New iTunes Metadata Suggests Users May Soon Be Able to Hide Stock iOS Apps

[dk001]

Finally. Can't wait to remove useless apps like Game Center, Tips, Compass, Messages, Safari, News, Health, Calendar, Photos, Camera, FaceTime, Contacts, Settings, App Store, iTunes Store, Music, Mail, Stocks, Reminders, Notes, Videos, Maps, Wallet, Watch, Activity, iBooks, Podcasts, Find My Friends, Find My iPhone, Calculator, Voice Memos, and Phone.

I do not use:
Game Center, Tips, Compass, News, Health, Calendar, FaceTime, iTunes Store, Music, Mail, Stocks, Videos, Maps, Wallet, Watch, Activity, iBooks, Podcasts, Find My Friends, Find My iPhone, Calculator, Voice Memos.

I use:
Messages, Safari, Photos, Camera, Contacts, Settings, App Store, Reminders, Notes, Phone.

So yes, I could "hide" a lot.

So what apps do you use? You might as well and go and buy a brick

My take - see above

 

[RoboCop001]

I doubt Safari will be hideable. Probably not Mail either. Or Contacts. The Stocks app or the Weather app would likely be hideable, and they don't need to be replaced with anything. You'd still be able to ask Siri for a current stock price or the weather in Orlando. Siri would use the functionality in the hidden app to retrieve the data and display it.

Sure. But if you tapped on the Siri info, doesn't it open the app? Therefore it would need to know the new app to open.

 

[mfvisuals]

Because it's annoying to have to create a folder for stuff I don't use instead of just deleting it.

#firstworldproblems

The problem I see, is that an uneducated user will unintentionally "hide" a stock app. Then, when they want it, they don't know how to get it back. This can:
- make them blame apple
- go to their cell carrier store and buy a new phone (and they loose everything because no one tells them about iCloud backup)
- go to the Apple Store and get it fixed (unlikely)

Agreed. Although uneducated users are a separate problem unto themselves.

From a technical perspective, I think that Apple has chosen to prevent deletion of many of these apps because they have features that tie into other apps and/or features on the iPhone, such as notification center, control center, etc.

 

[csjcsj]

Game Center. Game Center. Get rid of that piece of junk that slows down opening games.

 

[macduke]

When I've discovered this I was really amazed. And it makes me wonder how many tips I don't have knowledge of yet
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Great list and the best thing, in my opinion, is that your requests aren't too personal. A lot of people would benefit from those improvements. Kudos

Hah, you'd be surprised how many of those are personal. But I try to look at the bigger picture that would improve the OS for everyone (UX is part of my day job). The iPad Pro ones don't benefit me—I don't have one, but I'll definitely be picking one in the next year or two, especially if they get their software ducks in a row. I'm not sure if I would make use of replacing the stock apps will alternatives. Maybe Fantastical as I'm not in love with the stock Calendar. I'd like to try another email app again. I don't like using Google stuff because they creep me out, so things like GMaps are out of the question. But it would be good if people could use Google as a default as I think it would bring in more Android users. As for hiding apps, I'd definitely use that capability. I'm just not super pissed about the lack of it, like some people seem to be.

 

[dominiongamma]

Now only if we can change default apps like Mpas to Google Maps I would be happy

 

[shaunymac]

I like the progress, finally! Just give us a stock "downloadable" weather app for the iPad! Never understood that one !?

 

[Internet Enzyme]

Hiding apps is not impressive. Being able to delete them is what I want. I want that extra space dammit!

 

[MartiNZ]

I just assumed it was the Stocks app, always wanted to remove that one .

 

[JohnApples]

There's no way they'll let you delete the apps entirely. We may get a way to hide them though. Here's how I imagine it will work, for the hell of it:

Long pressing on an app makes them all shake. 3rd party apps will have an X while stock apps will have a – (or some other symbol) to indicate that it is not being deleted. Tapping that symbol will bring up a notification telling the user that the app they selected is a stock app, and will be hidden and not removed. It then states you will have to go to Settings to bring back the app. You must tap "Confirm" or "Cancel" to close this dialog popup.

In Settings, perhaps under General, there is a new section for stock Apps. Here you will see all the stock apps on the phone, and each one will have a toggle switch where you can hide/unhide them.

Everybody wins!

 

[69650]

The problem I see, is that an uneducated user will unintentionally "hide" a stock app. Then, when they want it, they don't know how to get it back. This can:
- make them blame apple
- go to their cell carrier store and buy a new phone (and they loose everything because no one tells them about iCloud backup)
- go to the Apple Store and get it fixed (unlikely)

If they can figure out how to hide the apps they're hardly going to be an uneducated user. Apple will almost certainly bury this feature in the settings menus with a simple "show/hide" slide bar, with the default set to "show".

 

[doelcm82]

Sure. But if you tapped on the Siri info, doesn't it open the app? Therefore it would need to know the new app to open.

The app could still open. It's not deleted, just hidden.

 

[CE3]

Meh. You still wouldn't have to put them somewhere like you do now. If I could simply "turn them off" in settings, that would be practically the same thing. The original problem was that they're still integrated in the core services/processes in the system, and it's not like any of them take up a whole a lot of space.

I like the idea if a hide & turn off switch in settings that would also force quit their background processes and free up available RAM.

A few apps could maybe come with an uninstall option, but the stock apps don't take up much space, and many are quite useful and should come pre-installed. I bet there are a lot of (less tech savvy) people who buy iPhones/iPads that primarily use the stock apps and don't mess with the App Store much.

 

[Jkwan]

I was actually hoping that they would have stock on iPad. And calculator.

 

[Tech198]

we don't want people to pick up their phone and fine a rouge app has just decide to hide all default apps "News", "Safari" particularly when u use them.

"I know they were here yesterday"

A blessing to those with a relief, knowing they no longer have to keep folder(s) somewhere several pages down, so they won't see any of the default apps.

 

[AVEGA]

Let me guess you could tell Siri to Hide STOCKS app, and than tell her to unhide it. It's not really deleted , just the icon is gone ? meh
I suppose that's progress

 

[Tech198]

you could also tell Siri to put certain apps in a folder too, but that doesn't happen yet either.

More work in progress

 

[Parasprite]

fyi, in settings - general - spotlight, you can decide which apps will show in spotlight search.

You can disable what results are related to the app, but the app itself is still there. For instance disable "Maps" then search for "maps". The app will still show up there.

(on a side note: i wish one day voice recognition will be able to work with several languages at the same time. my siri is set to italian, and whenever i try to ask her to play an english song/album/band it fails miserably)

Everything about this.