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iPhone OS 4.0: A full GUI makeover?

TheSpaz

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
I think 4.0 will have an entirely brand new UI. The standard iPhone UI is getting rather dated. I can't wait to see what iPhone OS 4 is going to look like.

I think we need a better springboard. The current one is okay for one page, but if you get too many pages going, it looks cluttered. We need folders and different customizable views. When Apple originally designed the iPhone OS, I don't think they were thinking about thousands of third party apps... so they didn't design it with the App Store in mind.

What do you think? New UI in iPhone OS 4?
 
I really feel the iPhone UI is becoming dated. If not a new UI, I think it definitely needs a new theme. I think Snow Leopard is going more towards the matte than glossy buttons from what I've seen. I would like the iPhone to go in the same direction.
 
More than likely a makeover. It's getting outdated, and there aren't huge features the iPhone is lacking anymore.
 
It's only dated to people that have had previous iterations and are bored. It's still a GREAT UI experience and easy to learn - so no - I don't think 4.0 will be a new UI. I think 4.0 will bring new options and hopefull more customization features. But the UI - I don't see changing all that much. Fact is - it works. People new to the iPhone can get going very quickly and easily.

I don't understand your logic with the apps on multiple pages looking cluttered. Each page is neatly organized and you can only see ONE page at a time anyway. How does THAT look cluttered?

I agree that Apple probably didn't take into count that there would be so many apps so soon and that people would fill up their pages quickly. And I do think folders is a great option. But I still see the UI being the same - just with a folder (like in OSX - stacks) where you just drag items into either a stack or a folder the same way you drag apps to other pages now.

So in short - revised UI - more custom options, etc - but a NEW UI? I don't think so - and I don't think it's necc.
 
I think we'll see some sort of touchscreen apple computer this Fall, and whatever UI it has will give us a big hint as to what to expect from OS 4.0. My hope is for Finder!
 
Cluttered, you call this cluttered? And yes I wish I had Stacks, OH wait I do have stacks, Cool:cool:

cluttered.jpg

stacksv3.jpg
 
I hope so otherwise it'll be story of Palm OS 5 Garnet all over again.
 
that's not the 3.0 UI that makes it cluttered - it's your jailbroken customization. You have an extra column of icons on top of a photo which is already busy - of course it's going to look cluttered.
 
Its a great GUI.
They need to build upon it, not a complete change.
If it works why try to fix it?
Cause a few users are bored and want something different to play with? Its still selling millions.
 
samcraig said:
that's not the 3.0 UI that makes it cluttered - it's your jailbroken customization. You have an extra column of icons on top of a photo which is already busy - of course it's going to look cluttered.
Click to expand...

I think you missed the sarcasm. :)
 
samcraig said:
It's only dated to people that have had previous iterations and are bored. It's still a GREAT UI experience and easy to learn - so no - I don't think 4.0 will be a new UI. I think 4.0 will bring new options and hopefull more customization features. But the UI - I don't see changing all that much. Fact is - it works. People new to the iPhone can get going very quickly and easily.

I don't understand your logic with the apps on multiple pages looking cluttered. Each page is neatly organized and you can only see ONE page at a time anyway. How does THAT look cluttered?

I agree that Apple probably didn't take into count that there would be so many apps so soon and that people would fill up their pages quickly. And I do think folders is a great option. But I still see the UI being the same - just with a folder (like in OSX - stacks) where you just drag items into either a stack or a folder the same way you drag apps to other pages now.

So in short - revised UI - more custom options, etc - but a NEW UI? I don't think so - and I don't think it's necc.
Click to expand...

I just think we should have folders for apps. Games, Utilities, Social Networking... it could clean up the home screen very well. I'm also getting tired of the black background... almost every icon has a drop shadow and you can't even see it unless you put it in your Dock... I dunno.
 
TheSpaz said:
I just think we should have folders for apps. Games, Utilities, Social Networking... it could clean up the home screen very well. I'm also getting tired of the black background... almost every icon has a drop shadow and you can't even see it unless you put it in your Dock... I dunno.
Click to expand...

I agree with folders. As for drop shadows - who cares if you can see it or not if it's on black. The only way you'd know or care is if you had a different background - anyone using 3.0 UNjailbroken would never know unless they switched dock apps. And even then - who really cares?

The folders change is a good idea. So it the ability to change the background. Both of those can easily be accomplished without a "Full GUI makeover"
 
I'm thinking that the iPhone's UI will get some substantial tweaks, much like OS 10.4 -> 10.5, but much like that transition, the UI will retain the same functionality.

So, maybe it WILL go more matte than gloss (but I doubt it). What I see happening is a new Springboard that's more in line with WebOS, and possibly true multi-tasking.

Improvements to Mail, Spotlight, etcetera will probably take place (unified inbox, search app data, even more MobileMe integration, etc), but I think that with OS 3 Apple's cemented the groundwork for at least a few years.

One thing that may prompt a UI change is if next year's iPhone goes to a larger/wider screen, which would necessitate something like that anyway. The extra resolution could make the screen absolutely beautiful.
 
I kinda hope the GUI is redone in 4.0, but I fear that it's going to be something really ugly and unorganized. On the other hand, nothing Apple has done thus far to the iPhone has been that way IMO.
 
Ah sarcasm, she is a fickle lover.

Benflick, your post is copyrighted, I love it. I am going to steal your words..... Watch out:D
 
I think all that's needed is a few tweaks to make it look... newer. Maybe a dark gray with a lighter gray in the middle gradient for the background, instead? Or perhaps a different way of viewing apps. I like the UI as it is now, I just wish there was a way to arrange them in iTunes.
 
It needs to be able to handle notifications MUCH better. I JB my phone mainly for use with iRealQuickSMS. I want to be able to reply to a message from within the pop up notification so I don't have to stop what I'm doing and close it out completely. Also, there should be a notification bar at the top that shows you all the different notifications you have missed (missed calls, voicemail, email, etc). There are JB apps that are trying to come up with ways to do this but if Apple just jumped on board and worked it into the OS it could be so much better. Oh yeah, allowing backgrounding needs to be implemented too. At least let us run 1 or 2 apps in the background. I'm running backgrounder and I can run Pandora, GPS, BeejiveIM all in the background while I'm checking emails and there is NO lag at all. Yeah it kills the battery but the only time I run all that is when I'm in the car and plugged in anyways. As far as the springboard, I still like it. Maybe somehow introducing Categories or some way of grouping icons into folders would help make it easier to manage, but besides that, I like how it is now. That is ALL I would need in 4.0 and I would be extremely happy.
 
STEVESKI07 said:
It needs to be able to handle notifications MUCH better. I JB my phone mainly for use with iRealQuickSMS. I want to be able to reply to a message from within the pop up notification so I don't have to stop what I'm doing and close it out completely. Also, there should be a notification bar at the top that shows you all the different notifications you have missed (missed calls, voicemail, email, etc). There are JB apps that are trying to come up with ways to do this but if Apple just jumped on board and worked it into the OS it could be so much better. Oh yeah, allowing backgrounding needs to be implemented too. At least let us run 1 or 2 apps in the background. I'm running backgrounder and I can run Pandora, GPS, BeejiveIM all in the background while I'm checking emails and there is NO lag at all. Yeah it kills the battery but the only time I run all that is when I'm in the car and plugged in anyways. As far as the springboard, I still like it. Maybe somehow introducing Categories or some way of grouping icons into folders would help make it easier to manage, but besides that, I like how it is now. That is ALL I would need in 4.0 and I would be extremely happy.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
Definitely agree that the UI and notification systems needs to be changed. It's been the same thing for the past 2+ years. Still a damn good phone but it needs some enhancements.
 
If Apple redesign it I really hope they let us use the current design as an option.

The iPhone is SO easy to use; all it needs is the ability to be skinned. That would allow fresh designs while keeping the simplicity!
 
I don't know about a "full" GUI makeover, but I think it at least needs an overhaul. I think the springboard needs to be rebuilt as well. Here's what I'd like to see from a new springboard:

1) An actual homescreen with widget support - My vision would be the dock along the bottom as usual, with a wallpaper and customizable widgets up to the status bar. Dragging the row of dock icons up would make the app launcher (the homescreen as we know it now) come up.

2) Multi-tasking support - not just being able to run multiple apps simultaneously, but having the GUI in place to easily switch apps and be able to tell which apps are open. Honestly, I hope Apple just steals Web OS's card system.

3) Notification bar/drawer - anything but pop-ups! There needs to be a place that stores the notifications (content). Currently, if you dismiss a notification, it's gone forever. Yes, it becomes a badge, but that doesn't tell you what the notification was, just that you had one.

4) Settings toggle - Something like SBSettings where you can access a menu to turn common features and connections on and off.
 
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