Hey guys I don't mean to sound like a newb, but what is benefit of a file manager? Why do people say iPhones need one? What are circumstances where I would need one?
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What is benefit of a file manager? Please Explain
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If you want to download a document to your iOS device, or upload a file from that device, you need a file manager to be able to access those files. Currently, you can't upload any document, such as a pdf or spreadsheet using native iOS, or attach such a file to an email without using 3rd party apps.
Yes. And, it gives you the option to better organize files and locations. Makes it easier to delete, share, copy, etc. Honestly, I don't know if it's that critical to have a file system on a tablet or a phone but it wouldn't kill them to include at least a simple one within iOS. Doubt they will though, it goes against the walled garden approach.
The only benefit is for people to try to things the way they do it on a different platform. It's not necessary.
Not true.
It may not be necessary but neither are iOS 8's Extensions/Keyboards etc. but people will still appreciate & use those features. In regards to a file manager, iOS should have an easy way to view/organize your 'files' (I'm not talking about OS files/Preference Files etc). If you ever work on a project with different file types, you know how hard it is to get bird's eye-view of your project in iOS.
One of the most annoying thing in iOS is when you're in Mail, writing an e-mail and want to attach a PDF or Pages Document. Currently, there's no intuitive way to do this. Actually there is no intuitive way to even attach Photos/Video (current method is not obvious).
Care to provide some facts to back up your claim? For example, please give instructions for attaching a PDF to an email in iOS. Also illustrate how to upload an Excel spreadsheet to a website. Show how to do both of these in iOS without using any third-party apps.
This is probably the worst feature of iOS - or lack of a really basic feature.
It would be so much easier for me to grab 50 mp3's I have in my holiday carols folder and upload it for the holiday get together in a few hours - Playlist done. Do it through iTunes? 10 years plus it messes everything else up. What if I have 10 pdf's to review on my commute to see a client? Wouldn't it be nice if I could upload them all to a folder and just review those files? Yes it would - but iOS doesn't have that 1990's feature. For now I rely on something like Dropbox for things like that but that's definitely not the best solution.
The problem is Apple is trying to make iOS more advanced/simple by not having something like file manager which has been around forever but misses the boat because we still use files everyday. You can do everything I said above without file manager, but that doesn't mean it's the best way to get it done.
It would be so much easier for me to grab 50 mp3's I have in my holiday carols folder and upload it for the holiday get together in a few hours - Playlist done. Do it through iTunes? 10 years plus it messes everything else up. What if I have 10 pdf's to review on my commute to see a client? Wouldn't it be nice if I could upload them all to a folder and just review those files? Yes it would - but iOS doesn't have that 1990's feature. For now I rely on something like Dropbox for things like that but that's definitely not the best solution.
The problem is Apple is trying to make iOS more advanced/simple by not having something like file manager which has been around forever but misses the boat because we still use files everyday. You can do everything I said above without file manager, but that doesn't mean it's the best way to get it done.
i just think apples approach is backwards, i want to have the files that belong to one project be saved in the same folder and PICK the app i want to open the document without having to guess which app might be able to open a certain file and wonder what happens if i change or delete it. like will it be changed inside ever app? does it make its own copy within each app? not very transparent if you ask me
I have no idea what you're trying to say here. What does "10 years" refer to? What gets messed up when you make a playlist in iTunes?
Well, I have several personal projects on my Mac. Each contains different file types like pdf, Pages, Numbers, Word, images etc.. If I wanted to work on them on the iPad or iPhone (edit or just look something up), I would need a kind of document management that could handle this structure. Currently on iOS I would have to organise by app, not by project.
For example, I'm organising a family event. I shouldn't think about which document has been done in which file format in order to pick the app first and then the file. It's more intuitive to go to the event and then just tap on the todo list, invitations, time schedule, attendee list, supplyer contacts, bookings, website links or whatever document I need.
For example, I'm organising a family event. I shouldn't think about which document has been done in which file format in order to pick the app first and then the file. It's more intuitive to go to the event and then just tap on the todo list, invitations, time schedule, attendee list, supplyer contacts, bookings, website links or whatever document I need.
Would you care to explain this same process using an Android phone? Mind you Android doesn't have a native file manager so using ES File manager or some other 3rd party app does not count.
That is completely irrelevant. The question being discussed is what is the benefit of a file manager. I gave valid examples of the benefit of a file manager, which the other poster refuted with zero explanation or evidence. Also, this thread is in an iOS forum talking about iOS. Android phones have nothing to do with the thread. It's not a comparison of iOS vs Android; it's about the benefits of having an accessible file manager on iOS.
The one I know about is PDFs. They can download into iBooks and be attached to an e-mail from iBooks.
(As you know) Apple by design securely accommodates other use cases with third party apps. It isn't fair to dismiss iOS functionality (app integration) to demonstrate a lack of iOS functionality.
So although iBooks is an Apple app, and therefore not technically 3rd party, it still requires using another app just to get the PDF attached to an email message, instead of doing it directly from the mail app. If the PDF resides in Dropbox, you have to open it in Dropbox, then open it in iBooks or Adobe Reader, then send it to Mail. Try doing the same thing with a Word or Excel document.
The point is, you don't have to jump through those convoluted hoops if you have a file system that you can browse and access a file directly.
You are stating you don't want to use 3rd party applications to accomplish these tasks. I'm pointing out that the competition can't do this natively either so what are you comparing iOS to? a desktop PC?
Imagine using OSX or Windows without a file manager.
I'd settle for just being able to attach multiple documents to a single email. Perhaps the 9th iteration of this OS will be the charm.
It's not a comparison with other companies or platforms. It's comparing iOS without an accessible file manager to iOS with one.
It doesn't matter whether the apps are Apple or 3rd party. Having to use 2 or more apps to provide such basic functions is still lacking, compared to the simple functionality that an accessible file manager would provide.Not even 3rd party since it is now built into the OS
Hehe well it's an exaggeration of the process involved of going through the songs, syncing in iTunes and settling up playlists. It's really not that bad once you master iTunes but I still don't find it easier and quicker to do it through managing files directly on the device.
So If I'm understanding you correctly you wish that iOS had a native file manager like Mac OS' "Finder" or Windows "Explorer" so that you could more easily accomplish the tasks you listed correct?
Because as it stands the only Smartphone platform that has a native file manager is Windows phone.
Correct. Go back and read the questions in the original post in this thread to see why these statements are appropriate.
I pretty much do anyways. I rarely dig into the file system. I open the app I want to use and the open my document. Same thing I can do now on my iOS device. Only difference is the locations available to me to choose where to open my document from. But on iOS it doesn't matter since they are all stored in the same place anyways.
Well, with all the new extensions being introduced in iOS 8 you will most likely be able to e-mail/share/upload directly out of an app and not have to worry about a file manager anyhow. Furthermore, you will be able to access your files from iCloud drive as well on a PC/Mac.