Yeah, personally I like it too. I like the idea that I'll be able to tap directly into the google search bar and start typing the search, rather than having to tap again (right now you tap the location bar, it expands out, and you have to tap again to get to the search bar). If I know that's what I'm looking to do, seems like saving a "tap" to switch from the location bar to the google bar is worth it.
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Mobile Safari Interface Tweaked in iPhone 2.2
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the address bar isn't much smaller...If you look at the current Safari iPhone versions, since they have eliminated the Search + Refresh buttons..
This is about Google branding, folks
I don't think this was a UI enhancement as much as a desire to get Google's name displayed more prominently on mobile Safari, just as it is on desktop Safari. Apple and Google are close friends, and they have a deal. This move smacks of a dealmaking detail.
Perhaps not that much space has been lost, and perhaps everything will behave the same, but the point is it feels a bit more crowded now. The name of Google feels somewhat shoe-horned in there now. The old interface worked perfectly well, so Apple wouldn't have changed it unless it was a Google branding request.
I don't think this was a UI enhancement as much as a desire to get Google's name displayed more prominently on mobile Safari, just as it is on desktop Safari. Apple and Google are close friends, and they have a deal. This move smacks of a dealmaking detail.
Perhaps not that much space has been lost, and perhaps everything will behave the same, but the point is it feels a bit more crowded now. The name of Google feels somewhat shoe-horned in there now. The old interface worked perfectly well, so Apple wouldn't have changed it unless it was a Google branding request.
It says "Google" right now (unless you select Yahoo! as the search engine in safari preferences instead); the only difference is that you don't see the search area without tapping the location bar. The "branding" aspect hasn't changed.
I think you're reading a bit too much into it; it really does seem to me like a minor tweak to make it so you can click directly to access the search bar, rather than having to click the location bar and then click again to move the cursor to the search bar.
Again, I would disagree with the claim that the old interface worked "perfectly well"; I do find it to be a bit of an annoyance to have to click the URL bar and then click the search bar when I know I just want to do a search. This seems to clear up the minor annoyance, so I don't see anything to complain about.
-Zadillo
Yes, the branding aspect has changed significantly:
Old way: you ONLY see the word Google when you tap the bar to bring up the search field.
New way: you see the word Google ALWAYS, no matter what.
In the world of branding, that's night and day!
I'm with ya.... In the grand scheme of all things Apple, this is very small potatoes.
THIS SAVES TIME!!!!!
the older one only showed the web address you had to click the bar and then select the search bar if you wanted to search. 2 clicks. NOW you only tap once to select the address or the search and it will expand to your choice. saving time!
GIVE ME PUSH NOTIFICATION!!!! GEEEZZ. Copy and paste too.
the older one only showed the web address you had to click the bar and then select the search bar if you wanted to search. 2 clicks. NOW you only tap once to select the address or the search and it will expand to your choice. saving time!
GIVE ME PUSH NOTIFICATION!!!! GEEEZZ. Copy and paste too.
I guess I see what you mean, but I still just don't see it as such a big deal. It's basically making it act, UI-wise, like Safari on the desktop (where "Google" or whatever your default search provider is, is also always present).
-Zadillo
The release of the beta of the iPhone 2.2 brought few obvious changes to the iPhone's firmware.
So the only visible and notable thing is this? Not much of a noticeable change?
What about refresh and stop
Umm, I was surprised to read through the thread and not see anyone mention refresh and stop. (when I began this comment, sorry, I'm at work)
They've added a search bar that saves 0 time (since you could already tap the magnifying glass), and removed features that were actually useful?
Am I just not seeing these somewhere?
Umm, I was surprised to read through the thread and not see anyone mention refresh and stop. (when I began this comment, sorry, I'm at work)
They've added a search bar that saves 0 time (since you could already tap the magnifying glass), and removed features that were actually useful?
Am I just not seeing these somewhere?
I don't have a problem with it... but I do, however, want to know why Apple felt the need to change it. I don't think this benefits or reduces the usability in anyway, so why not leave it alone? (I also want to know why Apple changed the calculator interface)
You might want to read the thread. You can already get to the same place with one tap--tap the magnifying glass.
Wow. Maybe this change is necessary. It seems that a lot of people don't see that magnifying glass. Or the previous thread comments explaining it.
Hrmm, what do you know....... never thought to actually try clicking on that magnifying glass button. You're right, doesn't seem wholly necessary; seems like the only benefit then is that you can see what you searched for (like in desktop safari or firefox).
I wonder if we're only seeing one particular view or something? It does seem like a good question how the reload function will work now.
-Zadillo
Urgh. Why waste time making the top interface more ugly and harder to see the full URL, when they could be spending that time on a billion more productive things like copy and paste, horizontal mail and SMS, MMS etc etc etc.
Phazer
Phazer
Man, you're right, because obviously they have put all of their development resources into this little UI tweak and aren't spending time working on the other things you mentioned.
I think if we've learned anything from Android, it's that copy/paste with a touch-based interface still isn't completely trivial. Even with Android it's limited to specific elements (apparently can only copy/paste with editable fields, like a URL bar) and seems to be based on a touch and hold concept.
Clearly there's plenty of ways to do copy/paste, but I think a really good universal solution is still up in the air.
-Zadillo
Don't see it saving 1 click.
With 2.1 you can click on the magnifying glass and start typing in the search. As for the hard to figure out icon how is the glass any more difficult than the refresh icon?
As a soon to be former "PC" guy glad to see Apple working on improvments & fixes.
With 2.1 you can click on the magnifying glass and start typing in the search. As for the hard to figure out icon how is the glass any more difficult than the refresh icon?
As a soon to be former "PC" guy glad to see Apple working on improvments & fixes.
Ah see this is exactly why we need this new revision. All this time and I've never used that magnifying glass... so I suspect others haven't either.
Yeah, it's not really hard to figure out. I think I even "knew" that's what it was, but just never got in the habit of clicking on that search button to jump to the "search" field immediately.
-Zadillo
I 100% agree, this is stupid!
I like it this way a lot more - the old way drives me nuts.
Ah, the thing that sets OS X apart from Windows is the attention to detail - every little thing is well though out and made just as good as it can be. You achieve that by slowly, painfully, going one feature at a time and trying to improve it - even one as 'minor' as this.
This is Apple striving to be the best.
Yup
Totally agree. It looks cramped and pug fugly.
I thought they were all about simplicity yet they are trying to shove too much stuff in here.
Quoted for truth.
Don't do it Apple
Totally agree. It looks cramped and pug fugly.
I thought they were all about simplicity yet they are trying to shove too much stuff in here.
Yes, YES YES!!! There should be a quick way to scroll down in any app - SMS, Photos, everything - it takes FOREVER to get to the bottom of a long page!
Why don't they just add a transparent slider, like the Address Book uses, but without the alphabet?
Well thought out...? You mean like the MobileMe implementation or the app store approval process. You're right they're striving to be the best...problem is the basics are buggy (2.0 - 2.1 seem like Betas). Why improve an interface when you can't keep the code from crashing in the first place. Let's get the thing stabilized first.