Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why doesn't apple put lock screen glance info on peek bar (ie lifting firstsmart cov)

spinedoc77

spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Original poster
Jun 11, 2009
11,488
5,414
So this idea has been bothering me since I first saw the smart cover and it seems so obvious to do. Let forget for a second that apple doesn't have any important information like email notifications/summary, text messages, weather, etc.

Doesn't the little slice of lock screen that you see when you lift a single flap of the smart cover just scream for some quick peek information notification system? I'm tempted to JB just to custom arrange inteliscreen into something like that. Apple please steal my idea.
 
not a bad idea at all, maybe something that would fan out, and fill the screen as you opened it up (boy I got to patent this...), so that it would adjust as you opened up the cover, you could even tell it how to do it, what to show in pane 1, 2 etc.

ios 5 anyone?:)
 
bretmartin said:
Aren't the magnets that detect the cover only all the way on the right hand side? So I don't think it could dynamically change as you open each panel. But I do like the idea of having a view that aligns with the cover folds...
Click to expand...

Correct, there is no way for this idea to be implemented. It's not like the Smart Cover is some sort of miracle (unless you listen to ICP). There is only one part on the iPad where the sensor is trigged, it can't detect the difference between "peaking" and completely removing the cover.

Besides, the idea completely ignores all the people who don't use the Smart Cover at all. There is no way that Apple would implement a feature like this.

I think Apple is likely to do some tweaks to the lock screen in iOS 5, but nothing like this.
 
No way to implement this? No way to tell if it's just open a peak or fully open?

Have you used an iPad 2? If you have then you will realise there is also an ambient light sensor.

When you lift the first panel the screen turns on but it is dimmed as the light sensor is covered. When you fold it past the midway point (sensor is above the camera) the screen fully brightens.

So all Apple has to do is have the information vanish when the light sensor detects anything other than pitch black (as it is behind the cover). The information only appears when the magnets are 'closed' and the light sensor covered and then the magnets are released thus stopping it appearing unless it is intentional.

I agree that it wouldn't help people without covers but come on! The auto unlock also doesn't help those with covers so as a way to sell more covers and profit more it's a pretty straightforward method!
 
there are other ways to detect when two sections or more of the flap come off, camera, ambient light sensor come to mind, not all sensors have to come from magnets, they could implement this using the other sensors (including the camera) too, and it wont be too hard for a camera or an ambient light sensor to detect when a flap is on or off.

there are ways guys if you are a little creative.
 
So this brilliant idea would only work if you were foolish enough to invest in one of the gimmicky, non-protective, overpriced smart covers. Meh.
 
blow45 said:
there are other ways to detect when two sections or more of the flap come off, camera, ambient light sensor come to mind, not all sensors have to come from magnets, they could implement this using the other sensors (including the camera) too, and it wont be too hard for a camera or an ambient light sensor to detect when a flap is on or off.

there are ways guys if you are a little creative.
Click to expand...

So you want the camera to be always on? :confused:
 
blow45 said:
there are other ways to detect when two sections or more of the flap come off, camera, ambient light sensor come to mind, not all sensors have to come from magnets, they could implement this using the other sensors (including the camera) too, and it wont be too hard for a camera or an ambient light sensor to detect when a flap is on or off.

there are ways guys if you are a little creative.
Click to expand...

Grand idea until someone tries to use their iPad in the dark.
 
It's one thing to merely bypass a single swipe with a magnet for those who buy the smart cover. People haven't exactly been clamoring for a way to bypass the unlock screen. It's a neat low level tweak most people didn't know they wanted till they saw it.

But it's another thing entirely to add a completely new feature, and one that people HAVE been clamoring for...improved notifications. If Apple introduces a notification system that REQUIRES a case, ANY case, they will be demonized by a big chunk of their audience for forcing them to buy a specific accessory to "unlock" a much requested software feature.

It's a cool idea that could see the light in jailbreak form, but probably no where else.
 
Will Apple improve notifications in iOS 5?

It seems that if they didn't they would be foolish and out of line with the rest of the market BUT they control the market and although it would be annoying if notifications stayed the same it would NOT hurt Apple sales.

If they do improve notifications so they show on the lock screen then I don't see how moving them to the side when someone has an ipad with a smart cover would be even remotely difficult or a problem.

And as I said before it would make a cover seem even more useful so they can make more profit selling them...
 
Blorzoga said:
So this brilliant idea would only work if you were foolish enough to invest in one of the gimmicky, non-protective, overpriced smart covers. Meh.
Click to expand...

Actually it would also work with any magnetized flip covers and full cases, there are several already announced. No reason you have to use Apples cover, any magnetized cover/case would suffice. Thanks for the constructive comment btw.

I'm advocating ONLY the use of a single smart cover flap, so the comments about how to get the rest of the flaps to work don't matter. As for the non smart cover owners, there simply needs to be a setting to use lockscreen notifications on the entire screen if you don't have a smartcover, or have the option to use them in the peek screen if you do have a smartcover. It's really not rocket science and some of you are overthinking it.
 
uiop. said:
Grand idea until someone tries to use their iPad in the dark.
Click to expand...

good point, hadn't thought of this, but still there should be some workarounds to it, for example, if one bit of the flap is open, then it tells the camera to open too until it closes, or it tells the light sensor that if one flap is open then expect some light to come from the lcd of course. there are ways to do it for sure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back