Next iPhone software update to deliver Safari, App Store tweaks

[AppleInsider]

Apple last week began testing iPhone Software v2.2 beta 1, the next software update for the iPhone and iPod touch that will deliver, among other things, subtle interface changes to Safari and a new version of the company's App Store application.

The update, expected to be released next month, has thus far shown no signs of including support for background push notification -- a feature original promised for September, but pushed back slightly as development remains a work-in-progress.

Safari

People familiar with the first beta of version 2.2 have reported a handful of smaller changes, however, such as a redesign of Safari's address bar that presents web page titles more clearly.

It also sports a relocation of the Google search field, which is now displayed to the right of the URL field by default. Under existing versions of the iPhone OS, users must tap the address bar to reveal Google search capability.

iPhone Software v2.1 (left) compared to iPhone Software v2.2 (right).

App Store

Separately, developers have also noted a couple of changes to the App Store application shipping with the first beta of iPhone Software 2.2.

Among them is a new categories page that will feature large category icons -- not yet functional -- and more generous spacing between each listing.

iPhone Software v2.1 (left) compared to iPhone Software v2.2 (right).

Apple is also reported to have tweaked display pages for individual applications, shifting the "Tell a Friend" option from the title bar to just below the reviews summary, and adding a "Report a Problem" function that will allow shoppers to inform the company of problematic apps.

iPhone Software v2.1 (left) compared to iPhone Software v2.2 (right).

The changes to the App Store application remain a work-in-progress and are likely to be influenced by ongoing modifications to the App Store as a whole, several of which were covered earlier today.

AppleInsider reader 'Thinnovation' helped contribute to this report.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Ireland]

I bet before next Christmas (2009) Apple will bring out a Apple store App.

Seriously though, Apple need to get on and add that Copy & Paste; they're becoming a joke Among other smartphone users for this at this stage. Copy & paste of text using the magnifier (2 second hold still) will do.

[Stormchild]

I dislike the new Safari address bar. It simply reduces the visible portion of the URL, making it *harder* to see where you are. The Google field is completely useless and a massive waste of space; the smaller magnifying glass icon that brings it up as a full-width field is much better. I really hope they abandon this failed "redesign" and keep Safari the way it is now.

[czardmitri]

Originally Posted by Stormchild

I dislike the new Safari address bar. It simply reduces the visible portion of the URL, making it *harder* to see where you are. The Google field is completely useless and a massive waste of space; the smaller magnifying glass icon that brings it up as a full-width field is much better. I really hope they abandon this failed "redesign" and keep Safari the way it is now.

My thoughts exactly. The google bar is available now when I want it, but is put away when I don't.

[Matthew Yohe]

Originally Posted by Stormchild

I dislike the new Safari address bar. It simply reduces the visible portion of the URL, making it *harder* to see where you are. The Google field is completely useless and a massive waste of space; the smaller magnifying glass icon that brings it up as a full-width field is much better. I really hope they abandon this failed "redesign" and keep Safari the way it is now.

They must've had some problems with naive subjects not understanding that the magnifying glass means "Google Search." You know this, but obviously others don't.

It makes sense to mimic the desktop safari look.

Also, we haven't seen it in action.

[palegolas]

Originally Posted by Ireland

I bet before next Christmas (2009) Apple will bring out a Apple store App.

Seriously though, Apple need to get on and add that Copy & Paste; they're becoming a joke Among other smartphone users for this at this stage. Copy & paste of text using the magnifier (2 second hold still) will do.

The day I find a good journal app for the iPhone is the day I will really beg for a copy paste. Right now I get by fine without it.
My solution for copy:
"Double tap and drag" to select, autowraps selection on complete words, once the selection is done it's automatically copied.
My solution for paste and other things:
"Double tap and hold" could somewhat equal right click and bring up some slide-to-alternatives such as paste and other functions. This could look a bit like that japanese Kana keyboard that features that very neat 4-way slide select interface.

[VinitaBoy]

Actually, Ireland, all of the other "smart" phones have become the laughing stock of the industry for not having a viable OS and multi-touch technology! The first Android phone doesn't even have an earphone jack! IS THAT HYSTERICAL OR WHAT?

[PG4G]

Wow... this is exciting news about 2.2... NOT!

[Daniel0418]

Originally Posted by Matthew Yohe

They must've had some problems with naive subjects not understanding that the magnifying glass means "Google Search." You know this, but obviously others don't.

It makes sense to mimic the desktop safari look.

Also, we haven't seen it in action.

sigh... I agree but also we don't know how it looks once the google portion is clicked on and typed in. Also I'm pissed because this story has no mention of fixing all the crashing during safari browsing... if they don't fix im going phone shop... I don't need all these useless applications and an inaccurate gps... All I want is a good browser with accurate gps and copy paste. The g1 is looking better and better everyday.

[Virgil-TB2]

This is a pretty weak set of changes. The phrase "re-arranging the deck-chairs on the Titanic" comes to mind for some reason. Of course, it's not a perfect fit as I don't think the iPhone OS is actually "going down" like the Titanic did, but it's certainly a lot of fuss about nothing, and there are certainly a lot more substantive problems with the UI and the OS that could be addressed first.

The re-arrangement of the Safari address bar is especially galling to me as it will actually make my experience worse.

The Internet on the iPhone is better than the Internet on any other mobile hand-held, but let's face it, it's still not that good and is really only for emergencies. I discovered on the first day that the standalone Google app for iPhone is yards better, more convenient, and quicker than trying to use Google from within mobile Safari. Thus I never even use Google on mobile Safari.

This "improvement" will shorten the menu bar space, make it harder to put one's big fat fingers in the right place, and basically do nothing for me in return.

Apple really needs to get behind the idea of having more options, both in Safari, in iPhone OS in general. What's wrong with allowing people to chose which format they like instead of just unilaterally changing it and forcing millions of users around the world to do it their way? I am starting to get really sick of these things lately.

[hoopus]

I just bought my iPhone last week and was VERY surprised that I couldn't log into my YouTube account from the iPhone app.

I'd also like sorting options for my apps (most used, alpha, etc.) but perhaps that's an uncommon desire.

[Haggar]

Apple needs to start showing the dates and times of all user submitted reviews. Otherwise, it's almost impossible to tell which version of an application the review is referring to.

[hittrj01]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apple needs to start showing the dates and times of all user submitted reviews. Otherwise, it's almost impossible to tell which version of an application the review is referring to.

It's easy enough to do on the desktop iTunes, just sort reviews by Most Recent. I agree, though, they need something similar on the iPhone App Store, and don't understand why it hasn't been done already. Plus, add reviews to the WiFi music store like they have on the desktop iTunes, that should have been there in the beginning as well.

[smokeonit]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Apple needs to start showing the dates and times of all user submitted reviews. Otherwise, it's almost impossible to tell which version of an application the review is referring to.

why not a little more practical: just add the s/w version when the user comment was submitted... and the date as a small addition, but the most important detail is what s/w version the comment refers to...

[Galley]

Safari redesign: thumbs down
App Store redesign: thumbs up

[iPond317]

Wow, UI changes in Safari? Are you kidding? How about actually fixing all the bugs with Safari, I can't stand it crashing almost every time I want to type in a text field!

Still waiting on cut/copy/paste, but we all know it's not high on the list of things to-do.

[ksec]

Originally Posted by iPond317

Wow, UI changes in Safari? Are you kidding? How about actually fixing all the bugs with Safari, I can't stand it crashing almost every time I want to type in a text field!

Still waiting on cut/copy/paste, but we all know it's not high on the list of things to-do.

Exactly. Give me new javascipt engine SquirrelFish Extreme, 10x more stable webkit, before anything like UI changes.

[F1Turbo]

Can they make so Safari doesn't crash almost every time I use it? Seriously, it's terrible.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by VinitaBoy

Actually, Ireland, all of the other "smart" phones have become the laughing stock of the industry for not having a viable OS and multi-touch technology! The first Android phone doesn't even have an earphone jack! IS THAT HYSTERICAL OR WHAT?

The issue is not that iPhone isn't better, the issue is it doesn't have one of the most basic features all other smartphone have, which is "needs". Sure, maybe it doesn't need MMS, as it has email, but it "needs" copy & paste. Every iPhone user will have a need for it. I don't have a need for it everyday, but when I do I'm simply shit out of luck. This is not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough.

As I described there is a simple solution for the copy & paste of text, and it should be added. I don't want to hear and more excuses about this. Apple isn't perfect you know. I'm saying this because I want them to add it, and because I like the iPhone. Don't get all defensive when presented with the truth. 90% of iPhone users have been begging for it for over a year now.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by F1Turbo

Can they make so Safari doesn't crash almost every time I use it? Seriously, it's terrible.

It's not easy when you have a tiny browser handling all that data, html and javascript. These things take time to get right.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by Galley

Safari redesign: thumbs down
App Store redesign: thumbs up

Curious as to why you'd think that app store redesign is bad? I always felt odd that all the categories weren't distinguishable at a glance.

[grayum]

whoopie doo - fixes with safari and the app store. can someone please report that the next update will fix issues such as dropped emails, battery problems, slow scrolling, slow response time with SMS, SMS forwarding, contact forwarding via SMS, saving a telephone number to contacts that has sent you an SMS, cut & paste, etc, etc, etc.......

[mr_cazorp]

The only enhancement I need to mobile Safari is a version that comes even close to being stable. How many versions of this OS so far, and Safari is still a piece of crap that bombs out to the home screen after a moderate amount of use, and it remains the only app capable of freezing my iPhone entirely, forcing a reboot. It's a disgrace.

[Retrogusto]

Weird, I've only had my 3G for a little over a month but I use the browser many times daily and I don't think it has crashed once. It works much better than IE on my Dell laptop at work, apart from the lack of Flash support and a smaller screen. But I agree with most of the folks here that the changes appear to be small steps in the wrong direction, especially the bit about obscuring the URL by making the google field always visible.

Still, in general these folks obviously seem to know what they're doing, so I guess I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

As for cut/paste, they must be saving it for the 2009 model--otherwise, what will they do to get people to upgrade? The thing is freaking amazing already!

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by mr_cazorp

The only enhancement I need to mobile Safari is a version that comes even close to being stable. How many versions of this OS so far, and Safari is still a piece of crap that bombs out to the home screen after a moderate amount of use, and it remains the only app capable of freezing my iPhone entirely, forcing a reboot. It's a disgrace.

Actually if you're having that many issues you might have carried bugs over from older OS versions. You may need so fully restore your iPhone. My Safari is relatively stable.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Galley

Safari redesign: thumbs down
App Store redesign: thumbs up

You mean yay for taking more screen space to show more or less the same information? OK, maybe a picture is nice, but is reading really that hard and slow?

Originally Posted by Ireland

It's not easy when you have a tiny browser handling all that data, html and javascript. These things take time to get right.

Haven't they already been working on IPhone 2.x for a year?

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by Retrogusto

But I agree with most of the folks here that the changes appear to be small steps in the wrong direction, especially the bit about obscuring the URL by making the google field always visible.

I couldn't disagree much more. In Safari on 2.2 when you tap the address field it will probably stretch to fit the whole screen, making the Google field far smaller, and tapping the Google field will probably have the oppsite effect. Thus maximizing the UI for the task at hand.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by JeffDM

Haven't they already been working on IPhone 2.x for a year?

Actually it turns out upon further examination his Safari issues run deeper. I thought he was asking too much, for zero crashes ever, but apparently his browser crashes the whole time. Mine rarely crashes.

[Galley]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Curious as to why you'd think that app store redesign is bad? I always felt odd that all the categories weren't distinguishable at a glance.

"Thumbs Up" = good

[Adjei]

Originally Posted by iPond317

Wow, UI changes in Safari? Are you kidding? How about actually fixing all the bugs with Safari, I can't stand it crashing almost every time I want to type in a text field!

Still waiting on cut/copy/paste, but we all know it's not high on the list of things to-do.

The average user doesn't give a damn about copy and paste, it's only on blogs and the internet where people make a big deal out of it, in the real world, no one seems to give a damn.

[Adjei]

Originally Posted by Ireland

The issue is not that iPhone isn't better, the issue is it doesn't have one of the most basic features all other smartphone have, which is "needs". Sure, maybe it doesn't need MMS, as it has email, but it "needs" copy & paste. Every iPhone user will have a need for it. I don't have a need for it everyday, but when I do I'm simply shit out of luck. This is not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough. Not good enough.

As I described there is a simple solution for the copy & paste of text, and it should be added. I don't want to hear and more excuses about this. Apple isn't perfect you know. I'm saying this because I want them to add it, and because I like the iPhone. Don't get all defensive when presented with the truth. 90% of iPhone users have been begging for it for over a year now.

90 percent of iphone users, what a joke, in the world no one gives a damn about copy and paste on a phone, how did you come up with that 90 percent number.

[Adjei]

Originally Posted by Retrogusto

Weird, I've only had my 3G for a little over a month but I use the browser many times daily and I don't think it has crashed once. It works much better than IE on my Dell laptop at work, apart from the lack of Flash support and a smaller screen. But I agree with most of the folks here that the changes appear to be small steps in the wrong direction, especially the bit about obscuring the URL by making the google field always visible.

Still, in general these folks obviously seem to know what they're doing, so I guess I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.

As for cut/paste, they must be saving it for the 2009 model--otherwise, what will they do to get people to upgrade? The thing is freaking amazing already!

The thing is browsing on an iphone is not the same as browsing on a desktop/laptop. The iphone doesn't have that much power compared to a real computer. I've found that the only if I open too many windows that's when the crashes happen so now I'm able to adjust and open less windows and have less crashes, I usually have 1 or 2 windows open and everything works out fine. Most of these problems will be fixed as the device gets more powerful.

[bloggerblog]

I hope they fix the Update feature in the App Store. In its current state, the App Store requires you to delete your app before installing the update, this wasn't the case with 2.0

[grayum]

Originally Posted by Adjei

90 percent of iphone users, what a joke, in the world no one gives a damn about copy and paste on a phone, how did you come up with that 90 percent number.

no one in the whole wide world?

[Elijahg]

Originally Posted by Ireland

The issue is not that iPhone isn't better, the issue is it doesn't have one of the most basic features all other smartphone have, which is "needs". Sure, maybe it doesn't need MMS, as it has email, but it "needs" copy & paste. Every iPhone user will have a need for it.

[...]

90% of iPhone users have been begging for it for over a year now.

I've not had a need for it, and nor have four others I know with an iPhone. A few people on blogs and forums cry out for it, but that doesn't constitute 90% of iPhone users. More likely 10% of iPhone users talk about the device on forums, and even less want copy and paste.

[StuffOfInterest]

One enhancement I'd really like to see is the ability for music apps (such as Pandora, Last.fm, AOL Radio, and FlyCast) to run in the background the way the iPod app can. The OS needs to provide a handle (aka, "semaphore") which one and only one app can grab at a time to allow background operation for music playing. This would allow me to listen to music on Pandora while continuing to surf the web.

[StuffOfInterest]

Originally Posted by bloggerblog

I hope they fix the Update feature in the App Store. In its current state, the App Store requires you to delete your app before installing the update, this wasn't the case with 2.0

I had this problem as well. It persisted through an update from 2.0.x to 2.1. The way I finally made it go away was to do a full restore on the phone. Now I can update apps just fine again.

[success]

Originally Posted by Retrogusto

It works much better than IE on my Dell laptop at work...SNIP

I feel your pain. NOT.

[Adjei]

Originally Posted by grayum

no one in the whole wide world?

I mean regular users who buy iphones who make up the majority of people buying them and not users on the internet or on blogs or forums like this, people on these forums and the blogs are in the minority.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by Ireland

Actually it turns out upon further examination his Safari issues run deeper. I thought he was asking too much, for zero crashes ever, but apparently his browser crashes the whole time. Mine rarely crashes.

You are a data point of one arguing with another data point of one. How do you argue that you are right? How do you know that you're not seeing much by the way of crashes because the sites you visit don't use a particular feature that causes problems?

That said, I've seen some crashes, more than I consider acceptable given how little I use that program, and solipsism has noted that Safari on 2.x is considerably less stable than 1.x for him.