Apple developing always-on iPhone status indicators

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 41
    Better yet, when you select the phone app, before a number or a contact has actually been chosen, the proximity sensor indicates you have the phone next to your ear and that you want to say the name/number rather than select if from the list of contacts.



    Simple, right?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Perhaps not another button, but added use for a button for voice dialing would be nice. For example, holing down the sleep button or home button for 2 seconds to enable the mic for voice dialing. However, these seem clunky to me. I think a better solution would be to put an additional button under the volume controls on the side.



  • Reply 22 of 41
    They could just go with OLED and not have to worry about any of this. As there is no need for a backlight. It is entirely possible to light each pixel separately.



    Would be cool. You're mail icon would light up if you have a message. It could even bounce like on a desktop dock.

    You could have full screen animations for alerts. All without having to turn on and off a backlight.
  • Reply 23 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RichL View Post


    Interesting idea but I wonder how they're going to prevent screen burn?



    I know Nokia phones already do something similar to this but the indicator screen is B&W and the indicator moves around the screen to prevent screen burn.



    You can't get screen burn on an LCD panel.
  • Reply 24 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wilma View Post


    To call the last number you dialed you have to:

    1) push the power or home button

    2) swipe the screen

    3) select the phone app

    4) select the phone number (recents or dial pad)

    5) make the call call



    WAY too many steps for me, when I could just push ONE button if available. If you are in the habit of accidentally hitting the call button, then they should add a way to disable it.



    If you like a phone that scratches the second you look at it, yeah I guess it's gorgeous. I'd rather have one that stands up better to everyday use, without the need for a clumsy case.



    Wow, sounds like you are just plain lazy. You want someone to make one button for redial, and then diable it so you don't accidently hit it? Do you realize how retarded that is? And how many steps would you need to go through to enable the button so you can push it to redial?



    The iPhone doesn't scratch easily. My wife keeps hers in her purse and there isn't a scratch on it.
  • Reply 25 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by m2002brian View Post


    They could just go with OLED and not have to worry about any of this. As there is no need for a backlight. It is entirely possible to light each pixel separately.



    Would be cool. You're mail icon would light up if you have a message. It could even bounce like on a desktop dock.

    You could have full screen animations for alerts. All without having to turn on and off a backlight.



    They should use a small e-ink display. Virtually no battery power needed.
  • Reply 26 of 41
    I don't see this as anything but a great innovative idea. Think of it like the touchscreen scenario for buttons: if you have a great idea for phone alerts, you can't glue on a new LED light after the phones have shipped. Make it all about software, poof! software update and you have a new smart alert for your already purchased phone.



    I see this as adding a smart, complex alert system without adding another physical light system to the phone's already crowded motherboard.



    How is this bad? Omg, I can't see my 3.5" screen as easily as a blinking LED. I have some cheese for you.
  • Reply 27 of 41
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by silverpraxis View Post


    I don't see this as anything but a great innovative idea. Think of it like the touchscreen scenario for buttons: if you have a great idea for phone alerts, you can't glue on a new LED light after the phones have shipped. Make it all about software, poof! software update and you have a new smart alert for your already purchased phone.



    I see this as adding a smart, complex alert system without adding another physical light system to the phone's already crowded motherboard.



    How is this bad? Omg, I can't see my 3.5" screen as easily as a blinking LED. I have some cheese for you.



    Reread the article, it's about a HW solution that requires a secondary display.
  • Reply 28 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Reread the article, it's about a HW solution that requires a secondary display.



    Perhaps you should as well. It talks about a secondary backlighting system for one display. I don't believe Apple is trying to produce a DS.
  • Reply 29 of 41
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JimDreamworx View Post


    An idea so simple yet not thought of before. Typical of Apple ingenuity.



    However, a patent? C'mon!



    This is something they should patent. And will easily get if in fact it hasn't been done before.
  • Reply 30 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by wilma View Post


    If you like a phone that scratches the second you look at it, yeah I guess it's gorgeous. I'd rather have one that stands up better to everyday use, without the need for a clumsy case.



    3g

    Original



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by silverpraxis View Post


    Perhaps you should as well. It talks about a secondary backlighting system for one display. I don't believe Apple is trying to produce a DS.



    The backlighting would only work on small sections of the screen at a time.
  • Reply 31 of 41
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    .........
  • Reply 32 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BlackSummerNight View Post


    Most phone have some type of indicator led that shows when a call or a messages is missed. Am I missing something?



    Yes I don't get this either. On my Sony Ericsson phone, if I've had a missed call or a message, It shows up as black information on the LCD with no backlight. This is the way most of my phones have worked. The clock, missed call logo and SMS envelope will hover around the screen while it's still locked. Are you telling me an extra backlight will be more efficient than just black pixels on an LCD screen? And are you telling me that Apple haven't even considered doing the same screensaver feature other mobile phones have been doing for years?



    Yet another reason I'm glad I still haven't bothered with the iPhone. The problem is that while the iPod was a completely new invention and therefore nobody was expecting any particular functionality out of it, people are used to phones working in a specific way. Apple didn't seem to do much research into what people like about their mobile phones and have therefore rather ignorantly done their own thing and missed off some rather important features that most phone users take for granted.



    This appears to be yet another one of those features sadly missing.
  • Reply 33 of 41
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    Yes I don't get this either. On my Sony Ericsson phone, if I've had a missed call or a message, It shows up as black information on the LCD with no backlight. This is the way most of my phones have worked. The clock, missed call logo and SMS envelope will hover around the screen while it's still locked. Are you telling me an extra backlight will be more efficient than just black pixels on an LCD screen? And are you telling me that Apple haven't even considered doing the same screensaver feature other mobile phones have been doing for years?



    Yet another reason I'm glad I still haven't bothered with the iPhone. The problem is that while the iPod was a completely new invention and therefore nobody was expecting any particular functionality out of it, people are used to phones working in a specific way. Apple didn't seem to do much research into what people like about their mobile phones and have therefore rather ignorantly done their own thing and missed off some rather important features that most phone users take for granted.



    This appears to be yet another one of those features sadly missing.



    A 2nd backlight over a small area wouldn't be more efficient than no backight, but it would allow for better usabilty by allowing full featured data that is still fairly easy to read.



    PS: The market was new and small, but the iPod wasn't close to being the first PMP on the market.



    PPS: My typing is flying with v2.2. WOOT!
  • Reply 34 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    A 2nd backlight over a small area wouldn't be more efficient than no backight, but it would allow for better usabilty by allowing full featured data that is still fairly easy to read.



    But why are they going to all this trouble, when all they need to do (in the mean time) is just put some information up on the screen when the backlight is off?
  • Reply 35 of 41
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    But why are they going to all this trouble, when all they need to do (in the mean time) is just put some information up on the screen when the backlight is off?



    The method you suggest isn't very user friendly or that useful which usually means that Apple won't use it. The screen is dark so you can't use colours and need to hold it close to read it. This is certainly a complex Apple solution, but a good one and looks to add significant usability by the additin of a 2nd backlight. Personally, I really hope this makes the cut next summer.



    PS: Apple patented the Dock, so this looking like a pretty good patent to me.
  • Reply 36 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    The method you suggest isn't very user friendly or that useful which usually means that Apple won't use it. The screen is dark so you can't use colours and need to hold it close to read it. This is certainly a complex Apple solution, but a good one and looks to add significant usability by the additin of a 2nd backlight. Personally, I really hope this makes the cut next summer.



    That's not a decent argument though is it? Apple would rather do nothing than something which most users will find satisfactory? How much extra work would it be for them to put a screensaver clock in the software? Lame.



    Quote:

    PS: Apple patented the Dock, so this looking like a pretty good patent to me.



    It's a patent application, not a completed patent. Apple file hundreds of patents all the time. Just because one of them was good doesn't mean all of them will be that good.
  • Reply 37 of 41
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    That's not a decent argument though is it? Apple would rather do nothing than something which most users will find satisfactory? How much extra work would it be for them to put a screensaver clock in the software? Lame.



    It's not really an argument, it's how Apple usually operates.



    Quote:

    It's a patent application, not a completed patent. Apple file hundreds of patents all the time. Just because one of them was good doesn't mean all of them will be that good.



    That was the point of my post. Why do you think I mocked the patenting of the Dock?
  • Reply 38 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    It's not really an argument, it's how Apple usually operates.

    That was the point of my post. Why do you think I mocked the patenting of the Dock?



    Sorry I was missing the overall irony of your points
  • Reply 39 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hillstones View Post


    Wow, sounds like you are just plain lazy. You want someone to make one button for redial, and then diable it so you don't accidently hit it? Do you realize how retarded that is? And how many steps would you need to go through to enable the button so you can push it to redial?



    Hey fanboy, this is how every other phone on the planet works. It's called the send button.
  • Reply 40 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jowie74 View Post


    But why are they going to all this trouble, when all they need to do (in the mean time) is just put some information up on the screen when the backlight is off?



    I don't think that's even feasible, having the LCD display info while the backlight remains completely off is next to impossible to read. By the way, I'm experimenting with my MacBook screen set to zero brightness and holding it in different light to get a feel for it. The only instance I could read anything was in direct sunlight and that still wasn't comfortable reading.
Sign In or Register to comment.