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Voice messaging - most useless feature ever implemented in iOS?
- Thread starter TH55
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I never have used the voice messaging feature (tested it a couple of times), but I use the dictation button or Siri, a lot.
I love when someone doesn't value/use something, so it MUST be useless. What a life.
Lots of people use it. It was actually a borrowed feature from other popular messaging apps. My int'l students use it for one. My Chinese students use it more than texting.
Additionally, my 4-yr-old daughter loves to use it bc she can speak and hear messages back and forth to extended family.
Sounds like the issue is more about hitting controls unintentionally than what those controls are.
By the way, as soon as you start typing a message that voice message button changes to the "Send" button, so I'm not sure how it could be accidentally hit while composing a message (at best the "Send" button would be hit and the partially composed message would be sent, but that button has always been there anyway, and somehow it hasn't been an issue it would seem).
By the way, as soon as you start typing a message that voice message button changes to the "Send" button, so I'm not sure how it could be accidentally hit while composing a message (at best the "Send" button would be hit and the partially composed message would be sent, but that button has always been there anyway, and somehow it hasn't been an issue it would seem).
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Not in an asynchronous manner that allows it all to happen at one's own pace essentially.
I prefer the silence and speed of Swype style input even though Apple spent years throwing tantrums to keep it out of the App Store.
Once they finally caved into demand they still left roadblocks. Swype struggled till recently and only in the last few months was allowed the freedom to run unmolested by Apple.
I know these things because SWYPE has been my much loved default input choice in Android for_years_ during which it worked flawlessly.
Apple's insecurity is quite juvenile.
Apple didn't have a way to allow third party keyboards until they added support for them in iOS 8 (among other things like widgets). Now, whether they could have or should have done that earlier is a somewhat different question, but until they added that support there wasn't really a way for it to be done. That said, that's really neither here nor there as far as the particular question/issue in this thread.I prefer the silence and speed of Swype style input even though Apple spent years throwing tantrums to keep it out of the App Store.
Once they finally caved into demand they still left roadblocks. Swype struggled till recently and only in the last few months was allowed the freedom to run unmolested by Apple.
I know these things because SWYPE has been my much loved default input choice in Android for_years_ during which it worked flawlessly.
Apple's insecurity is quite juvenile.
I use it quite often and it's a nice feature. But I only use this feature on just one friend, all other friends i just text.
I prefer the silence and speed of Swype style input even though Apple spent years throwing tantrums to keep it out of the App Store.
Once they finally caved into demand they still left roadblocks. Swype struggled till recently and only in the last few months was allowed the freedom to run unmolested by Apple.
I know these things because SWYPE has been my much loved default input choice in Android for_years_ during which it worked flawlessly.
Apple's insecurity is quite juvenile.
What does this have to do with voice messages?
C
Story ahead. I have an aunt who has some pretty severe arthritis in her hands. She has a very hard time gripping most objects. She never texted, and only called on her flip phone when it was absolutely crucial.
Last year, shortly after iOS8 came out, she had upgraded her flip phone to a 5S. Surprised me, actually. She absolutely loves the voice message feature. That, and dictation. She says she uses dictations for short replies and voice messages for longer ones, as dictation has a bigger chance of messing up the more she says. Not sure how she found out about the voice feature, or who convinced her to get an iPhone in the first place, but it is "the" reason she finally got a smartphone.
iOS's ease of use combined with these kinds of accessibility features is what allowed my aunt to join the 21st century phone-wise. And become a text-a-holic. So even if I never use it, I'm very thankful for the voice messaging feature.
Last year, shortly after iOS8 came out, she had upgraded her flip phone to a 5S. Surprised me, actually. She absolutely loves the voice message feature. That, and dictation. She says she uses dictations for short replies and voice messages for longer ones, as dictation has a bigger chance of messing up the more she says. Not sure how she found out about the voice feature, or who convinced her to get an iPhone in the first place, but it is "the" reason she finally got a smartphone.
iOS's ease of use combined with these kinds of accessibility features is what allowed my aunt to join the 21st century phone-wise. And become a text-a-holic. So even if I never use it, I'm very thankful for the voice messaging feature.
Agreed, but for those of us who don't use it an option to disable it would be fantastic.
Given how it works right now it doesn't seem to get in the way or cause issues (despite what the OP seems to be thinking is happening). I personally wouldn't mind there be an option for it, but at the same time there are likely many other more useful options I'd rather have those as the less consequential ones likely wouldn't get used anyway.
Least useful feature will by definition be, the one any given user, uses the least. Its's like my saying I like the color red and dislike the color blue. There is nothing to be said regarding the rightness or wrongness of my opinion. As for being unable to avoid hitting some feature, that would generally fall under the heading of a personal problem in using the device. Like I have issues with auto correct and how it mistakes my intention. It's a personal problem I live with and adapt to, thereby minimizing it's effect.
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Apple finally adds turn on/off for every feature on the phone. However latest complaint now centers on the 14 screens of choices each user is forced to navigate upon setting up their phone. In later news Apple adds an on/off feature for the on/off feature. More news at 11:00.
But how are you getting this option while you are composing if when you are composing that area becomes the "Send" button?