Regarding no UI changes in iOS 6

[tkwolf]

They significantly changed the gradients in the header bars, toned down the pinstripes, updated the Share menus, made the navigation buttons flatter, totally redesigned the App Store and iPod, revamped the Weather app look, and themed the Camera as black. And much more. There is a slideshow out there somehow showing all the changes. It's definitely noticeable system-wide, and makes the OS feel more modern and refined.

A revamped messages would be much better too you know. A quick reply feature most of all like what bitesms can do since it is the only reason why i jailbreak and addint shortcut toggles on the notification will not hurt either. It's something I am not entirely happy about the iOS (don't get me wrong, i love my iphone and ios) but sometimes i find myself just constantly switching between 80 windows with in 2 seconds just to get everything up and working. Aside from that i am fine with the UI of iOS much less clutter and complicated than android and doesn't take much time to get used to.

 

[Cod3rror]

There really is no need for a redesign.

If you are bored, it does not mean the UI is not efficient. it's supposed to be an easy, fast and efficient tool to do things, not a toy to entertain you.

If you've tried widgets with Android and Symbian, you will quickly realize that most of them are pretty useless, sap battery and it's practically the same to have a small icon instead.

Apple should make the icons dynamic and live so they reflect information, for example a weather app could display the temperature, clock app should display the real time, etc... But nothing else is really needed.

 

[pdutta2000]

I'm expecting a big update to notification center. It was hastily put together last year when they hired the WebOS guy and now he's had a full year. I'm thinking that notification center moves to the lock screen a la Intelliscreen and all the Widget people are placated.

 

[allonym]

Not my picture, but you get the point of what it does.

It is ugly (but I take the point that it could be prettier). It's also too big and would be distracting. When I go to a home page screen I want to find the icon that I want quickly and launch the app. I really don't want to be distracted by a little bit of info from facebook, twitter, a news site or whatever. If I want to checkout Facebook I'll launch the app (as it happens I only look at Facebook at home in the evenings - I certainly don't want it throwing status updates from my friends while I'm working. Some might disagree with that specific example, but the general point that there are times when one wants to get info from an app and times when one doesn't is probably true for most anyone). Also, how useful is it to have one or two Facebook status updates, one or two tweets, info on one or two emails etc when there are likely many of each? I get the point of what it does but I don't want it.

 

[allonym]

Apple should make the icons dynamic and live so they reflect information, for example a weather app could display the temperature, clock app should display the real time, etc... But nothing else is really needed.

I would be ok with those (mostly because they replace unchanging and wrong info with accurate info) as long as there was no significant battery hit and they weren't too distracting (e.g. they didn't update just after you get to the page, no moving second hand on the clock).

 

[watchthisspace]

I would be ok with those (mostly because they replace unchanging and wrong info with accurate info) as long as there was no significant battery hit and they weren't too distracting (e.g. they didn't update just after you get to the page, no moving second hand on the clock).

You're pretty much describing Windows Phone. The tiles are "live" with the idea to see updates at a glance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xaGY_sm3z8

Just to give you an idea.

 

[gpatrick15]

There really is no need for a redesign.

If you are bored, it does not mean the UI is not efficient. it's supposed to be an easy, fast and efficient tool to do things, not a toy to entertain you.

If you've tried widgets with Android and Symbian, you will quickly realize that most of them are pretty useless, sap battery and it's practically the same to have a small icon instead.

Apple should make the icons dynamic and live so they reflect information, for example a weather app could display the temperature, clock app should display the real time, etc... But nothing else is really needed.

Most of the Android widgets are not useless. The thing is, you don't even have to use them! My mom uses android and doesn't have ANYTHING on her home screen. She has that choice and decided that since there's a menu button with all of her apps there, she doesn't need them on the screen. So when she unlocks her phone all she sees is her grandson on her wallpaper. I, on the other had, have a calendar widget, a twitter widget, an email widget, a power control widget, a Wikipedia widget, and a music widget. They are all efficiently placed throughout my 5 home screen panels. They are not intrusive, and certainly not useless.

 

[allonym]

You're pretty much describing Windows Phone. The tiles are "live" with the idea to see updates at a glance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xaGY_sm3z8

Just to give you an idea.

I don't care for the flickery animation thing, at least I wouldn't it if it was on the home (app launch) screen - I'd be more ok with it if it was tucked away some place where I'd only see it when I chose to. I think (I'm not certain) that there is a separate app launch screen in WP but that the live tiles thing is meant to be the main home screen - if that's so, I certainly don't want it. I'm sure Apple didn't just stumble upon the current system and a lot of thought went into the design. IMO, they got it right.

 

[Sedrick]

There really is no need for a redesign.

If you are bored, it does not mean the UI is not efficient. it's supposed to be an easy, fast and efficient tool to do things, not a toy to entertain you.

If you've tried widgets with Android and Symbian, you will quickly realize that most of them are pretty useless, sap battery and it's practically the same to have a small icon instead.

Apple should make the icons dynamic and live so they reflect information, for example a weather app could display the temperature, clock app should display the real time, etc... But nothing else is really needed.

If all we were after is efficient, then everyone would be driving Buicks.

and don't lump all widgets together with the worst examples you've read about. I have several on my JB iPhone and they're a dream.

I'm expecting a big update to notification center. It was hastily put together last year when they hired the WebOS guy and now he's had a full year. I'm thinking that notification center moves to the lock screen a la Intelliscreen and all the Widget people are placated.

Honestly, I always forget notification center is even there unless I accidentally swipe down on the screen. It's proved mostly useless for me in it's currently implementation.

You're pretty much describing Windows Phone. The tiles are "live" with the idea to see updates at a glance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xaGY_sm3z8

Just to give you an idea.

This is where MS has left Apple in the dust.

 

[fertilized-egg]

I was just wondering, if apple had started off with a goal in mind, let's say it had already planned to support the iPhone 3GS and above when It started developing iOS 6.
...
if people like many of us here at the forums was expecting a UI change, it is highly unlikely that Apple had not considered this in the planning stages. .

That could be part of it but Apple could've easily changed things around in iPad if they really wanted to tweak the UI and there was less hardware limitation there. But I think there was no plan from Apple to change it and that was probably deliberate.

What most people mean by "UI change" actually don't mean the UI, but #1 Aesthetics and #2 Desktop shell. For #1, we already know Apple will stick with the same aesthetics for a loooooong time if they think they have a good thing going. We've already seen it with OSX and Mac hardware. That's not a big surprise.

So the main contention is #2. However I believe that's a very deliberate action of Apple. They do not want users to spend time on desktop shell. They want to encourage users to spend as little time as possible on desktop and instead go use apps. It's their app-centric "paradigm" that's affecting the whole thing.

Interestingly, Microsoft is also trying this in a different way. They want encourage users to get used to the new Metro shell so they made sure that the users have to use it.

 

[NT1440]

I was just wondering, if apple had started off with a goal in mind, let's say it had already planned to support the iPhone 3GS and above when It started developing iOS 6.

Perhaps the reason why apple deciding not to bring any dramatic user-interface changes was because it wanted to support the iPhone 3GS, which given the hardware limitations will be unable to handle. No way is Apple ever going to compromise on the usability of the system just to push out a new UI. In addition, if people like many of us here at the forums was expecting a UI change, it is highly unlikely that Apple had not considered this in the planning stages.

Therefore I think that Apple may be deciding to push back the UI improvement to iOS 7 or later when it drops support for the 3GS & maybe the iPhone 4. IMO, only the newer hardware like the 4S & the new iPhone will be able to support this newly enhanced UI.

Uh, there are UI changes in iOS6, quite a few in fact. I guess most would call them refinements.

Anyone that thinks apple is killing its UI before the next big paradigm shift in usability (motion tracking, voice, whatever) doesn't understand Apple's design philosophy. The don't do Android-esque UI overhauls because they've been marching slow and steady towards a design goal then entire time.

Bring on the "UI change = innovation" crowd now.

 

[pear21]

It's still one of the better selling smartphones on the market...

Yeah because it's free and people are cheap. So when the iPhone 4 becomes the free phone that will take its place...

 

[Reddmanz]

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but I think another reason (partly at least) is catering for the slightly less technologically advanced people.

Take my aunty for example. I recently upgraded her MBP from Leopard to Lion, but first I had to assure her that it wouldn't be too different and that she could still do all the things she could do before in the same or very similar ways.

Now if Apple suddenly go and do a complete UI revamp (as so many people here seem to want) people like my aunty with iPhones might get a bit scared/confused now its all different.

Plus it could mean potentially slightly longer waiting times at Apple stores because they're having to help even more people with their phones!

Just a point to consider as people here seem to forget that "normal" people use these products too.

 

[Beeplance]

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned it, but I think another reason (partly at least) is catering for the slightly less technologically advanced people.

Take my aunty for example. I recently upgraded her MBP from Leopard to Lion, but first I had to assure her that it wouldn't be too different and that she could still do all the things she could do before in the same or very similar ways.

Now if Apple suddenly go and do a complete UI revamp (as so many people here seem to want) people like my aunty with iPhones might get a bit scared/confused now its all different.

Plus it could mean potentially slightly longer waiting times at Apple stores because they're having to help even more people with their phones!

Just a point to consider as people here seem to forget that "normal" people use these products too.

Good point brought up. I can relate to this because a radically changed user interface would make me confused as well.

 

[canesalato]

I just wish they'd get rid of some skeuomorphism.
I miss the old ipad music app (aka: ipod app), i hate the ui of find my friends and podcast...and I'm not crazy about the calendar...and it seems Jonathan Ive is not crazy about those things as well

 

[QuarterSwede]

Widgets:

The assumption that I want to see whatever content an app pushes at me in that moment

Sometimes I have time to loiter around on my phone and update on all new info (usually in my wake up ritual in the morn)

But jesus, I don't need all my info in my face like windows tiles style.

That's really the fundamental mental lapse in the Windows' designers brains that will cause the platform to fail.

With iOS, it has the badge icon and that's sufficient. You've shown me there's something there, I will check it when I need to or decide to or have time.

It's too much otherwise, I don't want that clutter in my face. Even the notification pane is redundant although I can see how someone else could use it.

When they do too much it takes away from the experience IMO.

The only thing I would care for is instant wifi and brightness toggle.

You can't improve on maximum simplicity exept by going backwards and it's usually not neccesary to sacrifice what simplicity you would need to to get some gimmicky advantage.

Agreed. Once you have notification overload you understand the need to be able to turn that noise off. Very few apps notify me now and I've turned badges off for a lot of apps too. Now, instead of being notified and distracted of every "like" I get, I check it when I feel like it. Mentally, I'm a lot more focused and less stressed out.

I like options but Apple likes simplicity by way of lack of options. That's their philosophy and that's not going to change any time soon.

 

[lordofthereef]

Yeah because it's free and people are cheap. So when the iPhone 4 becomes the free phone that will take its place...

Well I understand that the iPhone 4 is likely to take it's place. But Apple is still making money on it BECAUSE of their longstanding support. Stating they should drop support is foolish, from Apple's business standpoint. From a user standpoint I can;t wait for legacy hardware to get canned, allowing for more advancements in future OS releases.

 

[danielceleste]

Although us geeks would nerdgasm if we saw a complete UI overhaul, I think Apple is doing it slowly, so it's not a huge shock to the average user. And so far, it's working.

 

[.macbookpro.]

if people want there iOS devices to look unique,whats the matter with jailbreaking? most people never take their iDevices to an apple store, and I've heard they dont mind, and jailbreaking is as easy as transferring song to your iDevice. (also as i was typing this, using a macbook pro, it thinks iDevices is a word in the dictionary)

 

[Purant]

and jailbreaking is as easy as transferring song to your iDevice

That's about right, considering that transferring music to an iDevice is not very easy.

 

[throAU]

Apple is simply not into the game of randomly changing stuff that works just for the sake of it. Just compare OS X 10.1 to 10.8. Yes there are some additions, but it is almost identical - save for a few bits of window trim.

re-learning a UI is not free (it takes time, and time = money for a lot of people), and I would wager that a large percentage of apple's customers have no interest in re-learning how to use their device just because.

Even when folder support was added to iOS in v5 (?) the phones that shipped with it did not have any applications installed into folders by default.

----------

That's about right, considering that transferring music to an iDevice is not very easy.

Wifi sync? itunes in the cloud?

Its certainly not hard.

----------

This is where MS has left Apple in the dust.

It is a good idea yes, but as far as Windows phone goes, it is a non-starter.

Apps sell phones, and there currently aren't enough for Windows mobile.


I'd bet that most smartphone users are invested in non-free applications for either Android or iOS as well, so there's going to be resistance to change in both android and iOS camps.

 

[Purant]

Wifi sync? itunes in the cloud?

Its certainly not hard.

It is, because I synced with a different computer for a while, and now my iphone expects me to erase everything on my iPhone if I want to sync with the current computer I am using (and lose a couple of gigs of music in the process), which I have no way of getting out of my iPhone, even if I want to manually manage music.

 

[throAU]

I like options but Apple likes simplicity by way of lack of options. That's their philosophy and that's not going to change any time soon.

Options are nice sometimes, but I guess that apple's philosophy is that slapping a million options into a device is simply an admission that you can't pick sensible defaults that work.


I.e., if you pick sensible defaults, and a sensible selection of options, you don't need infinite customisation.


Some people will always want to fiddle for the sake of it. Apple isn't targetting that market. Their target is people who just want a device that works and doesn't require them to waste a lot of time on getting it to do what they want of it.

----------

It is, because I synced with a different computer for a while, and now my iphone expects me to erase everything on my iPhone if I want to sync with the current computer I am using (and lose a couple of gigs of music in the process), which I have no way of getting out of my iPhone, even if I want to manually manage music.

If all your music was legal, you'd have it attached to your itunes account, or available on CD?


Doing dodgy stuff is more difficult, by design.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Some people will always want to fiddle for the sake of it. Apple isn't targetting that market. Their target is people who just want a device that works and doesn't require them to waste a lot of time on getting it to do what they want of it.

Agreed. That's what sucked me in at first then I realized how valuable that is when I had kids.

 

[Purant]

If all your music was legal, you'd have it attached to your itunes account, or available on CD?


Doing dodgy stuff is more difficult, by design.

Wow...! Seriously? Because we all know all legal music comes from itunes... right?

There are no free netlabels, or soundtracks that are a simple download from the web or completely drm free music stores.

And I guess you haven't considered that I might write music as well. Music that is on my iphone and on my desktop PC, but if I want to add some more from my laptop, I have to delete everything first.

Thank you for assuming I'm pirating music, really.