awesome iOS 9 is due to a rather long and cluttered WWDC (it was like sandwiched between OS X, watchOS, and Apple Music).

Now looking, back its easily my favorite particularly for the iPad. Apple finally cares about the iPad again by giving it exclusive features that make sense on its larger screen.

Same here. It wasn't nearly as sandwiched as OS X El Cap though.

 

[Abazigal]

Good stuff. I forgot how awesome iOS 9 is due to a rather long and cluttered WWDC (it was like sandwiched between OS X, watchOS, and Apple Music).

Now looking, back its easily my favorite particularly for the iPad. Apple finally cares about the iPad again by giving it exclusive features that make sense on its larger screen.

iOS 9 was actually quite cool, now that I went back to rewatch the keynote. I stayed up to watch the keynote (it was 1 am in my timezone). The problem was that right after proactive was Apple Pay (which I wasn't interested in since it is still not available in my country, and I didn't realise that it was technically part of the iOS portion of the speech), and I was thinking "That's it for iOS?" and switched off for a while.

 

[Noble Actual]

Same here. It wasn't nearly as sandwiched as OS X El Cap though.

Sorry, I meant the iOS section was like between all those other sections, making stuff hard to remember.

 

[nj-morris]

Sorry, I meant the iOS section was like between all those other sections, making stuff hard to remember.

Understood. But iOS was really the only thing I cared about, so it was a bit different for me. Still, after reading this article, iOS 9 seems, if possible, even more awesome.

 

[uhaas]

Remember a document you worked on a while ago and need to find it again? If the app supports iOS 9 Search, you can look for it from the universal Search page.​

Now imagine Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc. supporting this and you're indexing your data in the cloud too.

 

[Arran]

Has anyone read this? http://www.macstories.net/stories/ios-9-our-complete-overview/

It's worth to set aside a little coffee time to read that. The review (or rather first impression and overview) is pretty details but not too much. What I found fascinating mainly about the Siri 2.0, but other stuffs like new improvements over existing apps are also pretty cool.

Good article. Been looking for one with depth and breadth.

Thanks!

 

[ksuyen]

What I like about iOS in general (9 in particular), is that they retain that minimalist look with fine lines and text, yet all the heavy lifting (including any update like Siri or Note) is done at the coding level (local or server-wise). Which means, the coder can implement anything complex, and yet easily retain that elegance on the surface without compromising the similarity and simplicity from the user point of view (and let's be honest, user does not normally care "how" it's done at the background but developers like us).

 

[Shirasaki]

What I like about iOS in general (9 in particular), is that they retain that minimalist look with fine lines and text, yet all the heavy lifting (including any update like Siri or Note) is done at the coding level (local or server-wise). Which means, the coder can implement anything complex, and yet easily retain that elegance on the surface without compromising the similarity and simplicity from the user point of view (and let's be honest, user does not normally care "how" it's done at the background but developers like us).

I agree with your "users don't care what was happening in the background" statement, although I find myself hard to understand what you are saying about the relationship between app coding and app using.

I like using iOS (but not Mac OS X unfortunately) because it is so simple, and easy to launch every app in just one tap. I also hope Apple can put some handy information right on home screen, but adding too many information on home screen could distract your attention to the app you want to use. Human can remember a still picture easier if they look at it a few more times, while slideshow style information glance may require more effort on realising "This is what I want to find". (OK, this is just my guess)

I don't like android because it can be customised really complex. And I don't want to put a secondary computer-like device into my purse or pocket. Phone can be designed with intelligence, but phone should always be a phone, and deliver most basic functions all the time. Heavy lifting should be handed to computer to finish.

 

[ksuyen]

I agree with your "users don't care what was happening in the background" statement, although I find myself hard to understand what you are saying about the relationship between app coding and app using.

This site is my first guideline for designing App. Obviously it's over simplified but it takes you to the point. You can add more intelligent to the Apps, make it smarter, and doing more stuffs, but do not changes the way people using your Apps, or at least too much. User should be able to use the Apps just like they do from the beginning (nothing changes from their perspective), and yet behind (or under) that, the coding has gone through a big overhaul from previous version, with more complexity adding in.

In iOS case, imagine a big heavy machines the size of a big city doing all the hard work, but what user see and interact is a beautiful and elegance little interface (without even a slight hint there is a big giant machines at the back of it).

 

[Shirasaki]

This site is my first guideline for designing App. Obviously it's over simplified but it takes you to the point. You can add more intelligent to the Apps, make it smarter, and doing more stuffs, but do not changes the way people using your Apps, or at least too much. User should be able to use the Apps just like they do from the beginning (nothing changes from their perspective), and yet behind (or under) that, the coding has gone through a big overhaul from previous version, with more complexity adding in.

In iOS case, imagine a big heavy machines the size of a big city doing all the hard work, but what user see and interact is a beautiful and elegance little interface (without even a slight hint there is a big giant machines at the back of it).

First, thank you for your article.

Well, this reminds me something I saw before.

"Treat users as a fool, and teach them to do everything you want them to do from the very beginning. Give them as many hints as possible, although don't bomb users with hints."

Everyone wants to do simple straightforward tasks, rather than complex and difficult tasks all the time. I was often been told to "think what others would feel by putting yourself on their stances". This is also good for designing, well, many things, not only a mobile app.

Plus, respect user habit. I truly believe keeping a habit, whether good or bad, is an extremely dangerous thing. However, I think so, doesn't mean others would think the same. That article gives me this thought. Why Windows 8 fail? I guess, mainly because Windows 8 does not respect user habits. It forces users to take one more step to the desktop, and they force users to use large start screen, rather than old, yet solid, well-known start menu. I think, Mac OS X, from the very beginning, doesn't change much.

 

[ksuyen]

Why Windows 8 fail? I guess, mainly because Windows 8 does not respect user habits. It forces users to take one more step to the desktop, and they force users to use large start screen, rather than old, yet solid, well-known start menu. I think, Mac OS X, from the very beginning, doesn't change much.

You are welcome. That Windows 8 is a perfect example of the antithesis of good User Experience. When one changes the user experience of an app, be prepare to take risk:
1. expect users to "hate" it at first but slowly getting use to it. This is the norm. It happens too for iOS (for example, from 6 to 7) and MacOS X. But how long? It takes just a few years from MacOS 9 to MacOS X, but that is because MacOS X emphasized on "better" (minimalist) user experience from the beginning. I can't say the same about Windows 8 from Windows 7: clutter, information overload, adding more steps to do the same thing, etc. It's smarter to offer a user a "cleaner" look and let user to decide (give them options) to use the Metro look, instead of vice versa.
2. expect users to "hate" it at first and ignore it for the rest of its life.
3. expect users to "force" to like it at first then slowly getting use to it. This last one is rare, mainly occurs among the die hard fans.

Both the new iOS (9) and MacOS X (11) are set to improve the current system without changing much of the user experience. iOS still have grid icons and the same clock face, MacOS still have the same dock and window elements. However, there are plenty of improvements if one just took a look, it's there on every layers, and I said before, the coding underneath. Faster, smoother, easier, smarter - that's the emphasizes. Not totally throw user out of the loop.

 

[Shirasaki]

You are welcome. That Windows 8 is a perfect example of the antithesis of good User Experience. When one changes the user experience of an app, be prepare to take risk:
1. expect users to "hate" it at first but slowly getting use to it. This is the norm. It happens too for iOS (for example, from 6 to 7) and MacOS X. But how long? It takes just a few years from MacOS 9 to MacOS X, but that is because MacOS X emphasized on "better" (minimalist) user experience from the beginning. I can't say the same about Windows 8 from Windows 7: clutter, information overload, adding more steps to do the same thing, etc. It's smarter to offer a user a "cleaner" look and let user to decide (give them options) to use the Metro look, instead of vice versa.
2. expect users to "hate" it at first and ignore it for the rest of its life.
3. expect users to "force" to like it at first then slowly getting use to it. This last one is rare, mainly occurs among the die hard fans.

Both the new iOS (9) and MacOS X (11) are set to improve the current system without changing much of the user experience. iOS still have grid icons and the same clock face, MacOS still have the same dock and window elements. However, there are plenty of improvements if one just took a look, it's there on every layers, and I said before, the coding underneath. Faster, smoother, easier, smarter - that's the emphasizes. Not totally throw user out of the loop.

In fact, if we put it in a more general basis, this could be concluded as this: when building something likely to use very long time, the first step is always the most important step. Microsoft designed a start menu, and used it as a standard and solid portal. This lasted until windows 7. I may agree that windows 7 is the most successful desktop operating system, however I can absolutely say windows 8 is a failure of ignoring user requirements. I admit, if a user start using Windows 8 as a start of using Windows, this might be better. All elements are much larger than traditional start menu, and this let item searching through eyes becomes much easier. However for us, this is just a nightmare.

I like using iOS (not mac OS X yet), because it retains the original layout, operation basics, and maybe the beauty. IOS 7 refreshed the interface, but each icon still retains its utility, such as clock, phone and message.

Changing of mind is a simple matter in a blink of an eye. Changing habits is not so easy, as we all know.

So here it is. Windows 10 brings back start menu, and refine it with elements from Windows 8. We cannot conclude whether it is a good design or not. I can only say, Microsoft Windows now becomes more familiar than before.