Is Apple shooting itself in the foot by not innovating a new iOS redesign?

[psionicsin]

The last thing apple wants to do is play catch up...........IE RIM.

Ugh! I really did not want to draw them into this discussion, but...I just feel so bad for RIM. Like it's funny because I've been making fun of those diehard Blackberry users for years (I was one for a BRIEF moment and hated it), but I really do feel a bit bad that they are about to tank.

Anyway not sure if this was mentioned or not, but the one company that actually did a re-design right was Palm. WebOS is still to this day probably the BEST OS around in terms of features and functionality. They just failed in the hardware department of those devices [<-- My Opinion]

Now back on topic...iOS continues to grow just as Android does. Pretty soon we won't be able to tell them apart, save for the devices they're running on. Out and available apps work great on both. A dock area works great on both. And now drop-down notifications work great on both. It's hard to see a "redesign" when almost everyone has commented on the implementation of "features".

So, based on the OP, I'm curious as to what exactly would be considered an actual redesign? And also what would need redesigning?

 

[matt90036]

Listen,

Your on a site with nothing but fan boy groupies who will buy anything apple. Steve planted in their minds "It just works"

true, there is a lot of people like that but not as many as there used to be. number 1 reason is that lot of people who are windows fans are using iPads because they are simply better than android.

Is IOS boring? Sure! It looks the same way since it launched in 2007. 4 years with the same "Icon" design is becoming annoying.

true. apple could at least give updates to the icons every 2 cycles. BUT this was one thing I hated about windows, they would shovel up your throat new design that I hated. for example MS got rid of classic windows explorer in windows Vista, the classic windows start menu is gone now too and you had no option to switch back. this upsets me more than not doing any changes.

I wouldn't go that far, but apple needs to come with something better then IOS5.

yup they do. I have several problems with iOS myself. most important limitation is missing common file system. I don't necessarily need access to OS files but I need to have a common place where I can store all of my documents.

I think overall the OP and you both have a point. It is not really the lack of UI updates that make the iOS boring, it is the lack of new features. In the end I think the competition will force apple to innovate the OS a bit more.

 

[psionicsin]

true. apple could at least give updates to the icons every 2 cycles.

You know I've ALWAYS thought that the icon for "photos" was the ugliest thing in the world. Never mind the fact that a poorly rendered sunflower is the icon, but there are so many ways they could have conveyed "photos" without resorting to the one we have now.

That is the one icon that SERIOUSLY makes me angry.

 

[danahn17]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Adding more features would be welcome but a complete redesign isn't necessary by any means.

Although I use an Android phone now (mainly because I wanted the bigger screen), the design/performance of iOS would be one of the main reasons I would switch back.

 

[Calidude]

You know I've ALWAYS thought that the icon for "photos" was the ugliest thing in the world. Never mind the fact that a poorly rendered sunflower is the icon, but there are so many ways they could have conveyed "photos" without resorting to the one we have now.

That is the one icon that SERIOUSLY makes me angry.

That's not the only icon that needs to be changed.

 

[CosmoPilot]

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I guess we should wait for their earnings report to know for sure!

 

[Calidude]

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I guess we should wait for their earnings report to know for sure!

I'm willing to bet that next year will be the start of a downturn in sales.

 

[terraphantm]

I'm willing to bet that next year will be the start of a downturn in sales.

Only if Apple continues with the same form factor. If they give it a redesign (and it's still built to the same quality that the past iPhones have been), then it'll sell like hotcakes.

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uhm....no.

this is what leads to those stupid huge bubbles asking me what network I want to join while all I want is se the google map that is now covered up.

only if one of the networks is a known network it joins automatically. however when you walk or drive through a big city there are always 20 unknown networks around and the big bubble comes up. only way to stop it is to switch wifi off.
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Just switch "Ask to Join Networks" off. First thing I do whenever I restore my device. That toggle's been there since iOS 1.0

 

[Calidude]

Only if Apple continues with the same form factor. If they give it a redesign (and it's still built to the same quality that the past iPhones have been), then it'll sell like hotcakes.

Basically, 3 things need to happen in order to ensure iPhone dominance.

1) 4 inch screen
2) Phone body made of new, incredibly strong material.
3) iOS redesign that provides almost all if not all the features people have been asking for for years (filesystem, etc) rather than just tacking on things like iMessages and Reminder apps.

Once that happens, there's simply no reason to buy Android or WinPho except for a hatred of all things Apple.

 

[terraphantm]

Basically, 3 things need to happen in order to ensure iPhone dominance.

1) 4 inch screen
2) Phone body made of new, incredibly strong material.
3) iOS redesign that provides almost all if not all the features people have been asking for for years (filesystem, etc) rather than just tacking on things like iMessages and Reminder apps.

Once that happens, there's simply no reason to buy Android or WinPho except for a hatred of all things Apple.

Remember, the average consumer isn't a techy. I do think they'll need to increase the size of the screen just because 3.5" is looking small these days (especially when comparing side-by-side with other phones in stores). While a strong material and OS redesign would be nice, I don't think the lack of both would stop people from buying the phones.

On another note, I think if any company wants to truly beat Apple, they need to reduce their profit margins, at least temporarily. The iPhones are typically $150-200 devices that Apple sells for $650-850. That's a huge profit margin. If a company decided to make a phone with materials that would cost around $350 and sold it for $700, they'd still make a very healthy profit, potentially have a phone of much higher quality than Apple's, and not be above the typical selling price of other smartphones. Or they could go the other way and sell a phone of equal quality to the iPhone for a significantly lower price (basically free on contract).

 

[takeshi74]

Some people may chalk this up to simple attention deficit disorder on the part of our youth, and I don't doubt that to be true, but people are actually making good points about how the iOS interface is too simple and non-cohesive, and they are talking about Windows Phone or Android looking more how a phone interface should behave.

Short attention span/easily distracted by new shiny things + grass is greener. Try reading discussion forums for other devices sometime. You'll quickly see how they gripe about interface design on their OS of choice and compare to IOS. Dead horse on all sides.

Apple isn't "shooting itself in the foot" unless it drastically loses market share. This thread is yet another typical armchair expert forum thread...

Come on. Let's admit iOS isn't perfect, guys. There's a lot that needs to happen.

There's a lot of space between "not perfect" and "shooting itself in the foot".

If you want a real example of the latter then look at the company from Waterloo.

Basically, 3 things need to happen in order to ensure iPhone dominance.

Like many, you're mistaking your preference for universal preference.

Once that happens, there's simply no reason to buy Android or WinPho except for a hatred of all things Apple.

Nonsense. Every option (and I'm not just talking about smartphones) has pros and cons. Every option comes with compromises and it's up to the individual to decide where the person is willing to make compromises. There's no such thing as your unicorn "perfect device for all". There are always reasons for a given person to choose one option over another. Not all people are identical clones despite your flawed assumption to the contrary.

The problem is that iOS is just not what it could be, and deep down, most users know this, but many deny it.

Every product out there "not what it could be". There's always room for improvement but development resources (including time) are never infinite.

Yeah, iOS does get a little boring. People just don't admit it.

Certainly there are people don't but there are plenty that don't find it boring just because you (or others) find it boring -- again, don't mistake your preference for universal preference. If you're easily bored (and there are many out there like this) then it doesn't matter what comes along. You'll get bored. The problem isn't necessarily what one is bored with in all cases.

If you are bored then do something about it. Switch. Don't sit around complaining and expecting Apple to drop something in your lap. Vote with your dollars. If enough people are bored Apple will notice a drastic drop in market share.

 

[ABernardoJr]

In regard to a redesign, I don't think we can expect anything like the Windows mobile phone OS with its tiles and stuff, but I do think they'll keep refining it much like they refined OS X as pointed out early in the thread. It doesn't need to be overhauled in my opinion, but I do agree that some kind of refinements to keep things fresh but familiar would be good.

As a side note I do like how the Windows mobile OS looks, I'm glad they found an appearance that's new and pretty interesting. If it were between android and a Windows phone I'd take the Windows phone.

 

[bgtrack]

Apple has always been about being basic and "just working." The odds of a complete UI change are slim. If you don't like the way the UI feels, buy and Android or Windows phone.

 

[Calidude]

Every product out there "not what it could be". There's always room for improvement but development resources (including time) are never infinite.

Yes, but the problem is that iOS is the MOST "not what it could be" especially after 5 versions.

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Apple has always been about being basic and "just working." The odds of a complete UI change are slim. If you don't like the way the UI feels, buy and Android or Windows phone.

Do you think OSX is basic too?

 

[steviem]

The UI in OSX is definitely unobtrusive. It's also kinda basic and getting moreso (look at how full screen is implemented now).

Apple is trying to get the OS out of your way so you can do what you want to do. That's the best way for an OS to be. Metro is getting Windows that way too.

I don't mind that iOS is a little boring, because it means I can just use my phone. 9 times out of 10, the thing I want to do on my phone is use an app, not stare longingly at a love wallpaper or at a few different widgets. If I wanted that I'd still have my Epic 4G...

 

[matttye]

Nope, apple are selling millions of ios devices within a week of release. They don't need to change a thing.

 

[matt90036]

Basically, 3 things need to happen in order to ensure iPhone dominance.

1) 4 inch screen
2) Phone body made of new, incredibly strong material.
3) iOS redesign that provides almost all if not all the features people have been asking for for years (filesystem, etc) rather than just tacking on things like iMessages and Reminder apps.

Once that happens, there's simply no reason to buy Android or WinPho except for a hatred of all things Apple.

+1

I have to agree with this poster. Common file system is not only for techies but average folks as well. It might not be as needed for iPhone but certainly will be required for ipad down the road. Especially when ipad will be posed to replace laptops. And honestly who likes to keep 5 copies of the same document, song, movie, etc...
Stronger general design is nice to have as well, I am buying myself older iPhone because it is stronger than the newest version. I can't imagine buying iPhone 4S only to drop it once and have the screen cracked. And no, I'm not going to buy a new $700 super thin phone only to slam it in UGLY 2" thick case. iPhone 3GS is much better design than the 4th generation. I've seen 3G dropped so many times without having any issues. Seriously what kind of moron puts breakable glass on a phone.

 

[matttye]

It's a lot more fluid than my Android phone ever was, also much more intuitive.

Android actually has a lot of benefits over iOS and the same can be said in reverse.

With android, ANY commonly used setting can be added as a shortcut to the home screen. I'm always turning my wifi off/on and switching between 2.4/5ghz bands on my galaxy s2 so I've added a shortcut to the wifi options on the dock on the home screen.

Numbers are a lot easier to type on an android keyboard. My passwords have lots of numbers in so having numbers be easy to reach is a huge time saver for me.

People say android is a mess, but I strongly feel that those people haven't configured it properly. When configured properly, you can have all of your most used apps, activities and settings right on the home screen.

And yes, widgets are a big time saver as well.

The place where iOS really trumps android is in terms of integration with the iTunes store, iTunes on a pc/mac, iCloud etc. It makes managing your content between devices extremely simple.

This is why I opted for an iPad and an android phone - best of both worlds. I think I'd go crazy having an iPhone because of the amount of things it lacks when compared to android. Something as simple as sending a group text on an iPhone takes five times as long on ios because you can only add one contact at a time!

 

[0dev]

I would like proper access to the filesystem, as I did back in the iOS 2.0 days with a jailbreak (which, back then, was only done by people who knew what they were doing because it required the command line) and the Finder app. That was the best time in the history of iOS IMO.

As for the UI, though, I like it as it is. I admit, I get bored of it from time-to-time, but using alternate OSes just reminds me how nice iOS is.

 

[matttye]

Basically, 3 things need to happen in order to ensure iPhone dominance.

1) 4 inch screen
2) Phone body made of new, incredibly strong material.
3) iOS redesign that provides almost all if not all the features people have been asking for for years (filesystem, etc) rather than just tacking on things like iMessages and Reminder apps.

Once that happens, there's simply no reason to buy Android or WinPho except for a hatred of all things Apple.

There's a big reason to choose other OSes even if all that happens: different tastes!

And price

 

[0dev]

There's a big reason to choose other OSes even if all that happens: different tastes!

And price

Different tastes is of course fair enough, but a high-end iPhone and a high-end Android or Windows Phone are basically the same price these days anyway. I paid £500 for my iP4 last year, and the HTC I was looking at getting instead was £470. Only a £30 difference in it, which is nothing when you're spending that much money anyway.

 

[andiwm2003]

..........................................
Just switch "Ask to Join Networks" off. First thing I do whenever I restore my device. That toggle's been there since iOS 1.0

Just tested it (again) on my iPhone 3GS. Does nothing for me. Still get the annoying POP ups. It does however work on my brand new 4S. Weird.

 

[matttye]

Different tastes is of course fair enough, but a high-end iPhone and a high-end Android or Windows Phone are basically the same price these days anyway. I paid £500 for my iP4 last year, and the HTC I was looking at getting instead was £470. Only a £30 difference in it, which is nothing when you're spending that much money anyway.

Not only for sim free devices but in terms of contracts too. My sgs2 was nothing upfront, £32 a month for 600 mins, unlimited texts and 500mb data. The iPhone is £99.99 for a similar deal.

Also android phones go down in price much more quickly. Galaxy s2 was 500+ at launch but can now be picked up for 380. It has comparable hardware to the iPhone 4s (which is unlikely to go down in price until next October or whenever the next iPhone is released) and the software is simply a matter of choice. You can't really factor the software into the price of the device. By the time the 4s comes down in price you'll be able to pick up the galaxy nexus for less, and probably some other phones that come out in the meantime.

 

[0dev]

Not only for sim free devices but in terms of contracts too. My sgs2 was nothing upfront, £32 a month for 600 mins, unlimited texts and 500mb data. The iPhone is £99.99 for a similar deal.

Also android phones go down in price much more quickly. Galaxy s2 was 500+ at launch but can now be picked up for 380. It has comparable hardware to the iPhone 4s (which is unlikely to go down in price until next October or whenever the next iPhone is released) and the software is simply a matter of choice. You can't really factor the software into the price of the device. By the time the 4s comes down in price you'll be able to pick up the galaxy nexus for less, and probably some other phones that come out in the meantime.

The contract thing is just the networks getting away with what they can. They know iPhones have a more prestige brand, so they milk it. I personally never bother with contracts anyway, it's giffgaff or nothing for me baby (£10 a month for 250 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited internet? Yes please!)

The depreciation of Android handsets is simply due to the sheer number of them. There are only five iPhones whereas there are hundreds of Androids, with new ones coming out all the time. In a way, it's good if you don't care about always having the best, best phone. You can get a very good handset for a very good price, brand new, simply by waiting a few months.

 

[nfl46]

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I don't mind the interface, but it'd be nice to add some customization options in the settings. Maybe they just take some cues from the jailbreak community on customizing the iPhone...they are taking everything else.