Apple's iOS 7 brings quick Spotlight search access to every app page
As an increasing number of developers get their hands on Apple's latest iOS 7 beta, some have voiced concern over the seeming disappearance of Spotlight search, though closer inspection shows Apple has cleverly relocated for easier access.
Whereas previous versions of iOS, including iOS 6, relegates the global search utility to its own panel, accessible only by swiping left or clicking the home button while on the home page, iOS 7 makes the feature available on any app screen by swiping down from anywhere in the app field.
To access Spotlight, users simply employ a "pull down" gesture from an area outside of the dock, including the top row of app icons. This brings up the familiar "Search iPhone" text box, in which users can look for apps, files, email messages and more. A tap outside of the text box and keyboard area will revert back to a normal app page view.
The implementation may be troublesome for users with smaller hands, as reaching for the Notification Center, which is still accessed by a pull down from above the display, could instead trigger a Spotlight search. Apple appears to be taking gesture control to another level, relying less on the physical home button.
Whereas previous versions of iOS, including iOS 6, relegates the global search utility to its own panel, accessible only by swiping left or clicking the home button while on the home page, iOS 7 makes the feature available on any app screen by swiping down from anywhere in the app field.
To access Spotlight, users simply employ a "pull down" gesture from an area outside of the dock, including the top row of app icons. This brings up the familiar "Search iPhone" text box, in which users can look for apps, files, email messages and more. A tap outside of the text box and keyboard area will revert back to a normal app page view.
The implementation may be troublesome for users with smaller hands, as reaching for the Notification Center, which is still accessed by a pull down from above the display, could instead trigger a Spotlight search. Apple appears to be taking gesture control to another level, relying less on the physical home button.
Comments
i wonder if they plan to place widgets or something there in iOS 8?
The biggest negative I see is that people may accidentally pull down spotlight when they're trying to access notifications and vice-versa.
I would have liked to have seen it in the multitasking tray, since there is a lot of room and so you can be sloppier for gestures when being quick. But that's just my opinion.
Do you guys always hide behind "AppleInsider Staff" as an author when you are making your especially dumbass articles?
Quote:
Originally Posted by starbird73
Love it. This and multitasking from webOS! The two features I miss from my Pr?!!!
Indeed. EVERY smartphone on the planet should use the multitasking cards from WebOS.
It makes it fun to switch apps.
Good for Apple for sticking it in.
I wonder if swiping left in the app switcher view shows music playback controls like it does currently when switching apps. Probably not since there are music controls in the control pane or whatever it's called.
As you have guessed: It does not. Only in the Control Center now.
Now we have to worry about accidental swipes to both the top AND bottom of the screen as well as accidentally invoking the dictation button on the keyboard when typing quickly (Apple please make this a long press to activate).
But the new aesthetic looks great!
It is more like Apple's HyperCard, which predates webOS. Just saying. Apple has been around a long time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackbook
Not sure if that's a better solution but the pros is that it frees up a page of the home screen.
i wonder if they plan to place widgets or something there in iOS 8?
The biggest negative I see is that people may accidentally pull down spotlight when they're trying to access notifications and vice-versa.
Just tell Siri to do it...and make me a sammich while yer up!
Well. Not exactly. You can only tap outside the search box to return to the "regular" view while there are no search results.
Once you have search results and do not want to tap any of them (because what you are looking for is not among them), tapping the home button, or deleting the search text are the only ways (I have found so far) to exit the search screen. Nothing one can't get used to, but not too intuitive either.
After playing with iOS 7 for a while, I think existing iOS users will get used to it with a little effort. What I am not sure about is how intuitive it will be for new users. In all iOS versions with Spotlight there was a clear search symbol on the Springboard, and it was clearly to the left of the first screen. Now there is nothing. And this goes on:
- Icons are inconsistent, even among Apple apps
- App Icons in Control Center are different from corresponding app icons
- New button icons (e.g. in Safari) are different from iOS 6 AND OS 10.9
- GUI elements that were self-explanatory before (date and time dials, switches etc.) do not even obviously look like controls now
- Three different views in Notification Center defy original info at a glance purpose
- Typography among Apple apps is not consistent and headers/breadcrumbs in some apps overlap
I do not quite know if this is something you can just hand to a child or a computer novice and expect them to figure it out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TBell
It is more like Apple's HyperCard, which predates webOS. Just saying. Apple has been around a long time.
Indeed! And that old Apple still has a lot of juice left in it too..!
Quote:
Originally Posted by dreyfus2
Well. Not exactly. You can only tap outside the search box to return to the "regular" view while there are no search results.
Once you have search results and do not want to tap any of them (because what you are looking for is not among them), tapping the home button, or deleting the search text are the only ways (I have found so far) to exit the search screen. Nothing one can't get used to, but not too intuitive either.
After playing with iOS 7 for a while, I think existing iOS users will get used to it with a little effort. What I am not sure about is how intuitive it will be for new users. In all iOS versions with Spotlight there was a clear search symbol on the Springboard, and it was clearly to the left of the first screen. Now there is nothing. And this goes on:
- Icons are inconsistent, even among Apple apps
- App Icons in Control Center are different from corresponding app icons
- New button icons (e.g. in Safari) are different from iOS 6 AND OS 10.9
- GUI elements that were self-explanatory before (date and time dials, switches etc.) do not even obviously look like controls now
- Three different views in Notification Center defy original info at a glance purpose
- Typography among Apple apps is not consistent and headers/breadcrumbs in some apps overlap
I do not quite know if this is something you can just hand to a child or a computer novice and expect them to figure it out.
I'm sure you were traumatized as a child when they replaced the dial phone in your home with one with buttons..!
you'll be able to search , index maybe tag & in the future share easily.
Remember this wont be out until October so time for refinements & enhancements.
"accessible only by swiping left or clicking the home button..."
But you meant:
"accessible only by swiping *right*... :-)
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