iOS6 is probably the most underwhelming release of iOS to date

[nuckinfutz]

I found it disappointing in that I would have liked to see a major overhaul of it's look. iOS 6 looks just like an upscaled version of it's original incarnation with custom backgrounds. Countless useful features have been added, but as for aesthetic- something Apple prides itself in- it's become a bit stale.

Also, I was severely disappointed by a lack of an improved notification center. I shouldn't have to jailbreak my phone to quickly access Wi-Fi, 3G, and Bluetooth settings in the drop-down notification center. I'll stick with jailbroken iOS 5 and skip the beta

Why should they change. 5 years ago a bunch of people were squawking about the iPhone not having a physical keyboard.

Then Android came and said

"We're open! You can get so many different form factors! Physical Keyboards, mood rings you name it!"

Today every Android premium phone looks like the iPhone from 5 years ago albeit larger.

So who's really playing catchup here. Apple was already there 5 years ago.

 

[misterquin]

So who's really playing catchup here. Apple was already there 5 years ago.

It's not about playing "catch-up". It's about continuing to improve even when your product is great. Apple doesn't improve things because they have to compete, they do it to stay ahead- to remain the best. iOS is beginning to look boring.

And don't get me wrong, I don't mean an entire overhaul, just some sort of visual improvement. I've been using iOS since day one and it's hardly changed it's look. I don't see how anyone could disagree with this. Of course it's the best, but that doesn't mean it can't still be improved.

 

[Parise]

It's not about playing "catch-up". It's about continuing to improve even when your product is great. Apple doesn't improve things because they have to compete, they do it to stay ahead- to remain the best. iOS is beginning to look boring.

And don't get me wrong, I don't mean an entire overhaul, just some sort of visual improvement. I've been using iOS since day one and it's hardly changed it's look. I don't see how anyone could disagree with this. Of course it's the best, but that doesn't mean it can't still be improved.

Tread lightly... I got ripped apart and called a "troll" for insinuating that iOS is becoming stale....

 

[nuckinfutz]

Tread lightly... I got ripped apart and called a "troll" for insinuating that iOS is becoming stale....

Different philosophy.

Apple has never really made their OS and "in your face" type of OS. They are stately and reserved as a company. Other than some bright translucent colors and pin-striping in the OS (Mac) Apple has been downright conservative.

There's a group of people that want their OS to be a bit more out there and that's fine but stale to some is comfort to others.

I'd prefer the OS stay out of my way and simply do its job...enable me to run applications that get better and better.

 

[Parise]

Different philosophy.

Apple has never really made their OS and "in your face" type of OS. They are stately and reserved as a company. Other than some bright translucent colors and pin-striping in the OS (Mac) Apple has been downright conservative.

There's a group of people that want their OS to be a bit more out there and that's fine but stale to some is comfort to others.

I'd prefer the OS stay out of my way and simply do its job...enable me to run applications that get better and better.

"Comfort to others" is the same road RIM went down.

Didnt work out too well for them.

 

[pdjudd]

"Comfort to others" is the same road RIM went down.

Didnt work out too well for them.

RIM's main problem was refusing to innovate on their features and adopt features that other phone companies preferring to let their server technologies speak for themselves.

 

[nuckinfutz]

"Comfort to others" is the same road RIM went down.

Didnt work out too well for them.

There's no similarities.

RIMs business was based on expensive Blackberry Enterprise Servers that Exchange Admins almost universally loathed.

Blackberry hit bit with push email and then pretty much failed to find another hit.

RIM doesn't have a high volume OS and 22 billion in Mac sales annually. Not much of a comparison at all really.

 

[WordMasterRice]

Different philosophy.

Apple has never really made their OS and "in your face" type of OS. They are stately and reserved as a company. Other than some bright translucent colors and pin-striping in the OS (Mac) Apple has been downright conservative.

There's a group of people that want their OS to be a bit more out there and that's fine but stale to some is comfort to others.

I'd prefer the OS stay out of my way and simply do its job...enable me to run applications that get better and better.

Why does a redesign mean that your expectations wouldn't be met in an even better way than it is right now. I think that if Apple did a redesign, even if it wasn't a complete overhaul, that they could make iOS even more out of the way, and still look more elegant than ever.

I understand that it is currently the best way to simply navigate a smartphone, but there seems to be this notion that if apple did a redesign it would automatically be worse. I think they could take a great design and raise it to a new level.

 

[Parise]

There's no similarities.

RIMs business was based on expensive Blackberry Enterprise Servers that Exchange Admins almost universally loathed.

Blackberry hit bit with push email and then pretty much failed to find another hit.

RIM doesn't have a high volume OS and 22 billion in Mac sales annually. Not much of a comparison at all really.

There actually is a similarity. They refused to change, just like Apple is doing. iOS 1 looks QUITE similar to iOS 6. It's been 6 years, come on.

That approach doesnt work forever.

 

[nuckinfutz]

There actually is a similarity. They refused to change, just like Apple is doing. iOS 1 looks QUITE similar to iOS 6. It's been 6 years, come on.

That approach doesnt work forever.

But it's working now. I can hand my phone to anyone who has owned an iPod Touch or any version of iPhone and they know exactly how to get around.

We Geeks do not run the world. We are the crazy ones that obsess about small things but to the rank and file consumer they just want something that doesn't require a whole lot of brainpower to run.

If someone can show me a more simple method for addressing this large group of people then i'm all ears.

 

[ac4155]

I don't believe Apple are going down the same route as RIM. But I wish they would implement the slight UI changes across the board and unify them.

Some apps have a new black UI, whilst others silver and then some have stuck with the default original blue. I think they need to spend some time unifying the OS again and implementing new changes across the board. iOS needs a head of design with a similar mind set and design eye as Ive.

 

[nuckinfutz]

so that mean don't implement ish that has been on other os's forever...and than call it ground breaking when they finally catch up...

It doesn't matter if you have a feature if you cannot easily convey said feature to consumers so that they actually use it.

Apple's focus isn't about making waves with the UI. They are data centric and data resides in apps not the OS. The OS is tasked with routing the data around and this and access to data is where Apple is going to go. Not widgets or adding more "switches and nobs" to the system.

Its why Siri appealed to them it's why iCloud isn't a Dropbox clone. Both technologies attempt to remove layers of complexity rather than add to them.

 

[sixteen12]

There actually is a similarity. They refused to change, just like Apple is doing. iOS 1 looks QUITE similar to iOS 6. It's been 6 years, come on.

That approach doesnt work forever.

Yeah and BB4 doesn't look anything like BB7...didn't increase their numbers.

Mac OSX has changed a bit but not much, you're not going to see major UI overhauls, just refinement.

 

[TacticalDesire]

I was shocked when I saw the 3gs was getting iOS6. It has now gotten 4 OS's.

iOS3, 4, 5, and now 6. People who bought the 3gs are really getting their money's worth.

 

[WordMasterRice]

I was shocked when I saw the 3gs was getting iOS6. It has now gotten 4 OS's.

iOS3, 4, 5, and now 6. People who bought the 3gs are really getting their money's worth.

I think it would be difficult to argue against that since they are STILL selling the 3GS.

 

[irDigital0l]

I was shocked when I saw the 3gs was getting iOS6. It has now gotten 4 OS's.

iOS3, 4, 5, and now 6. People who bought the 3gs are really getting their money's worth.

And then you realize that the 3GS wont get turn-by-turn, flyover, enhanced mail, siri, shared photo streams, etc.

 

[Parise]

Yeah and BB4 doesn't look anything like BB7...didn't increase their numbers.

Mac OSX has changed a bit but not much, you're not going to see major UI overhauls, just refinement.

BB4 and BB7 look almost exactly alike minus more professional looking icons.

 

[PhoneI]

"Comfort to others" is the same road RIM went down.

Didnt work out too well for them.

Or maybe because they went years supporting tiny screen devices with an almost unusable web browser. When they finally came around to creating a touchscreen they delivered the abomination that was SurePress.

 

[mnemonix]

I feel like Apple has lost their industry leading ways and has instead become a company that is playing catch up. These other cell phone companies are giving us huge upgrades every single year while Apple is giving their customers the bare minimum every year.

I think most of us here who are so vocal against Apple are also wishing for the company to come back to it's roots and lead the industry again with their innovation.

You clearly don't know Apple very well or maybe for very long, and neither does the OP claiming that in fact Android is now the place for nerds like him...

The criticism of Apple has ALWAYS been that the mainstream's offerings are cheaper, better specified, more up to date and even 'tweakable' if you like. PC fans have been banging on like this for the last 20 years, berating Apples products and their user base.

The fact is Apple stuff has ALWAYS been superficially at least lower spec'd, less easy to do exactly what *you* want rather than what Apple wants you to do and more expensive. BUT, those who like it, like it, they like the beautiful design, the ergonomics, the sense that the whole system of hardware and software together *just works* and does the job its supposed to do elegantly and with the minimum fuss. No, there are no .bat files and endless config choices, nor can you easily dismantle and swap stuff out, but really... almost no one ever has a real need to do any of that stuff, whatever platform they use, and especially not on Apples platforms.

15 years ago, 10 even, the majority in the mainstream were complaining like most of you are now and laughing at little Apple with its tiny share of the computer market. But who's laughing now? Apple stuck to their guns, their approach to designing hardware, software, complete systems and now they *own* the smartphone and tablet market in as much as any one company could be said to own it. And you think anyone gives a **** what a bunch of whiny nerds are saying now? Please. Apple hasn't changed or lost their way, they continue to do exactly what they've been doing all along, mostly very well.

And apart from all that... it's a mobile... phone... operating... system. Anyone feeling a deep sense of disappointment, boredom or expecting a sense of excitement after a typically incremental upgrade of such a thing seriously needs to get a life.

 

[TacticalDesire]

I think it would be difficult to argue against that since they are STILL selling the 3GS.

I meant those who bought the 3gs when it first came out

 

[Calidude]

I meant those who bought the 3gs when it first came out

You saucy minx!

 

[swy05]

You clearly don't know Apple very well or maybe for very long, and neither does the OP claiming that in fact Android is now the place for nerds like him...

The criticism of Apple has ALWAYS been that the mainstream's offerings are cheaper, better specified, more up to date and even 'tweakable' if you like. PC fans have been banging on like this for the last 20 years, berating Apples products and their user base.

The fact is Apple stuff has ALWAYS been superficially at least lower spec'd, less easy to do exactly what *you* want rather than what Apple wants you to do and more expensive. BUT, those who like it, like it, they like the beautiful design, the ergonomics, the sense that the whole system of hardware and software together *just works* and does the job its supposed to do elegantly and with the minimum fuss. No, there are no .bat files and endless config choices, nor can you easily dismantle and swap stuff out, but really... almost no one ever has a real need to do any of that stuff, whatever platform they use, and especially not on Apples platforms.

15 years ago, 10 even, the majority in the mainstream were complaining like most of you are now and laughing at little Apple with its tiny share of the computer market. But who's laughing now? Apple stuck to their guns, their approach to designing hardware, software, complete systems and now they *own* the smartphone and tablet market in as much as any one company could be said to own it. And you think anyone gives a **** what a bunch of whiny nerds are saying now? Please. Apple hasn't changed or lost their way, they continue to do exactly what they've been doing all along, mostly very well.

And apart from all that... it's a mobile... phone... operating... system. Anyone feeling a deep sense of disappointment, boredom or expecting a sense of excitement after a typically incremental upgrade of such a thing seriously needs to get a life.

I don't know Apple well? I've been with them since their first iPhone. I think I know them pretty well.

There are no .bat files and endless config files that people are looking for? What are you babbling about?

We're not talking about .bat files and endless config files. People want the basic abilities to send a message (which finally was released after a while), copy and paste (which finally was released after a while), etc.

For chrissake, we're still having issues with attachments in emails. You're telling me only the tech nerds want this feature?

And once again, here we go with the magical pixie dust comment "It just works" comment.

NO, IT DOESN'T JUST WORK. Not when you have people frustrated that they can't do the basic things.

Like I said, it's Apple's M.O. to release these tiny features incrementally.

I'd like some basic features. You know perhaps I'd like to use my phone as a external drive to move around files, etc. I'd like to be able to toggle things like Wifi on/off without diving into the settings menu. Basic things you know?

Comments like yours is the reason I keep saying Apple is like North Korea.

And I'm not even talking only about the software side of things. Hardware is another discussion for another time.

Let me guess, you probably think McDonald's is the creme de la creme when it comes to hamburgers. I mean after all, they are the fastfood industries king.

 

[ctiaco]

Ios6

I just want to know how apple plans to beat google all that apple put on there iOS 6 google has had it for a long time. Turn by turn, street view, Siri doesn't do anything exciting except check scores n I have yet to see anyone accutually use it except on the commercials. The only great feature that apple really has to me is the don't disturb me it's one of those things that's great for people like me who don't put there phone on vibrate over night.

I will admit one thing it's going to be hard to beat google. Considering that they own 40% of the smartphone market these days. Apple better release a great new iPhone in the fall or there going to lose allot of people.

 

[Tmelon]

I just want to know how apple plans to beat google all that apple put on there iOS 6 google has had it for a long time. Turn by turn, street view, Siri doesn't do anything exciting except check scores n I have yet to see anyone accutually use it except on the commercials. The only great feature that apple really has to me is the don't disturb me it's one of those things that's great for people like me who don't put there phone on vibrate over night.

I will admit one thing it's going to be hard to beat google. Considering that they own 40% of the smartphone market these days. Apple better release a great new iPhone in the fall or there going to lose allot of people.

I doubt that Apple is going to have any trouble selling the new iPhones no matter how they end up. The 4S was a "the most underwhelming iPhone" for some, yet they sold millions. The bigger screen alone will probably win over all the iPhone 4 users who are looking for an upgrade.

 

[Calidude]

I doubt that Apple is going to have any trouble selling the new iPhones no matter how they end up. The 4S was a "the most underwhelming iPhone" for some, yet they sold millions. The bigger screen alone will probably win over all the iPhone 4 users who are looking for an upgrade.

Unless they are smart enough to realize that the taller screen only helps with widecreen video.