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iOS 7 - Shortcuts Concept...

FSMBP

FSMBP

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 22, 2009
2,835
3,471
Problem:
In iOS, if you have a favorite contact you text frequently, or added have a new favorite album you want to listen to a lot, you're always going to be several taps away.

For Example: You're on the Homescreen and you want to text your friend, you have to launch Messages, then find the thread with your friend.


Solution: Shortcuts Concept
Apple could allow apps to make shortcuts for actions/items. Developers would add actions/items to be made into shortcuts (Ex. Dropbox could do with a file).

So if you frequently text Lisa a lot, you can have a shortcut for that action on your Homescreen. This would be half as many steps as before.

Or, if you have a favorite playlist you always wanna have quick access to, you can have that Playlist as a shortcut too.


I know other OSes have this or variations of it, but it's missing in iOS.

Feedback?
 

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Don't like the idea of shortcuts on the home screen but if you just had to implement them I'd do it in spotlight. With the sort of banners you get in the lock screen or notification center.
 
I believe there are various apps that allow you to do that (even without jailbreaking).
 
FSMBP said:
Problem:
In iOS, if you have a favorite contact you text frequently, or added have a new favorite album you want to listen to a lot, you're always going to be several taps away.

For Example: You're on the Homescreen and you want to text your friend, you have to launch Messages, then find the thread with your friend.


Solution: Shortcuts Concept
Apple could allow apps to make shortcuts for actions/items. Developers would add actions/items to be made into shortcuts (Ex. Dropbox could do with a file).

So if you frequently text Lisa a lot, you can have a shortcut for that action on your Homescreen. This would be half as many steps as before.

Or, if you have a favorite playlist you always wanna have quick access to, you can have that Playlist as a shortcut too.


I know other OSes have this or variations of it, but it's missing in iOS.

Feedback?
Click to expand...
Spotlight solves most of this...
 
FSMBP said:
Spotlight also solves finding your Apps but that doesn't mean Homescreens should go away. Nice try though.
Click to expand...

dude.. Sorry, but nobody thinks this is a good idea. Don't get a job for apple and stop being so butthurt.
 
FSMBP said:
So if you frequently text Lisa a lot, you can have a shortcut for that action on your Homescreen. This would be half as many steps as before.
Click to expand...

What about Siri? I have accent but Siri have no problems understanding me most of the times. Press and hold home button.... "Siri, tell Lisa i won't be able to make it this evening". Job done. In fact I use Siri for texting and reminders more then anything else.

Personally i do a lots of various things on the phone so if i had to make shortcuts, in my opinion it would be a bit crowded screen.
 
I don't think it's a very useful idea. iOS makes it very very simple to locate your content through its built in apps. I think this just clutters the home screen pages even more.
 
I think this a good and useful idea. Siri is often unreliable on my network and gets dictation wrong. (don't care if Siri works for you, this is my experience)

Nice concept.
 
in theory this is a good idea...
would i specifically use it...no.

i like minimal things on my home screen so i wouldnt want shortcuts.
 
I kinda like the idea of app shortcuts... Though it does seem like it would create a lot of clutter. Maybe instead of being completely separate, a double-tap (or tap and drag gesture, or tapping on a special corner icon) on the app icon could reveal a newstand/folder style interface containing all related shortcuts.
 
It's a great idea, just not for iOS. The design of the home screen doesn't lend itself to implementing this very well.
 
FSMBP said:
Problem:
In iOS, if you have a favorite contact you text frequently, or added have a new favorite album you want to listen to a lot, you're always going to be several taps away.

For Example: You're on the Homescreen and you want to text your friend, you have to launch Messages, then find the thread with your friend.


Solution: Shortcuts Concept
Apple could allow apps to make shortcuts for actions/items. Developers would add actions/items to be made into shortcuts (Ex. Dropbox could do with a file).

So if you frequently text Lisa a lot, you can have a shortcut for that action on your Homescreen. This would be half as many steps as before.

Or, if you have a favorite playlist you always wanna have quick access to, you can have that Playlist as a shortcut too.


I know other OSes have this or variations of it, but it's missing in iOS.

Feedback?
Click to expand...

terrible idea. more icons = more clutter

no thanks
 
A shortcut icon would be MUCH faster than typing through spotlight. Especially when I am searching for a fav song or album I want to play.

Would be like how you can add a shortcut to a webpage on the home screen.
 
@OP Don't bother thinking too much about your idea and posting it on MacRumors. Seriously. There is a sort of mantra here: if Apple haven't done it before and tends to be "anti-minimalist", it's too much clutter or completely useless. No discussion needed.

I've found myself in many situations like the one that you described. The home screen and its nice group of squared icons were useful and fast enough back in 2007. Nowadays, having to tap like 5 times to listen to a favorite album, or having to tap 5 times to find a thread that you started a week ago with a friend that you want to text now, feels inefficient.

Don't get me wrong. I've been an iPhone user since the 3G model (now I have the iPhone 5). I love iOS and I think it's fairly superior to Android. However, there are a few things that should be rethought.

Meanwhile you can use Launch Center Pro. I have it residing on my dock and it make a lot of things damn fast. The problem: as it's a third party app, your other apps need to support its API. Also, not every app installed by default on iOS will work, so while you can send emails, SMS and call, you won't be able to listen to an album.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
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