Is cut/copy/paste not there because the iPhone can't do it?

[powermixx]

Is Apple not implementing cut/copy/paste features because they can't figure out how to do so? I used to have a Treo 650 and the procedure was pretty simple; with the dreaded pen, tap and drag to select, then a menu to cut or copy, etc. But on the iPhone, I see (2) problems with this...

1) The finger is our pointing device, well it's not very precise when selecting text - hence the magnification feature. Still, maybe they're having problems with the selection accuracy?

2) Being there are no menus in the apps, how will a user choose copy, cut or paste?

IMO, I think it's the over simplified UI that has Apple scratching their heads.

 

[Small White Car]

I don't think "the iPhone can't do it" is an accurate phrase. Other programers have come up with methods for doing this.

But is Apple taking their time because they want the method to be perfect, and they're not yet happy with what they've tried?

Yes, I think that's a very good guess.

 

[MattZani]

Double Tap with second tap dragging across text to select, hold on selected text to bring up a menu, then when text editing, hold your finger down to bring up a paster option.

Got that idea from the way you save images, would work.

 

[wolfpackfan]

I don't think it has anything to do with how difficult it is to program. I think it all has to do with whether Steve Jobs thinks it is an important feature. Obviously he doesn't. Same goes for the syncing of Notes.

 

[SkippyThorson]

Hold text to bring up the magnifier (pointer finger), second tap anywhere once (index finger) to begin the highlight stage and drag across text (with pointer finger) to highlight. When you let go, the magnifier goes away and brings up a menu to cut or copy.

None of this clipboard saved copies nonsense. Short sweet and to the point. Copy or Cut. If you want to delete, don't paste what you just cut.

To Paste, bring up the magnifier (pointer finger), and second tap anywhere twice (index finger) - boom, auto insert, no menu.

I demand royalties or credit or a G4 sunflower iMac.

~edit~ ...and if I can't sync my Notes soon my Inbox is going to become angry with me.

 

[kornyboy]

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I don't think this is very high on Apple's list of things to do for the iPhone simply due to how much effort it would take to implement.

 

[ibizarocks]

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I don't think this is very high on Apple's list of things to do for the iPhone simply due to how much effort it would take to implement.

when it's something they should have done in the first place it should be

 

[kdarling]

when it's something they should have done in the first place it should be

I dunno. Think back.

Apple originally presented the iPhone as a feature phone that was tied to iTunes, and which had some useful standalone widgets.

It was intended for non-techies.

It was not intended to be a smartphone in the usual sense. Certainly not a portable computer originally.

It was not intended for business users.

All of this contrived toward cut&paste not being a capability that was originally designed in... especially since they only started porting OSX at the end of 2005. That gave them fairly little time to come up with a solidly working (and fast) UI.

 

[Minimoose 360]

I think I'll let Apple take it's time. I don't want them to release a feature so broad that it will start to make my phone crash. Personally I don't need it too often.

 

[milani]

Is Apple not implementing cut/copy/paste features because they can't figure out how to do so? I used to have a Treo 650 and the procedure was pretty simple; with the dreaded pen, tap and drag to select, then a menu to cut or copy, etc. But on the iPhone, I see (2) problems with this...

1) The finger is our pointing device, well it's not very precise when selecting text - hence the magnification feature. Still, maybe they're having problems with the selection accuracy?

2) Being there are no menus in the apps, how will a user choose copy, cut or paste?

IMO, I think it's the over simplified UI that has Apple scratching their heads.

It's certainly going to take some ingenuity to make a CCP system that is intuitive based on how things already are.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

It isn't as if Cpt. Kirk was asking Scotty to change the laws of physics. Apple has said they will implement C&P but it isn't a priority.

 

[milani]

It isn't as if Cpt. Kirk was asking Scotty to change the laws of physics. Apple has said they will implement C&P but it isn't a priority.

Well perhaps, but I suspect that if the iPhone had a sufficient amount of Dilithium Apple might be more easily able to implement the CCP system.

 

[redman042]

The best theory I've seen for why this often-lamented missing feature is not added yet is because Apple is working to make it part of a larger interface update that will add another layer of multi-touch control to the phone, rather than just tacking on cut and paste to the magnifying glass, which honestly doesn't work all that well as it is.