iOS 14 Could Offer Home Screen Widgets, Wallpaper Customizations

[M3gatron]

please elighten me on how you use android to it’s full potenial. Because I’m as big a power user as you can do using tech so i would love to know what else you actually think is useful on android. Most phones do the same things and what you can do on android is not much difference what you can do on the iPhone.

You really aren't much of a power user if all you can see being useful on android(and you said at the same time its not useful so you contradicted yourself) is split screen and pip.
As you talked about the S10 how about the Secure Folder feature? The Dual Messenger function? Swipe down from anywhere on the home screen to open the notification shade? Double-click the power button to open the camera?Customizable Always On Display? Show the battery percentage without needing to open the control center? AI App Prediction? Change default apps? System apps updated independently from OS updates etc.
Before you say none of the are useful to you remember that you generalized that split screen and picture in picture are missing and not much else.

Think you will find it’s one of the few android features that aren’t just a gimmick.

Thank you for your opinion.

i fail to see how you came to that opinion, just because i mentioned the S10 plus doesn’t mean it’s any different with any other android phone. It’s no different than anything else out there.

Well in terms of software behavior(well also hardware) at system level it is different in a lot of ways in comparison to other Android phones so mentioning the S10 clearly weakens your generalization.
You still haven't explained why exactly widgets slow down android phones.

OHHH so it’s my fault that android can’t send notifications on time? Yeah sure....I tried plenty of different ways to get notifications to appear as they should...it’s a known issue called android doze. It happens to many people and it’s just a massive flaw In the android system. Nothing one person can do to stop it....if you get a lot of notifications then android isn’t a good option unless you want to be spammed each time you wake your phone up.

I'm starting be more convinced that you really didn't know how to use the S10.
Doze mode was introduce with Android 6 by the way, so a supposed massive system flaw that people didn't know about for 5 years.
Notification "appear as they should" on all the android phones I used and setup in the last 5 years.

Lets also not forget after 50 notifications from one app they stop coming through all together.

Of course they do.
[automerge]1586118290[/automerge]

because android phones do slow down over time...any android past 2 years of usage will not be as smooth as it is out the box.

The S20 included? Again, why exactly? Why did the S10 get smoother after the update to Android 10?

 

[mi7chy]

Respected was the keywork, independent was also another keyword. That falls into the category of Anandtech, the Verge and not anecdotal.

Established poster on MR is more independent and respectable than paid pumpers Anandtech and The Verge. Plus, Anandtech is/was an employee of Apple.

 

[M3gatron]

For the first three months, and then it lags and falls apart like all android phones.

That's just your wish, nothing more.
The S10 is smoother now than when it was first launched. Also why 3 months? why not 2 months or 4 months or 6 months(this one is an internet favorite)?

 

[I7guy]

Established poster on MR is more independent and respectable than paid pumpers Anandtech and The Verge. Plus, Anandtech is/was an employee of Apple.

You're going with anecdotal (with some hyperbole) then?

 

[M3gatron]

Got ya. You can just make a folder called apps, put all your apps in it, and put it in the dock on iOS. Essentially the same thing.

That's an ugly patched-up job. Also apps in the apps drawer are automatically arranged in alphabetical order, are searchable within the app drawer, you get a row of apps at the top that the system predicts you will use. And these are just a few things, there are even more options depending of the Launcher that is used. On the Poco Launcher if you swipe 2 times from the left you get a secret password protected folder that hides/protects selected apps.

 

[terrence1019]

That's clearly not it. iPads with less RAM than iPhones have split screen and PiP. It's the lack of screen space.

Good point. I overlooked form factor.

However, I do wonder if that is the real reason. I once had the 4.95 inch Nexus 5 as a secondary device, and PiP and Split Screen worked with no major issue in terms of screen space. Perhaps it is possible that they wait until the notch is shrunken or completely gone. Nevertheless, the Max models should be able to manage PiP and Split Screeen without issue.

Beyond that, it could be that they don't want excess cannibalization of the iPad mini.

 

[I7guy]

You really aren't much of a power user if all you can see being useful on android(and you said at the same time it not useful so you contradicted yourself) is split screen and pip.
As you talked about the S10 how about the Secure Folder feature? The Dual Messenger function? Swipe down from anywhere on the home screen to open the notification shade? Double-click the power button to open the camera?Customizable Always On Display? Show the battery percentage without needing to open the control center? AI App Prediction? Change default apps? System app updated independent from OS updates etc.
Before you say none of the are useful to you remember that you generalized that split screen and picture in picture are missing and not much else.
..

While we will all see where ios 14 stands shortly, the above is just your list of random things and ios does some things differently and/or some to me seems like an edge case. Battery percentage, do you check it 100s' of times a day as to really make a difference? I just look at the bar and know when it's time to recharge.

At any rate, it's too bad this thread has gone, where a lot of other threads before this one went. With nobody's opinion really a force for change.

 

[maj71303]

Got ya. You can just make a folder called apps, put all your apps in it, and put it in the dock on iOS. Essentially the same thing.

Nope not at all the same. But good try though on making a folder and putting it into the iOS app dock. Which is still on the home screen.

 

[M3gatron]

While we will all see where ios 14 stands shortly, the above is just your list of random things and ios does some things differently and/or some to me seems like an edge case. Battery percentage, do you check it 100s' of times a day as to really make a difference? I just look at the bar and know when it's time to recharge.

Yeah it's nice and super helpful to exactly know how much battery I have at a glace without needing to do anything.

 

[TeamMojo]

Sigh. And your point? The more Apple gives us “features Android had since forever,” the less reason to own an Android device. At this point, Android users are running out of reasons to not own an iPhone. Every year that list gets smaller & smaller.

With A series custom Apple silicon, CPU/GPU is already light years ahead of anything Android. And of course security and authentication. Once Apple finishes their custom radio silicon, it will be game over for Android. Completely inferior in every way. Already just based on battery life alone, why would you want to own Android? I know several long term Android holdouts who have recently gone to Apple. They just got sick of dealing with all the Android sh-t.

 

[terrence1019]

What does an effective and efficient "Apple" way mean in comparison to Android's implementations of those features. What could Apple do better? I'm curious.

Apple always implement their offerings in a way that they see best from their perspective. It's why they're known to be late to the party but always have unique approach focusing on ease-of-use, security, etc. Some like it, some don't.

An example: the Files app. Federighi said they wrote a whole new USB stack from the ground up to implement its features such as inter-app communication.

 

[chucker23n1]

Good point. I overlooked form factor.

However, I do wonder if that is the real reason. I once had the 4.95 inch Nexus 5 as a secondary device, and PiP and Split Screen worked with no major issue in terms of screen space. Perhaps it is possible that they wait until the notch is shrunken or completely gone. Nevertheless, the Max models should be able to manage PiP and Split Screeen without issue.

Beyond that, it could be that they don't want excess cannibalization of the iPad mini.

The iPad mini is still a fair amount bigger, mind you.

I really think Apple just doesn’t agree it makes for a good UX to have those features on a small screen.
[automerge]1586120512[/automerge]

Established poster on MR is more independent and respectable than paid pumpers Anandtech and The Verge.

"Paid pumpers". OK, sure.

Plus, Anandtech is/was an employee of Apple.

So we've gone from "Anandtech said the S20 has the best experience of any smartphone" (no they didn't) to "Anandtech works for Apple" (no they don't). The founder, Anand Lal Shimpi, now works for Apple. He no longer has anything to do with the content at Anandtech.

 

[terrence1019]

The iPad mini is still a fair amount bigger, mind you.

View attachment 903863

I really think Apple just doesn’t agree it makes for a good UX to have those features on a small screen.

Yeah definitely the iPad mini has more screen real estate. I was looking at it from my point of view in terms of pocketability.

I would love the pocketability of Max iPhones with at least PiP than having to resort to an iPad mini.

Split Screen is debatable, but PiP would be a great addition. Think I saw a few jailbreaks on YouTube that have pulled it off.

 

[chucker23n1]

Yeah definitely the iPad mini has more screen real estate. I was looking at it from my point of view in terms of pocketability.

I would love the pocketability of Max iPhones with at least PiP than having to resort to an iPad mini.

Split Screen is debatable, but PiP would be a great addition. Think I saw a few jailbreaks on YouTube that have pulled it off.

Yeah, I can see that.

(The cynical take is Apple would really love to sell you an iPad in addition to an iPhone. But I don't think that's it. Maybe it's just that they last decided against PiP when iPhones only went to 4 inches, and now they go to 6.5.)

 

[terrence1019]

Yeah, I can see that.

(The cynical take is Apple would really love to sell you an iPad in addition to an iPhone. But I don't think that's it. Maybe it's just that they last decided against PiP when iPhones only went to 4 inches, and now they go to 6.5.)

Agreed.

I believe they will bring it when they have a paradigm shift (i.e., when the time is right).

I remember Tim Cook saying Steve Jobs was initially against the mini, and that iPad mini was his push. Now the iPad mini is one of its bestsellers.

Now there's full mouse support for iPads, and other aspects from desktops crossing over to the iPad.

Perhaps as the iPad inherits more from the desktop, the iPhone will inherit more from the iPad? Time will tell.

 

[I7guy]

Yeah it's nice and super helpful to exactly know how much battery I have at a glace without needing to do anything.

Yes, but it has nothing to do with power user or not. It's meaningless to me, to look at battery usage more than once every few hours. I know I get about 8-10 on the phone prior to recharge. To each their own.

 

[Soi Dog]

How many more years to be able to personalize and declutter the home screen to show only most often used apps and be able to place them towards the bottom edge where they're more accessible? Hate wading through a wall of apps everytime.

Also, stop dumbing it down. Background multitasking time limit used to be 7 minutes with iOS <=6, down to 3 minutes for iOS 7 thru 12 and now 30 seconds for iOS 13.

And, allow changing default apps, unbundle Safari from OS updates and allow it to be updatable through app store, stop restricting apps like emulators, Kodi, torrent clients, etc. I own the devices, I'm not leasing them.

Many years ago, when I jail braked. I used a scrolling dock for apps as you have on MacOS. Never understood why it never came as an upgrade to the now static 4 icon dock. on iPad we got a large static dock with iOS 13. time to have a dynamic one on phone now.

 

[Bandaman]

All I care about is setting default apps. If that was the only feature of iOS 14 I'd be golden.

 

[M3gatron]

Yes, but it has nothing to do with power user or not. It's meaningless to me, to look at battery usage more than once every few hours. I know I get about 8-10 on the phone prior to recharge. To each their own.

It doesn't have to be meaningful to you in particular. And it's just a software feature, the subject of this thread.
It's one of the first things I try to turn on(in case it's not on by default) on any phone I use or set-up. It's a feature that in the past Google removed from the home screen but was forced to bring it back(and improve it) so it is meaningful to a lot of people.

 

[DeepIn2U]

How many more years to be able to personalize and declutter the home screen to show only most often used apps and be able to place them towards the bottom edge where they're more accessible? Hate wading through a wall of apps everytime.

Also, stop dumbing it down. Background multitasking time limit used to be 7 minutes with iOS <=6, down to 3 minutes for iOS 7 thru 12 and now 30 seconds for iOS 13.

And, allow changing default apps, unbundle Safari from OS updates and allow it to be updatable through app store, stop restricting apps like emulators, Kodi, torrent clients, etc. I own the devices, I'm not leasing them.

I’m curious, where are you finding these background multitasking time limitations within iOS?!

 

[I7guy]

It doesn't have to be meaningful to you in particular. And it's just a software feature, the subject of this thread.
It's one of the first things I try to turn on(in case it's not on by default) on any phone I use or set-up. It's a feature that in the past Google removed but was forced to bring it back(and improve it) so it is meaningful to a lot of people.

We're discussing opinions about various features (and even some that relate to ios 14). Looking at the actual percentage more than once every few hours is meaningless to me. I'm glad it's meaningful to you. It's not the high bar of any type of better android functionality over IOS. It's not even the low bar.

 

[DNichter]

That's an ugly patched-up job. Also apps in the apps drawer are automatically arranged in alphabetical order, are searchable within the app drawer, you get a row of apps at the top that the system predicts you will use. And these are just a few things, there are even more options depending of the Launcher that is used. On the Poco Launcher if you swipe 2 times from the left you get a secret password protected folder that hides/protects selected apps.

I don’t find it ugly. It’s a folder that holds all your apps. I do different types of apps each page and I search via spotlight. Works fine, an app drawer definitely isn’t needed.

 

[I7guy]

I’m curious, where are you finding these background multitasking time limitations within iOS?!

I'm going to take an educated guess, the vast majority of IOS don't care to act like sysadmins on their IOS devices. This is an edge case that by virtue of the internet, seems like it's a generic use case. This means it can be done, but differently than android.

 

[cgsnipinva]

Got ya. You can just make a folder called apps, put all your apps in it, and put it in the dock on iOS. Essentially the same thing.

I do that now. You are correct.

 

[DNichter]

Nope not at all the same. But good try though on making a folder and putting it into the iOS app dock. Which is still on the home screen.

I don’t see the difference, but okay. It’s a folder with all my apps.