iOS7: Struggling to see the point.

[vrDrew]

Am I the only one who is thoroughly underwhelmed by iOS7?

I've been living with this (much-heralded) update to my iDevices operating system for a few weeks now, and - try as I might - I really can't name a single thing I really like about it.

Lets start with the obvious: Battery life suddenly took a huge leap off a cliff. All of a sudden I find I need to recharge my iPad every day-and-a-half, rather than twice a week. Watch a couple of Netflix shows and start looking for the wall wart.

Now for the not-so-obvious: I now need to enter an unlock code to start using my iDevice. During the update process I got conned into asking for this "feature", and I have (so far) not found a way to remove it. Lets be very clear: if my iPad is lost or stolen, I really don't think a 4-digit "unlock" code is going to provide any meaningful security protection. All this does is waste a couple of seconds of my time every time I wake my iPad. Boo!

I tried using AirDrop. My mom's iPad was right there. I managed (once) to share a couple of photos with her. But - even though I had total access to her machine - for whatever reason my iPad didn't show up on hers. Something either works 100% of the time, or its useless.

summary: Yes, some of the original skeumorphism in iDevices was not good. Game Center, for one, was perfectly horrid. But iOS7 seems to have stripped out a lot of the "Appleness" and replaced it with something I'm having a very hard time indeed warming up to. Jonny Ive, I expected more from you.

 

[bigjnyc]

I'm sorry but I can't really take your complaints too serious if you cant even figure out how to disable passcode.... People like to complain about a whole iOS before taking the time to learn the features and without knowing how to really use things..... If you don't know how to use something it doesn't mean its bad.

 

[MacNut]

I'm sorry but I can't really take your complaints too serious if you cant even figure out how to disable passcode.... People like to complain about a whole iOS before taking the time to learn the features and without knowing how to really use things..... If you don't know how to use something it doesn't mean its bad.

Calendar is that bad.

 

[Jessica Lares]

iOS 7 happened because it needed to.

The design language of iOS 6 wasn't going to let them innovate in the long run. Apps like Photos wouldn't be able to evolve into what it is now with the iOS 6 UI, either would the notification center.

They are setting iOS up to be future proof, a blank canvas that can be edited easily without disturbing other elements of the OS. They don't want it to be like Android which has pretty much the same gesture for either swiping to the notifications, or to the shortcuts, and is only getting more bloated with each update.

 

[CTHarrryH]

My experience is that it takes a couple of days to get used to. Some of the features that get turned on automatically (or as part of the upgrade) aren't really what you want so you must either play with all the settings or read things such as this forum and you'll find out how to do all.
Are there things that aren't my favorite sure but in general after using for a few days I like the update. There are a few "why did Apple do that" like changning the direction of the swipe to delete but in general I like it.
I own an iPhone not for its looks anyway but for its functions.

There are plenty of threads about how to work on battery life. Mine is fine and probably better than before.

 

[Tyler23]

Am I the only one who is thoroughly underwhelmed by iOS7?

I've been living with this (much-heralded) update to my iDevices operating system for a few weeks now, and - try as I might - I really can't name a single thing I really like about it.

Lets start with the obvious: Battery life suddenly took a huge leap off a cliff. All of a sudden I find I need to recharge my iPad every day-and-a-half, rather than twice a week. Watch a couple of Netflix shows and start looking for the wall wart.

Now for the not-so-obvious: I now need to enter an unlock code to start using my iDevice. During the update process I got conned into asking for this "feature", and I have (so far) not found a way to remove it. Lets be very clear: if my iPad is lost or stolen, I really don't think a 4-digit "unlock" code is going to provide any meaningful security protection. All this does is waste a couple of seconds of my time every time I wake my iPad. Boo!

I tried using AirDrop. My mom's iPad was right there. I managed (once) to share a couple of photos with her. But - even though I had total access to her machine - for whatever reason my iPad didn't show up on hers. Something either works 100% of the time, or its useless.

summary: Yes, some of the original skeumorphism in iDevices was not good. Game Center, for one, was perfectly horrid. But iOS7 seems to have stripped out a lot of the "Appleness" and replaced it with something I'm having a very hard time indeed warming up to. Jonny Ive, I expected more from you.

Settings-->General-->Passcode Lock-->Turn it off, or change the time in the Require Passcode section to something other than immediate.

 

[darngooddesign]

Am I the only one who is thoroughly underwhelmed by iOS7?

Nope. I like it.

Now for the not-so-obvious: I now need to enter an unlock code to start using my iDevice. During the update process I got conned into asking for this "feature", and I have (so far) not found a way to remove it. Lets be very clear: if my iPad is lost or stolen, I really don't think a 4-digit "unlock" code is going to provide any meaningful security protection. All this does is waste a couple of seconds of my time every time I wake my iPad. Boo!

It's impossible to take you serious when you couldn't be bothered to google if you can turn the passcode lock off. Which is something you could do since 2007.

 

[Shrink]

The new iOS is created to satisfy the need for constant novelty among those whose attention span is, apparently, measured in nanoseconds.

There are also new features and designs added to emphasize the novelty of the new OS.

Learning how to use it does help....

 

[darngooddesign]

The new iOS is created to satisfy the need for constant novelty among those whose attention span is, apparently, measured in nanoseconds.

iOS measures our attention span in six year increments, not nanoseconds.

 

[Crazy Badger]

We probably need a new thread for these, but the things I like:

• Control Centre
• Spotlight Search
• Mail
• Photos
• Several well updated Apps

Feel free to add yours...

 

[Drunken Master]

We probably need a new thread for these, but the things I like:

• Control Centre
• Spotlight Search
• Mail
• Photos
• Several well updated Apps

Feel free to add yours...

Centre?

 

[darngooddesign]

Centre?

In the UK, that is how you spell Center. Admittedly Apple has assigned a specific spelling to the word, but its for someone in the UK to reflexively spell it that way.

 

[53kyle]

Am I the only one who is thoroughly underwhelmed by iOS7?
No, probably not
I've been living with this (much-heralded) update to my iDevices operating system for a few weeks now, and - try as I might - I really can't name a single thing I really like about it.

Lets start with the obvious: Battery life suddenly took a huge leap off a cliff. All of a sudden I find I need to recharge my iPad every day-and-a-half, rather than twice a week. Watch a couple of Netflix shows and start looking for the wall wart.
This happens with every major iOS update, just wait until it is patched.
Now for the not-so-obvious: I now need to enter an unlock code to start using my iDevice. During the update process I got conned into asking for this "feature", and I have (so far) not found a way to remove it. Lets be very clear: if my iPad is lost or stolen, I really don't think a 4-digit "unlock" code is going to provide any meaningful security protection. All this does is waste a couple of seconds of my time every time I wake my iPad. Boo!
You can turn this off in settings>passcode lock
I tried using AirDrop. My mom's iPad was right there. I managed (once) to share a couple of photos with her. But - even though I had total access to her machine - for whatever reason my iPad didn't show up on hers. Something either works 100% of the time, or its useless.
Are both iPads set to share with everyone? Tap on airdrop through control center to make sure.
summary: Yes, some of the original skeumorphism in iDevices was not good. Game Center, for one, was perfectly horrid. But iOS7 seems to have stripped out a lot of the "Appleness" and replaced it with something I'm having a very hard time indeed warming up to. Jonny Ive, I expected more from you.

^^^^^^^^^^

 

[WordMasterRice]

In the UK, that is how you spell Center. Admittedly Apple has assigned a specific spelling to the word, but its for someone in the UK to reflexively spell it that way.

No they haven't, if you go to the UK Apple website it's spelled Centre.

 

[darngooddesign]

No they haven't, if you go to the UK Apple website it's spelled Centre.

I had no idea they did that but it makes sense. My point was that centre is how center is spelled in the UK.

 

[asleep]

I've been living with this (much-heralded) update to my iDevices operating system for a few weeks now, and - try as I might - I really can't name a single thing I really like about it...

Outside of Apple employees and fanboys, who has "heralded" it?

 

[darngooddesign]

Outside of Apple employees and fanboys, who has "heralded" it?

People who don't call anyone who likes the update as a fanboy.

And iOS7 was by definition much heralded.

 

[joshforman]

We probably need a new thread for these, but the things I like:

• Control Centre
• Spotlight Search
• Mail
• Photos
• Several well updated Apps

Feel free to add yours...

Background updates. It's such a better experience to launch an app and have it already be updated

 

[dannyyankou]

It was a mobile OS that has looked almost the identical for six years, so it was in need of an aesthetic change. I like it. And the new features are pretty neat too.

 

[TJ61]

Hey, at least they finally added the ability to snooze a calendar alarm...albeit with all the options of a 1970's era digital alarm clock.

(I know, "you're snoozing wrong!")

 

[s2mikey]

I like iOS7 for the most part and the refreshment was well-timed IMO. That being said, I wasnt upset with iOS 6 so this upgrade while nice didnt exactly change my life or anything. The "look" is still taking me some time to get fully used to but I like it overall. Just not the "end-all" or anything.

 

[lulumink]

I'm sorry but I can't really take your complaints too serious if you cant even figure out how to disable passcode.... People like to complain about a whole iOS before taking the time to learn the features and without knowing how to really use things..... If you don't know how to use something it doesn't mean its bad.

Why should people take time to learn how to use the new iOS7?
the old iOS is so intuitive and easy to use that a 4 years old can do it without learning. Isn't that the goal of a mobile OS? Steve did it. Cook destroyed it. So stupid!!!

 

[XboxMySocks]

I'm sorry but I can't really take your complaints too serious if you cant even figure out how to disable passcode....

Holy jeez, you took the words right out of my mouth.

Why should people take time to learn how to use the new iOS7?
the old iOS is so intuitive and easy to use that a 4 years old can do it without learning. Isn't that the goal of a mobile OS? Steve did it. Cook destroyed it. So stupid!!!

The process to disable the passcode on iOS 6 and iOS 7 is exactly the damn same.

 

[iAmirul]

Why should people take time to learn how to use the new iOS7?
the old iOS is so intuitive and easy to use that a 4 years old can do it without learning. Isn't that the goal of a mobile OS? Steve did it. Cook destroyed it. So stupid!!!

I dont get it.. Which part of ios 7 is complicated to use? iOS 7 is more of a skin/theme change with some added functionality. I dont think it'll take a rocket scientist to operate ios 7.

 

[darngooddesign]

Why should people take time to learn how to use the new iOS7?
the old iOS is so intuitive and easy to use that a 4 years old can do it without learning. Isn't that the goal of a mobile OS? Steve did it. Cook destroyed it. So stupid!!!

Its only intuitive because we've had six years to learn it. But if you're one of those "set in your ways and refuse to change" kind of people it will be annoying. Most of 7 works exactly the same.