iPhone's Notification Bar

[skwoytek]

I've seen quite a bit of talk about Palm's notification being superior to Apple's, and I agree. However, Apple already has a subtle notification bar they use regularly, just not for notifications. And it's just as good as Palm's.

It currently works throughout the OS (any app that keeps the status bar), unless the application or the user changes to completely full screen. In which case, I'm not sure either notification is the best choice. For example, if I'm playing a game I don't want the edge of the screen which I was tapping to fire a weapon to suddenly become a notification and take me to an incoming SMS.

Mock-ups of iPhone with notification bar implemented in Apple's current style... Incoming call, scrolling SMS, and calendar notification.

 

[abijnk]

This isn't a notification bar, it lets you know what is going on in the background.

 

[skwoytek]

This isn't a notification bar, it lets you know what is going on in the background.

That's why I said they don't use it for notifications. And it is technically notifying you about what's going on in the background...

However, the code is obviously there to shift everything except full screen applications. Therefore, Apple could and has in place, an excellent place to put notifications.

Imagine the same line with a black background scrolling your incoming SMS, etc.

 

[ziggyonice]

I'm going to agree with you here -- I think this would be a great way for the iPhone to do notifications. Simply click on it to go to the respective app, or maybe a small "close" button to get it out of the way. I think this would be perfect as a notification bar. What would also be neat would be to see it scrolling to show more/less information...

 

[abijnk]

Haha, reading comprehension fail.

It could work for simply popping up and letting you know something just came in, but it would need some sort of dismissal gesture (perhaps a swipe or something).

 

[dissdnt]

Would be sweet. One thing I've noticed with that bar that when your not in native apple apps the screen gets pushed down and you lose the bottom interface on most apps. Unless this was a requirement of 3.0 that all apps need to be compatible with it, could be a nice place to throw notifications.

I'm so down for it because the in your face pop up is so NON Apple and should be addressed especially with the Pre's sweet little system.

 

[skwoytek]

Moved images to first post.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

Anyone know anything about _this_ status bar?

 

[fishkorp]

^ that's from a jailbroken phone with status notifier (or something like that).

 

[ziggyonice]

Something I threw together real quick.
(Small, I know.)

 

[The General]

I posted something like this a while ago.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/670519/

Something that has really ground my gears the entire time I've had an iPhone is what happens when you get a call while you're using the phone.

Whatever you're doing just goes black and then up comes the incoming call view. This isn't how it should happen. I should be able to continue doing whatever I was doing before I decide whether to decline or answer. It would be one thing if incoming call view had three buttons:

1. Answer
2. Decline
3. Go away and keep ringing so I can pretend I didn't hear the phone ringing and continue what I was doing before.

Everyone knows when you decline their call, and the annoying ones call back again and again.

I made a mock-up of what I think should happen when I'm using the phone and I get an incoming call:

 

[ziggyonice]

It would be one thing if incoming call view had three buttons:

1. Answer
2. Decline
3. Go away and keep ringing so I can pretend I didn't hear the phone ringing and continue what I was doing before.

Everyone knows when you decline their call, and the annoying ones call back again and again.

That's a good point. I almost wish there wasn't even an option to "decline" -- rather, I'd like to see it continue to ring in the background until I pickup (or until voicemail catches it). That being said, I don't know if your mockup is my favorite design (just a concept, I know)... as I see the importance of the iPhone still being a phone.

I think it's good that everything gets out of the way when a call comes in, I just wish it wasn't a "decline" button -- with, as you said, everyone know when you decline their call. Why not just have it continue ringing silently in the background?

 

[GCmini]

Love the idea. Think it looks awesome and I hope apple will implement something like this in future updates

 

[abijnk]

I posted something like this a while ago.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/670519/

Something that has really ground my gears the entire time I've had an iPhone is what happens when you get a call while you're using the phone.

Whatever you're doing just goes black and then up comes the incoming call view. This isn't how it should happen. I should be able to continue doing whatever I was doing before I decide whether to decline or answer. It would be one thing if incoming call view had three buttons:

1. Answer
2. Decline
3. Go away and keep ringing so I can pretend I didn't hear the phone ringing and continue what I was doing before.

Everyone knows when you decline their call, and the annoying ones call back again and again.

I made a mock-up of what I think should happen when I'm using the phone and I get an incoming call:

Ooooh, really good idea.

 

[hazza.jockel]

I think it's good that everything gets out of the way when a call comes in, I just wish it wasn't a "decline" button -- with, as you said, everyone know when you decline their call. Why not just have it continue ringing silently in the background?

If you press the screen lock button once when you have a call it silences it but doesn't decline the call. Press twice to decline. So what happens if u get a call then press the screen lock to silence, then the home button to get back to the home screen? I haven't tried this but it might work.

 

[ziggyonice]

If you press the screen lock button once when you have a call it silences it but doesn't decline the call. Press twice to decline. So what happens if u get a call then press the screen lock to silence, then the home button to get back to the home screen? I haven't tried this but it might work.

Just tried it. While one click of the sleep/wake button will silence the ringer, clicking the home button afterwards does nothing! You have to either decline or answer -- and hitting the sleep/wake button twice is the same as declining. Sooo... yes, as nice as a feature as it would be to have it ring silently in the background, there currently isn't a way to do so.

 

[The General]

If you press the screen lock button once when you have a call it silences it but doesn't decline the call. Press twice to decline. So what happens if u get a call then press the screen lock to silence, then the home button to get back to the home screen? I haven't tried this but it might work.

We're talking about when you get a call while you're using the phone. In which case, hitting the sleep/wake button DOES silence it, but you still have to stare at the incoming call screen for 20 seconds until it goes to voicemail.

 

[skwoytek]

Just tried it. While one click of the sleep/wake button will silence the ringer, clicking the home button afterwards does nothing! You have to either decline or answer -- and hitting the sleep/wake button twice is the same as declining. Sooo... yes, as nice as a feature as it would be to have it ring silently in the background, there currently isn't a way to do so.

Of course, with the notification bar hitting the sleep/wake button once would get the job done and you could continue to work (or play).

 

[ziggyonice]

We're talking about when you get a call while you're using the phone. In which case, hitting the sleep/wake button DOES silence it, but you still have to stare at the incoming call screen for 20 seconds until it goes to voicemail.

Who uses "decline" anyway? The only reason why anyone uses "decline" is to purposely not answer -- and because everyone knows that they're being declined, it's like hanging up on someone -- it's rude.

Declining should either continuing ringing until voicemail on the caller's end (so they don't realize they've been declined), or it should ring silently in the background on the receiver's end (so they can work while waiting for the call to go to voicemail).

 

[Rat-Boy]

Apple definitely needs to implement something.

I just wonder what the solution is for games already programmed for full screen.

 

[stezza333]

^ that's from a jailbroken phone with status notifier (or something like that).

Ahh thank you! My mate had this icon on his screen telling him his phone was on silent but he couldn't tell me why his had it and mine didn't. Just searched for it and it is indeed called status notifier. Always wanted an icon to tell me my phone was on silent.