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iPhone OS 4.0 to Bring Exposé-like Multitasking?
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iPhone Exposé UI: Flick off screen, pull back up
I like the idea of using the areas above and below the screen for iPhone's Exposé UI, but Palm might have a patent on that. They've done it with the Pre.
I think that it could be the most intuitive solution to keeping an App active and of recalling all the open apps.
- Home Button - closes the app, revealing the Home Screen (same as current behavior)
- Drag from above the screen, flicking app down, off the screen – Keeps the current App open while revealing the Home Screen underneath so that you can open another App.
- Drag from below the screen, reveals a collection of open Apps, represented by their icons, each with an X in the corner to close them.
Number coded Home button presses is not intuitive at all, and is already being used for shortcuts which is fine for advanced users, but the ability to move among open apps should be an intuitive and easy to learn method, not one that you have to memorize the number of presses or multiple fingers to perform.
I like the idea of using the areas above and below the screen for iPhone's Exposé UI, but Palm might have a patent on that. They've done it with the Pre.
I think that it could be the most intuitive solution to keeping an App active and of recalling all the open apps.
- Home Button - closes the app, revealing the Home Screen (same as current behavior)
- Drag from above the screen, flicking app down, off the screen – Keeps the current App open while revealing the Home Screen underneath so that you can open another App.
- Drag from below the screen, reveals a collection of open Apps, represented by their icons, each with an X in the corner to close them.
Number coded Home button presses is not intuitive at all, and is already being used for shortcuts which is fine for advanced users, but the ability to move among open apps should be an intuitive and easy to learn method, not one that you have to memorize the number of presses or multiple fingers to perform.
Amen brother!
In the internet echo chamber it's easy to forget that the average phone customer doesn't know or care about "openness",multitasking,etc.They want it to be easy to use,easy to get apps,etc.They also don't give a rat's butt which company sued which,and whether the CEO is a nice guy or not.That's the real world.For those who do care about such things,the option exists to buy the phone(or whatever)that they like best.
What is intuitive?
The best UI method is the one that users will find the most intuitive, the most similar to what they would do to manipulate real objects in the real world.
The iPhone's touch-UI, is by definition already intuitive. You use your finger to directly manipulate objects on the screen. Making a user remember how many time to push buttons or how many fingers to use to bring up a function is not intuitive.
Just like when Apple brought Cut & Paste to iPhone, they were careful in not using a method that would get in the way and have to be changed in the future. They were also preoccupied with finding the most intuitive method possible. And they did.
For Multi tasking, here's why I think that the method I described above is the most intuitive:
- Pulling the current app out of the page and immediately viewing the home screen below is intuitive because even if a user accidentally moves the app out of the way and sees the home screen as they move it, they will understand that they can open a new app and they're just moving the current one out of the way.
- Pulling back that app they just moved below the screen is intuitive because that's exactly where they moved that app to. It's where they expect it will be.
The user doesn't need to know terms like multi tasking or running processes. They just know that moving the app out of the way reveals the home screen so they can open a new app and that the app they temporarily moved to the bottom of the screen will be there where they left it when they want to retrieve the app again.
Alternatively, they can just go to the home screen and press the App's icon like they would normally do.
The best UI method is the one that users will find the most intuitive, the most similar to what they would do to manipulate real objects in the real world.
The iPhone's touch-UI, is by definition already intuitive. You use your finger to directly manipulate objects on the screen. Making a user remember how many time to push buttons or how many fingers to use to bring up a function is not intuitive.
Just like when Apple brought Cut & Paste to iPhone, they were careful in not using a method that would get in the way and have to be changed in the future. They were also preoccupied with finding the most intuitive method possible. And they did.
For Multi tasking, here's why I think that the method I described above is the most intuitive:
- Pulling the current app out of the page and immediately viewing the home screen below is intuitive because even if a user accidentally moves the app out of the way and sees the home screen as they move it, they will understand that they can open a new app and they're just moving the current one out of the way.
- Pulling back that app they just moved below the screen is intuitive because that's exactly where they moved that app to. It's where they expect it will be.
The user doesn't need to know terms like multi tasking or running processes. They just know that moving the app out of the way reveals the home screen so they can open a new app and that the app they temporarily moved to the bottom of the screen will be there where they left it when they want to retrieve the app again.
Alternatively, they can just go to the home screen and press the App's icon like they would normally do.
well, actually you can: IM'ing with some friend and while waiting for it to reply checking emails or browsing internet or eventually resuming some cards game or checking the exchange rate or maybe using a calculator for a quick "how much is 10% from this"?!
Fail. 1987. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mac_OS#System_Software_5
(And really, if you want to be technical, Switcher dates back to 1985 or earlier.)
Maybe iPhoneOS 4.0 will see the return of Coplands Preemptive Multitasking?
;-)
Apple seem to have any number mutli tasking scheme both working and lost in migration. There seems to be good reason to hold old for the right one on the iPhone.
Double-clicking the Home button is already used to bring up the iPod interface. And it feels very awkward. I can't believe Steve would consider that interaction method as the standard way to switch between apps. It's just not elegant enough, and it's a constant use of a button (Jobs hates buttons). A swiping gesture seems more appropriate, as mentioned.
I agree.
The home button is the best choice.
It's the one universal/only tie back to the OS from anywhere.
You really do not want hamper developers by limiting potential
touch gestures in thier apps.
A more likely hassle is the unintended call of 'expose' while playing a game or using some other app.
A patent to put a contact on the homescreen?
this must be one of the most ridiculous patents right next to that for a mouseclick.
but seriously, even on my trusty compaq pda, running windows mobile 5 (back from the days when i ditched my apple newton due to its lousy hand writing recognition) there were at least 3 different programms that could do that (plus display all sorts of configurable info like upcoming events from the calendar etc.)
Having a patent on how to design the hardware and software to do a certain task should by all means be able to score a patent but not a simple concept (like a mouseklick or "swiping across the surface to unlock a device"). those patents only hinder progress...
ah whatever, back to loving my apple products but getting more and more annopyed by apple as a company.
this must be one of the most ridiculous patents right next to that for a mouseclick.
but seriously, even on my trusty compaq pda, running windows mobile 5 (back from the days when i ditched my apple newton due to its lousy hand writing recognition) there were at least 3 different programms that could do that (plus display all sorts of configurable info like upcoming events from the calendar etc.)
Having a patent on how to design the hardware and software to do a certain task should by all means be able to score a patent but not a simple concept (like a mouseklick or "swiping across the surface to unlock a device"). those patents only hinder progress...
ah whatever, back to loving my apple products but getting more and more annopyed by apple as a company.
Sorry, but cut and paste is clumsy on the iPhone. Especially if you are trying to edit a line at the top of the screen. Secondly the focus bubble does not adhere to Apples uniform user experience, the focus bubble can appear to high or low depending on finger position. The process should smart enough to realize that if you are at the top of the screen, show the focus bubble below the the screen edge.Prepare to be blown away in June. It's not about multitasking, it's all about Apple's particular implementation of it. Just like they way they handled copy and paste.
Brilliant.
That being said, I'd rather deal with Apple's cut and paste than not have it at all.
Agreed.
I wonder what the date of the patent filing was. If it's after September '07, there's "prior art" on putting contacts on the iPhone homescreen going back to the first jailbreaks. Erica Sadun and "Big Boss" had a trick published that I used to put all my "faves" right on the homescreens with their own little icon. Basically you made an app package that included their image as an icon, and their phone number along with the executable. You tapped the icon and it took advantage of the fact that iPhone OS read the telephone number as a link and defaulted to opening the phone app and dialing the number.
And now add Verizon to the enlightened companies that see that data is just data, whether you're using it to tether or not. When will AT&T see the light here.
Engadget's reporting Verizon offering MiFi data sharing on the Palm Pre for $0.
Backgrounder
This sounds like the multitasking works almost exactly like Kirikae+backgrounder for jailbroken iPhones. (Very handy apps IMO).
Apple would need to have alternatives for SBSettings, Backgrounder+Kirikae, iRealSMS, and Categories before I would even consider buying one that couldn't be JB... But even that would probably not be enough.
For a v3.12 OS, the iPhone OS sure is lacking some pretty basic features. I like it, but wouldn't if it wasn't JB.
Just my $0.02, I realize some people thrive on oversimplified lack of functionality.
This sounds like the multitasking works almost exactly like Kirikae+backgrounder for jailbroken iPhones. (Very handy apps IMO).
Apple would need to have alternatives for SBSettings, Backgrounder+Kirikae, iRealSMS, and Categories before I would even consider buying one that couldn't be JB... But even that would probably not be enough.
For a v3.12 OS, the iPhone OS sure is lacking some pretty basic features. I like it, but wouldn't if it wasn't JB.
Just my $0.02, I realize some people thrive on oversimplified lack of functionality.
Multi-tasking: Zzzzzz.
I'd like to see Apple fix the synching of To Do lists from iCal. I'd like to see energy-use options (turning on/off 3G, Wifi, etc) not buried down in Settings so there aren't very accessible. Heck, I wish Apple would through all caution to the wind and provide user-defined profiles (Home, Work, Traveling etc.). Maybe we'll get lucky and get these things plus multi-tasking....
I'd like to see Apple fix the synching of To Do lists from iCal. I'd like to see energy-use options (turning on/off 3G, Wifi, etc) not buried down in Settings so there aren't very accessible. Heck, I wish Apple would through all caution to the wind and provide user-defined profiles (Home, Work, Traveling etc.). Maybe we'll get lucky and get these things plus multi-tasking....
Multi-tasking: Zzzzzz.
I'd like to see Apple fix the synching of To Do lists from iCal. I'd like to see energy-use options (turning on/off 3G, Wifi, etc) not buried down in Settings so there aren't very accessible. Heck, I wish Apple would through all caution to the wind and provide user-defined profiles (Home, Work, Traveling etc.). Maybe we'll get lucky and get these things plus multi-tasking....
I concur!
Multi-tasking: Zzzzzz.
I'd like to see Apple fix the synching of To Do lists from iCal. I'd like to see energy-use options (turning on/off 3G, Wifi, etc) not buried down in Settings so there aren't very accessible. Heck, I wish Apple would through all caution to the wind and provide user-defined profiles (Home, Work, Traveling etc.). Maybe we'll get lucky and get these things plus multi-tasking....
I agree
And all of a sudden, the iPad makes more sense
Only question is how to evoke - press and hold the home button?
nope thats voice control for the 3gs
i just want something like SB settings (a jailbreak app search on google) so you can ajust brightness and blutoth with ease and make it so you slide it down from were the clock is and slide it up
I think Apple will end the 'one OS for all devices' when the new iPhone comes out. They will have a separate OS for the new iPhone, and the old iPhones will have what they have right now. Apple will claim you need a faster processor for multitasking and only the new 2010 iPhone can do that. The iPad will adopt the new OS, but the old iPhones will be ... well ... old iPhones.
Even it isn't what I want to happen, it seems like the typical
differentiation strategy, to make the distinction between the iPad and the iPhone devices. So if you want A, you cannot have B unless you buy them both...