Apple brings user customization to iOS 8 Notification Center, share buttons
Customization will be a key part of Apple's upcoming iOS 8 mobile operating system, as users will gain the ability to choose widgets for the Notification Center's "Today" view, and also control which functions are available via the system's multipurpose Sharing Extension menus.
In the first beta of iOS 8 provided to developers this week, scrolling to the bottom of the Today screen in Notification Center presents a brand new "Edit" button. Pressing this then brings up a list of items included in the Today view, which can be rearranged or deleted.
By default, the Today view in iOS 8 has the following items in this order:
Removing one of these moves it to a "Do Not Include" space, hiding it from the Today view. Today Summary and Traffic Conditions are permanently pinned to the top of the view if they are left displayed, while Tomorrow Summary sits at the bottom. Users can rearrange the order of Calendar, Reminders and Stocks.
Of course, third-party applications downloaded from the App Store will be able to come with their own Notification Center widgets in iOS 8. This means users will be able to add widgets of their choosing for quick access to information like sports scores or current eBay auctions -- two uses highlighted by Apple at this week's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote.
Customization in iOS 8 will also extend to Sharing Extensions, the quick multi-purpose menu buttons Apple has scattered throughout its mobile operating system. Previously, users were provided with a set of potential actions with built-in and third-party apps listed in a predetermined fashion.
But with iOS 8, users will be able to scroll and tap a "More" button that will allow them to customize the layout and list of potential actions in a Share Sheets button.
This customization includes the ability to remove listings for third-party services that users may not utilize, such as Flickr or Vimeo. And if a user typically shares a picture or video to Facebook or Twitter, the sharing options can be reorganized to make those services the top two choices.
The customization also extends to additional controls found in the share button, allowing users to reorganize tasks such as Copy, Slideshow, AirPlay, Assign to Contact, Use as Wallpaper, or Print.
In the first beta of iOS 8 provided to developers this week, scrolling to the bottom of the Today screen in Notification Center presents a brand new "Edit" button. Pressing this then brings up a list of items included in the Today view, which can be rearranged or deleted.
By default, the Today view in iOS 8 has the following items in this order:
- Today
- Traffic Conditions
- Calendar
- Reminders
- Stocks
- Tomorrow Summary
Removing one of these moves it to a "Do Not Include" space, hiding it from the Today view. Today Summary and Traffic Conditions are permanently pinned to the top of the view if they are left displayed, while Tomorrow Summary sits at the bottom. Users can rearrange the order of Calendar, Reminders and Stocks.
Of course, third-party applications downloaded from the App Store will be able to come with their own Notification Center widgets in iOS 8. This means users will be able to add widgets of their choosing for quick access to information like sports scores or current eBay auctions -- two uses highlighted by Apple at this week's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote.
Customization in iOS 8 will also extend to Sharing Extensions, the quick multi-purpose menu buttons Apple has scattered throughout its mobile operating system. Previously, users were provided with a set of potential actions with built-in and third-party apps listed in a predetermined fashion.
But with iOS 8, users will be able to scroll and tap a "More" button that will allow them to customize the layout and list of potential actions in a Share Sheets button.
This customization includes the ability to remove listings for third-party services that users may not utilize, such as Flickr or Vimeo. And if a user typically shares a picture or video to Facebook or Twitter, the sharing options can be reorganized to make those services the top two choices.
The customization also extends to additional controls found in the share button, allowing users to reorganize tasks such as Copy, Slideshow, AirPlay, Assign to Contact, Use as Wallpaper, or Print.
Comments
Novice users will easily be able to add widgets from apps they already have without having to go to a separate widget store (ie OS X) and with the simple "More" option in the share sheet it's easy to customize share options for apps that already have social sharing capabilities.
IMO iOS 8 is a home run. Apple listened to customers that wanted more customization without adding layers of complexity and confusion (ie Android).
Agreed.
For those that feel iOS 8 was a minor release on the feature side, they simply don't see the limitless potential apple has given developers to make iOS 8 the most powerful usable iOS yet.
The addition of customizable widgets and sharing is huge for iOS and huge for the consumer.
Yes android had those features, but they were not implemented as elegantly and as user friendly as Apple has presented with iOS 8. Consumers will have no problem taking advantage of all iOS 8 has to offer.
Agreed.
For those that feel iOS 8 was a minor release on the feature side, they simply don't see the limitless potential apple has given developers to make iOS 8 the most powerful usable iOS yet.
The addition of customizable widgets and sharing is huge for iOS and huge for the consumer.
Yes android had those features, but they were not implemented as elegantly and as user friendly as Apple has presented with iOS 8. Consumers will have no problem taking advantage of all iOS 8 has to offer.
I agree. It is basically the following philosophy.
Android: You can do {insert function here} from the get go. Figure out how you want to do it.
iOS: No, you can't do {insert function here}. [Year later] No, still can't do that. [Another year later] Ok, here it is, and here is how it will be implemented.
I don't think control center is seeing any changes. The mobile hotspot changes do sound more convenient as long as you are connecting from an Apple device.
I haven't really played around with hotspots that much, but I think they do connect using wifi, so your iPad would need to have wifi turned on. I'm hoping that the system will be smart enough to default to a normal wifi network and automatically switch to a mobile hotspot when regular wifi isn't available. If that is the case, you could simulate the experience of having a cellular iPad without having the expense.
Either way, I doubt I will be buying any more cellular enabled iPads.
I don't think control center is seeing any changes. The mobile hotspot changes do sound more convenient as long as you are connecting from an Apple device.
I haven't really played around with hotspots that much, but I think they do connect using wifi, so your iPad would need to have wifi turned on. I'm hoping that the system will be smart enough to default to a normal wifi network and automatically switch to a mobile hotspot when regular wifi isn't available. If that is the case, you could simulate the experience of having a cellular iPad without having the expense.
Either way, I doubt I will be buying any more cellular enabled iPads.
iPad with cellular is not that much more expensive and the experience is much better. Hotspot kills the iPhone's battery life, so I don't see much practical use here, unless your iPad is RARELY connecting to it.
With Apple starting to open up iOS more and more, I think there's getting less and less reasons to jailbreak your iOS device. I don't do it anyways because I don't need to, but I'll make the assumption that its getting less and less necessary with newer iOS releases. I'm sure there are still things you can't do in iOS 8, but it looks like those things are going to come.
I jailbroke my iPad to run an N64 emulator (which was handy), and to change ONE number in ONE line of ONE plist that prevented me from outputting the OS systemwide to a screen. Because Apple felt, for some reason, that it couldn’t do it. But it can, gloriously.
It’s not jailbroken now, and I don’t imagine I’ll do it again, though I may. It’s not like there’s Whited00r for iPad, after all.
Yeah, that's the trade off. But for $120 plus a monthly fee, it's hard to justify cellular given the way I use my iPad. Mobile hotspot will work just fine for road trips where I can charge my devices off my car.
I believe this has long been one of Apple's greatest strengths and goes a long way in customers' minds. This will definitely lead to further success for Apple, IMHO.
I think the fact that we have barely heard anything about jailbreaking in the last year is evidence that this is already taking place.
Can someone kindly post the new iOS 8 Share Sheet in Safari please?
Seems like it's gonna be a long set up time to individually go into every app and tell it what you want it to do .
No longer than a regular widget.
I jailbroke my iPad to run an N64 emulator (which was handy), and to change ONE number in ONE line of ONE plist that prevented me from outputting the OS systemwide to a screen. Because Apple felt, for some reason, that it couldn’t do it. But it can, gloriously.
It’s not jailbroken now, and I don’t imagine I’ll do it again, though I may. It’s not like there’s Whited00r for iPad, after all.
I want this!
On a related note... It's so funny the effect one good WWDC keynote can have on the perception of Apple. There is now a palpable sense of the direction Apple is going and real excitement from developers about what is possible. There's almost as much excitement as when Steve first introduced the iPhone. I'm serious!
It's so funny the effect one good WWDC keynote can have on the perception of Apple. There is now a palpable sense of the direction Apple is going and real excitement from developers about what is possible.
It was probably the most feature-filled keynote since before the iPhone 4S announcement. It had a lot of depth to it that we’ve been missing for a little while. That goes a long way to turning around the doomsayers.
It was probably the most feature-filled keynote since before the iPhone 4S announcement. It had a lot of depth to it that we’ve been missing for a little while. That goes a long way to turning around the doomsayers.
It's been a lot of fun trying to catch the backpedalers and pundits who were blathering about iWatches and such before the keynote.
Can someone kindly post the new iOS 8 Share Sheet in Safari please?
Me too. If you have an iPhone, what do you gain from having a cellular iPad? GPS is the only thing I can think of. Of course, battery life drains quicker on the iPhone, but other than those two things, that's it. And if I need to add data, I can do it on the iPhone. Might as well save £80 and get wifi only.