Android and WP get away with larger screens partly because of not placing the Back at the upper left, which is inconvenient for most users. Android doesn't get a total freebie here though. It defaults to tabs at the top, just to be different from iOS.
Some Android devices put hardware back buttons on the side but this was mainly before they had global software navigation:
The position of those buttons has an advantage but Android's scheme is confusing because the same buttons do different things in different contexts (yes I am aware of the volume-up/shutter button but it's the exception). Also, you don't always need the buttons but they always use the space. Apple's home button works better than the software home button because as soon as you see the device, you know what to do - it's almost like a power button. While they could have a gesture bar at the bottom and have things like swipe right to go back, it doesn't work in landscape. They could have a swipe from the left (like notification center) and this has been done by 3rd parties but the biggest problem is that nothing expect a back button at the top works in a partitioned screen. If you have a view like settings in the iPad, the back button sits in the right-hand partition.
I think it would be quite good if the home button was capacitive (even if it was in addition to being physical) and that way press-hold or press goes home, swiping right goes back, swiping left can go forward again, swiping up does multi-tasking, swiping down opens notification center (swipe up to dismiss) and it would execute the action in the best way. It would track which view partition you were just using.
The position of those buttons has an advantage but Android's scheme is confusing because the same buttons do different things in different contexts (yes I am aware of the volume-up/shutter button but it's the exception).
I agree. I think that's the most confusing thing to people moving over from iOS. They expect the Back button to stop at the app's topmost level.
Also, you don't always need the buttons but they always use the space.
Of course, the Apple Home button always uses space (lots of it, since it's round).
Android buttons can actually go away in some modes if they're part of the screen. For example, I just took these two screenshots from a Galaxy Nexus. In fullscreen video mode, the buttons and statusbar disappear, and the whole front of the phone is used:
Quote:
Apple's home button works better than the software home button because as soon as you see the device, you know what to do - it's almost like a power button.
I think the Home button on the iPhone is one of the best ideas ever. It's like a safety net and it's easy.
Moreover, it neatly solved a common problem of the time, especially with a new OS: a need for a way for the user to recover from a runaway program or an OS glitch. By using a physical button, with an electrical interrupt to the CPU, the user actually "reset" the OS every single time they clicked Home. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
The downside later on, was that with only one button, Apple has had to shoehorn extra functionality into it via multiple clicks.
Quote:
I think it would be quite good if the home button was capacitive (even if it was in addition to being physical) and that way press-hold or press goes home, swiping right goes back, swiping left can go forward again, swiping up does multi-tasking, swiping down opens notification center (swipe up to dismiss) and it would execute the action in the best way. It would track which view partition you were just using.
Yep, there are lots of things that could be done.
For example, I liked WebOS and its multitasking control gestures. It was intuitive and fun to use.
I also liked a phone I had with a capacitive zoom bar under the screen. Super easy one-handed zooming on most pages. Very smart.
Some Android devices put hardware back buttons on the side but this was mainly before they had global software navigation: http://developer.android.com/design/patterns/navigation.html
The position of those buttons has an advantage but Android's scheme is confusing because the same buttons do different things in different contexts (yes I am aware of the volume-up/shutter button but it's the exception). Also, you don't always need the buttons but they always use the space. Apple's home button works better than the software home button because as soon as you see the device, you know what to do - it's almost like a power button. While they could have a gesture bar at the bottom and have things like swipe right to go back, it doesn't work in landscape. They could have a swipe from the left (like notification center) and this has been done by 3rd parties but the biggest problem is that nothing expect a back button at the top works in a partitioned screen. If you have a view like settings in the iPad, the back button sits in the right-hand partition.
I think it would be quite good if the home button was capacitive (even if it was in addition to being physical) and that way press-hold or press goes home, swiping right goes back, swiping left can go forward again, swiping up does multi-tasking, swiping down opens notification center (swipe up to dismiss) and it would execute the action in the best way. It would track which view partition you were just using.
This is where I hope that the whole bottom will be a touch panel single button but supports gestures and tap to go home, this is like the current Macintosh trackpad.
This is where I hope that the whole bottom will be a touch panel single button but supports gestures and tap to go home, this is like the current Macintosh trackpad.
Apple needs to be working on functional and UI innovations. The iPhone is not a toy, and shouldn't be marketed as such. SJ had an eye and focus on both functional, usability and style which made Apple profitable and innovative.
Then there is this thinner and thinner crowd at Apple. There certainly is internal functional improvements that come with the ability to compress which can translate into functional improvements, but even under SJ I got bored with this promotion. Certainly the ability of compress components allowed the iPad to be shrunk to the iPad Mini, which is quite an impressive product, so this compression process can result in important products.
I hope Ive can revive Apple's innovation, because that innovation seems lagging at the present.
Apple needs to be working on functional and UI innovations. The iPhone is not a toy, and shouldn't be marketed as such. SJ had an eye and focus on both functional, usability and style which made Apple profitable and innovative.
Then there is this thinner and thinner crowd at Apple. There certainly is internal functional improvements that come with the ability to compress which can translate into functional improvements, but even under SJ I got bored with this promotion. Certainly the ability of compress components allowed the iPad to be shrunk to the iPad Mini, which is quite an impressive product, so this compression process can result in important products.
I hope Ive can revive Apple's innovation, because that innovation seems lagging at the present.
I personally think that as electronics become smaller, we're going to begin seeing more functional improvements, and one of those improvements is going to be the implementation of more durable components. We're already seeing tougher materials being utilized in manufacturing and hopefully we'll see the day when drop/dust/water proof devices (hopefully Apple) are standard without having to utilize a third-party case for protection.
In Jobs' biography, Jon Ive says that he was the one who came up with the idea of using multi-touch for future Apple projects. He had a secret group work on it until it was good enough for a demo, and then he sprang it on Jobs, who immediately saw that it was perfect for the iPhone.
If that's a true story, then we have Ive to thank.
Also, if that's a true story, it's a bit sad that Jobs never publicly gave him credit.
In Jobs' biography, Jon Ive says that he was the one who came up with the idea of using multi-touch for future Apple projects. He had a secret group work on it until it was good enough for a demo, and then he sprang it on Jobs, who immediately saw that it was perfect for the iPhone.
If that's a true story, then we have Ive to thank.
There are a number of people listed on the patents:
It makes life easier to assign all the credit to one person but in reality, Apple isn't a one-man show and never has been. Good ideas don't have to come from a select few either. They can just as easily come from the toilet cleaner as an SVP.
I have an iPhone 5 currently and I wonder what is it going to take to get me out of my iPhone 5 and into an iPhone 5S or iPhone 6.
Assuming nearly every software feature in iOS7 turns up in iPhone 5, that leaves the hardware.
New colors? Nope
Fingerprint scanner and E-wallet functionality? Nope
4" sub 720P screen? Nope
Recycled iPhone 5 chassis? Nope
Same battery life? Nope
In English, I'm mostly content with my iPhone 5 and Apple would need to raise the bar quite a bit to get me into a new iPhone.
And I don't believe phone size alone dictates one handed usage. You can easily go to a 4.5" screen and maintain one handed use as long as you tailor your UI elements to be in the quadrants most accessible to thumbs. My last android phone was a Sprint Galaxy S2 and usability was never an issue, even on a 4.5" screen, but that's my personal limit. Phones over that size feel obnoxiously large.
I have an iPhone 5 currently and I wonder what is it going to take to get me out of my iPhone 5 and into an iPhone 5S or iPhone 6.
It should have a PowerVR 6 Rogue GPU. While that won't be useful to everyone, it's a compelling upgrade with OpenGL ES 3 and OpenCL support. It should be powerful enough to port mainstream games over in full.
I'm mostly content with my iPhone 5 and Apple would need to raise the bar quite a bit to get me into a new iPhone.
Is there a requirement to get a new phone every year? If you are happy with what you have, save your money. If anything they should lower the bar to let the competition catch up.
Comments
Some Android devices put hardware back buttons on the side but this was mainly before they had global software navigation:
http://developer.android.com/design/patterns/navigation.html
The position of those buttons has an advantage but Android's scheme is confusing because the same buttons do different things in different contexts (yes I am aware of the volume-up/shutter button but it's the exception). Also, you don't always need the buttons but they always use the space. Apple's home button works better than the software home button because as soon as you see the device, you know what to do - it's almost like a power button. While they could have a gesture bar at the bottom and have things like swipe right to go back, it doesn't work in landscape. They could have a swipe from the left (like notification center) and this has been done by 3rd parties but the biggest problem is that nothing expect a back button at the top works in a partitioned screen. If you have a view like settings in the iPad, the back button sits in the right-hand partition.
I think it would be quite good if the home button was capacitive (even if it was in addition to being physical) and that way press-hold or press goes home, swiping right goes back, swiping left can go forward again, swiping up does multi-tasking, swiping down opens notification center (swipe up to dismiss) and it would execute the action in the best way. It would track which view partition you were just using.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
The position of those buttons has an advantage but Android's scheme is confusing because the same buttons do different things in different contexts (yes I am aware of the volume-up/shutter button but it's the exception).
I agree. I think that's the most confusing thing to people moving over from iOS. They expect the Back button to stop at the app's topmost level.
Also, you don't always need the buttons but they always use the space.
Of course, the Apple Home button always uses space (lots of it, since it's round).
Android buttons can actually go away in some modes if they're part of the screen. For example, I just took these two screenshots from a Galaxy Nexus. In fullscreen video mode, the buttons and statusbar disappear, and the whole front of the phone is used:
Quote:
Apple's home button works better than the software home button because as soon as you see the device, you know what to do - it's almost like a power button.
I think the Home button on the iPhone is one of the best ideas ever. It's like a safety net and it's easy.
Moreover, it neatly solved a common problem of the time, especially with a new OS: a need for a way for the user to recover from a runaway program or an OS glitch. By using a physical button, with an electrical interrupt to the CPU, the user actually "reset" the OS every single time they clicked Home. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.
The downside later on, was that with only one button, Apple has had to shoehorn extra functionality into it via multiple clicks.
Quote:
I think it would be quite good if the home button was capacitive (even if it was in addition to being physical) and that way press-hold or press goes home, swiping right goes back, swiping left can go forward again, swiping up does multi-tasking, swiping down opens notification center (swipe up to dismiss) and it would execute the action in the best way. It would track which view partition you were just using.
Yep, there are lots of things that could be done.
For example, I liked WebOS and its multitasking control gestures. It was intuitive and fun to use.
I also liked a phone I had with a capacitive zoom bar under the screen. Super easy one-handed zooming on most pages. Very smart.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curtis Hannah
This is where I hope that the whole bottom will be a touch panel single button but supports gestures and tap to go home, this is like the current Macintosh trackpad.
I agree with this.
I think we may see this in iPhone 6 or 7.
Then there is this thinner and thinner crowd at Apple. There certainly is internal functional improvements that come with the ability to compress which can translate into functional improvements, but even under SJ I got bored with this promotion. Certainly the ability of compress components allowed the iPad to be shrunk to the iPad Mini, which is quite an impressive product, so this compression process can result in important products.
I hope Ive can revive Apple's innovation, because that innovation seems lagging at the present.
Quote:
Originally Posted by waldobushman
I hope Ive can revive Apple's innovation, because that innovation seems lagging at the present.
I guess Apple isn't going to present really new ideas soon. What kind of product don't they have in the tech area?
The user interface revolution of the smartphone world is done, that was the real innovation of apple in that area.
But now it's the usual race. Bigger, better, faster, stronger. But nothing really new or innovative.
But maybe I'm totally wrong and that's the reason I don't work in a R&D department.
Quote:
Originally Posted by changeover
I guess Apple isn't going to present really new ideas soon. What kind of product don't they have in the tech area?
The user interface revolution of the smartphone world is done, that was the real innovation of apple in that area.
But now it's the usual race. Bigger, better, faster, stronger. But nothing really new or innovative.
But maybe I'm totally wrong and that's the reason I don't work in a R&D department.
We'll see anyway. It's not like there aren't a lot of products lines that Apple could step into... TV, cars, makeup, intelligent clothing, whatever...
Quote:
Originally Posted by waldobushman
Apple needs to be working on functional and UI innovations. The iPhone is not a toy, and shouldn't be marketed as such. SJ had an eye and focus on both functional, usability and style which made Apple profitable and innovative.
Then there is this thinner and thinner crowd at Apple. There certainly is internal functional improvements that come with the ability to compress which can translate into functional improvements, but even under SJ I got bored with this promotion. Certainly the ability of compress components allowed the iPad to be shrunk to the iPad Mini, which is quite an impressive product, so this compression process can result in important products.
I hope Ive can revive Apple's innovation, because that innovation seems lagging at the present.
I personally think that as electronics become smaller, we're going to begin seeing more functional improvements, and one of those improvements is going to be the implementation of more durable components. We're already seeing tougher materials being utilized in manufacturing and hopefully we'll see the day when drop/dust/water proof devices (hopefully Apple) are standard without having to utilize a third-party case for protection.
How much of apple's innovation is driven by Ives?
Great design yes.
New product ideas?
Not as much as a lot of folks seem to think. I wonder who the visionary is and if they actually have one within the executive ranks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nht
How much of apple's innovation is driven by Ives?
Good question.
In Jobs' biography, Jon Ive says that he was the one who came up with the idea of using multi-touch for future Apple projects. He had a secret group work on it until it was good enough for a demo, and then he sprang it on Jobs, who immediately saw that it was perfect for the iPhone.
If that's a true story, then we have Ive to thank.
Also, if that's a true story, it's a bit sad that Jobs never publicly gave him credit.
There are a number of people listed on the patents:
http://www.google.com/patents/US7843427
http://www.google.com/patents/US7479949
http://www.google.com/patents/US20060026536
It makes life easier to assign all the credit to one person but in reality, Apple isn't a one-man show and never has been. Good ideas don't have to come from a select few either. They can just as easily come from the toilet cleaner as an SVP.
I have an iPhone 5 currently and I wonder what is it going to take to get me out of my iPhone 5 and into an iPhone 5S or iPhone 6.
Assuming nearly every software feature in iOS7 turns up in iPhone 5, that leaves the hardware.
New colors? Nope
Fingerprint scanner and E-wallet functionality? Nope
4" sub 720P screen? Nope
Recycled iPhone 5 chassis? Nope
Same battery life? Nope
In English, I'm mostly content with my iPhone 5 and Apple would need to raise the bar quite a bit to get me into a new iPhone.
And I don't believe phone size alone dictates one handed usage. You can easily go to a 4.5" screen and maintain one handed use as long as you tailor your UI elements to be in the quadrants most accessible to thumbs. My last android phone was a Sprint Galaxy S2 and usability was never an issue, even on a 4.5" screen, but that's my personal limit. Phones over that size feel obnoxiously large.
It should have a PowerVR 6 Rogue GPU. While that won't be useful to everyone, it's a compelling upgrade with OpenGL ES 3 and OpenCL support. It should be powerful enough to port mainstream games over in full.
You can make it 1080p if you like but you won't see the difference unless you have special retinas.
Is there a requirement to get a new phone every year? If you are happy with what you have, save your money. If anything they should lower the bar to let the competition catch up.
What you are using the phone for plays a part in it.
Then the 4" iPhone fits within your limit and avoids being above someone else's limit.