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iOS 7 May Include AirDrop Wireless File Sharing Capabilities

If it took 7 iterations of a mobile phone operating system to achieve file sharing between two like devices sharing "limited file types" (of course this is apple we're talking about now) -

this is truly pathetic. Where is mobile payments (aside from the lame duck up passbook which is really lame)? Where is the ability to use your lock screen for anything else but a slide to unlock button and a clock? Where is the support for multi camera editing features such as white balance control, focus control, zoom control, self timer controls, hell, how about allowing us to use up to ISO3200 natively? Where is the ability to facetime multiple people simultaneously? Where is the feature to allow users to block certain phone calls they don't want to receive, at least give us an option to "send to voicemail' on all unwanted phone calls? How about no limits on folder items? How about being able to set any settings via voice control via SIRI? Right now it says it can't do that - which is truly pathetic. How about being able to send text/imessages via any app via a simple drop down notification system like beejive? How about some profile settings such as when I'm in a meeting, I'd like certain calls to come in, other calls to be discarded and when I'm out of a meeting, I just select a profile to return to normal, etc.

Most of these are available 3rd party apps and jailbroken apps - but seriously, all I get in iOS 6.1 is the ducking button slider (when playing music) when tilted to any side, it will "mimic" a reflection on the button surface.

There needs to be way more than this "airshare" feature - I don't even know who will be using this because you still need to have a wifi connection! Just let us send stuff via bluetooth AT LEAST.
 
ghostface147 said:
Like what? What's a new feature you can think of? Revamped notifications? No, that's not new. Widgets? No, that feature came from OS X (although it has been on the backburner recently). Live animations? That's not new...I have widgets on OS X that does that. Attaching files and a file system? No, OS X already has those.

So again......what would be brand spanking new that isn't already on either OS X or iOS and not an improvement over existing functions.
Click to expand...

Perhaps not new features, but improved quality and stability.

- Revamped Finder/HFS+

- Improved OpenGL Core support and graphics

- iWork and iLife updates

- Improved iCloud (wtf happened to "Keychain" and "Dock" syncing bet. Mac's? Removing iDisk without a better off-site storage system akin to "Dropbox"?)

- Address the WiFi issues that many fellow developers have as "Opened" since 10.7 and improve wireless protocols

- OS X Server since Lion has removed necessary tools in a [failed] attempt at bridging consumer and business markets

- FaceTime, Apple paid the fines/fees, why not seal the deal and work on cross platform utilization as initially promised?

- I would have loved for Apple to have released "Answering Machine" in iChat/Messages that appeared in Leopard beta's but not the GM. Would have been a great feature for people to receive an audio or video "away" message and to record one in return, especially for the deaf.

- iTunes - Too much going on. Movies, television, iTunes U, Books, Apps, Photo's, ringtones, perhaps iRadio soon - it's a lot to throw into one app that handles iOS based devices and wireless media serving for networked devices. NAS system support and codec support such as DTS, AVI, etc. would be welcomed. Wireless syncing seems half-baked, and could benefit from WD/AirDrop.

Many half explored idea's over the years have been left behind for various reasons, and too many stability issues that seem to take a back seat to social networking integration. I don't care about Facebook and Twitter integration, get me an OS that runs well, doesn't beach ball on my four current gen Mac's, and finally get current gen hardware to match those current gen price points (I'm looking at you, Mac Pro).
 
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Deeper social network intergration doesn't count as progress or innovation.
 
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blackhand1001 said:
They already have this functionality. Its called s-beam (android beam) Its also much better implemented and uses wifi direct so it doesn't require devices to be on the same wireless network like this will. Using NFC for the pairing makes the setup of the connection extremely simple.
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Good job posting without reading the original post.
 
siurpeeman said:
you know, this is one of those things where i wish apple wouldn't try to be the maker and doer of everything; i just wish they'd partner with dropbox like everyone else.
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OR.. They could make iOS a little bit more advanced and allow Dropbox and a bunch of other services to integrate themselves into iOS… Yes, I'm a dreamer. :/
 
Perhaps this implies that Apple is going to change how files are managed in iOS? To send a file, one would need the installed app in iOS to keep it, and in cases where multiple apps can handle a single file type, e.g. pdf's.
 
This will be the longest and most exciting week of my life. I hope Apple doesn't disappoint us. :apple:
 
"Between different users"? I suggest they start with improving file exchange for the 'same user" between devices.
 
bedifferent said:
Perhaps not new features, but improved quality and stability.

- iTunes - Too much going on. Movies, television, iTunes U, Books, Apps, Photo's, ringtones, perhaps iRadio soon - it's a lot to throw into one app that handles iOS based devices and wireless media serving for networked devices. NAS system support and codec support such as DTS, AVI, etc. would be welcomed. Wireless syncing seems half-baked, and could benefit from WD/AirDrop.
Click to expand...

I still don't understand some people's problem with iTunes. My only complain is the lack of multiple windows, but I rarely find myself needing that.

If you want to manage your music, go to the Music section. Movies? Go to the Movies section. Want to sync a song into your iPod? Drag the song into the device. It's a rather simple application.
 
saberahul said:
In other words, it creates an ad(hoc) network between the 2 devices.
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No, but the effect is similar.

One big difference between AirDrop and an Ad-Hoc network is that you can keep connected to the WiFi network you're on while it communicates over this second AirDrop channel.

There are other differences, too:

MacWorld said:
Ad hoc Wi-Fi’s flaws An ad hoc connection would seem to do what Wi-Fi Direct promises. But this kind of connection has a host of flaws, starting with poor security options, low speed, and incompatibility. Ad hoc mode has never been standardized or put through a testing and certification program like infrastructure mode has. This can make it difficult or impossible to use the mode between computers running different operating systems or even different wireless networking hardware.

In ad hoc mode, computers broadcast the same network name with a flag that indicates it’s a computer-to-computer network. With no central coordinating hub, each computer has to listen for broadcasts. That means file transfers and communication tend to crawl along at a fraction of the possible speed.
Click to expand...

from Macworld

Actually, this is a great example of why all of those Android OEMs are wrong to be so desperate to compete on specs. As others have rightly noted, many Android phones have had WiFi direct capability in the hardware for a while. That said, do you know any Android phones that use it to broadcast and discover services? Nope; they just use it as a data channel for services 'discovered' via NFC. I mean, who really thinks tapping your phones together is a practical way to exchange data, against something like AirDrop?

It's not about the specs; it's how you use them :cool:
 
ArcaneDevice said:
I have never used this once.

If I need to share a file I just throw it into a Dropbox folder that's already being shared by people I know. Proximity and platform is then irrelevant.
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Precisely!

Apples proprietary method is limited from the start. But then again it does give them something to chatter about.

As time goes by platforms mean less & less, a frightening thought for Apple. They need to learn how to do cloud services properly. In lieu of that, one day they'll wish they did.
 
Damn i wish that they would add also sharing atleast photos via bluetooth with other devices :/
 
saberahul said:
This will be helpful but Apple still needs to implement a built in file system.
Click to expand...

Absolutely correct, my friend. This "hide the file system" mentality has got to go. While I wouldn't support giving the user access to the root directory on up, as on OS X, a simple "Documents" directory would be welcomed. I know that Apple can find a way to give power users the feature without confusing Mom and Dads.
 
blackhand1001 said:
They already have this functionality. Its called s-beam (android beam) Its also much better implemented and uses wifi direct so it doesn't require devices to be on the same wireless network like this will. Using NFC for the pairing makes the setup of the connection extremely simple.
Click to expand...

What a facile post. I then read your signature, and struggled not to vomit.
 
that1guyy said:
What's with features leaping from OSX to IOS and vice versa and being touted as "new" when they release? Need NEW features.
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Nah man, it shouldn't be a feature race, they should make it better. If Airdrop makes iOS better, they should totally promote that as a feature.
 
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