iOS 7 beta: Apple's 'Voice Memos' app returns in latest build

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
While it was absent from the first beta of iOS 7, the built-in "Voice Memos" application has returned with Monday's release of iOS 7 beta 2.

Voice Memos


Developers testing iOS 7 will see the Voice Memos application appear on their home screen after installing the latest version of the beta software. It features a new icon showing wavelengths of a sound recording against a white background.

Like other native applications in iOS 7, the software has also been redesigned with a new look. Recording can be initiated by hitting a large red button, and a timeline with sound wavelengths scrolls as the memo is saved.

When tapping Done, users can then enter a name for their new recording, and it is saved. A list of saved recordings can be found at the bottom of the screen.

Legacy recordings that may have been saved in iCloud are restored with the return of the Voice Memos application, and can be listened to once again. Clips can also be trimmed, sent via message, mail or AirDrop, or deleted.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 33
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    God, that keyboard looks so "linuxy" as do all those screens.
  • Reply 2 of 33
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member




    Yep. Small gray text on a gray background and no way to zoom it or change it in the settings. Perfect, as usual.

  • Reply 3 of 33
    matrix07matrix07 Posts: 1,993member
    I'm beginning to dig this new interface design, only wish the keyboard has a bit of a depth.
  • Reply 4 of 33
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member


    I would love for some more information about the design strategy with relation to App coloring.


     


    It seems like most Apps are primarily "white" where as just a few are mostly "black".  but I don't see the clear logic behind the decision to make an App black over white.  Seems like a lot of 'utility apps' are mostly black (i.e. stocks, compass and now voice memos).  By utility, I mean apps that perform a single purpose and do not interact with other apps.  One could also argue the Camera App has a mostly black interface but it clearly has inter-related operations with other iOS apps and functionality.  However, I would consider Clock, Calculator, Weather, Reminders, Notes and even Settings to be utility apps as well.


     


    Anyone have any info on the graphic logic behind this stuff?

  • Reply 5 of 33
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    antkm1 wrote: »
    Anyone have any info on the graphic logic behind this stuff?

    I'd say it's very likely that Apple will do an updated "UI Guidelines" PDF.
  • Reply 6 of 33
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member


    Good to hear. I use it all the time, though I am sure I could pick from hundreds of other recorder apps if Apple didn't include one.

  • Reply 7 of 33
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by matrix07 View Post



    I'm beginning to dig this new interface design, only wish the keyboard has a bit of a depth.


    The only thing I don't dig about this really has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the non-techy-users.  There are arguably many more non-tech users of iOS devices than there are techy users.  What (IMO) drew those types of users to the iOS platform was it's very clear and intuitive UI.  With the advent of iOS 7 and the removal of some of the more discoverable and less intuitive UI features, I fear those will drive away some of the current users and new non-techy users that flocked to iOS because it was so obvious to use.  This new interface, while very cool and fresh and new looking, is much less obvious.  I fear the learning curve is much greater than is once was and it may drive away new and/or borderline users from it because it's slightly less obvious UI.


     


    As an example, the sheer fact that non of the tap-targets are clearly marked as something you can tap.  The previous versions were very obviously marked as a button.  Something you could interact with. Now, everything is subtle; and really, colored or highlighted text is the only indication that you can interact with it.  And that to me seems like the wrong approach.  I'm all for minimalism, and this kind of UI works well in a desktop platform because you can at least hover your cursor over it and see it's clickable.  But on a touch interface, there is no hovering over links or text.  it has to be visually obvious you can tap on it and something will happen.  Otherwise you're going to get a million and one users stabbing at their screens trying to figure out what works and what doesn't...and that will be frustrating enough that some users might just give up.


     


    It was very clear in the keynote that Ives & Co. believe iOS has to 'grow-up' with it's users, but then you just alienate any new users.  And when that happens, you loose market share, profit and user base.


     


    Now I did play with iOS 7 a little bit at the Apple store.  One of the employees had the beta on his phone and i was able to interact with it and was pretty ok with it since i'm a seasoned user.  But if i were to give this to a newer user or someone like My mom who has never used an iOS device before, chances are it would take them a lot longer to figure out how to use the device than from the previous versions of iOS.


     


    So all i'm saying is that I sure hope Apple is ready to have new and existing users flock to the help-centers and Genius bars to in greater numbers when they officially release iOS 7.  Sure like anything there is a learning curve, all i'm saying is the curve was shallower on pre-iOS 7.


     


    All i'm asking for is some simple minimal boarders around key tap targets.  The buttons were not all bad and there are ways to simply them without completely removing them.

  • Reply 8 of 33
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    I'm curious about one comment. Stored in the cloud. So are they talking from your backup and was just 'invisible' until now or are they going to allow more control over what is backed up by giving us a toggle for voice memos. Mine sync via wifi to my computer every day so I don't need them in my backup and would love to turn it off
  • Reply 9 of 33
    steven n.steven n. Posts: 1,229member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by antkm1 View Post


     


    As an example, the sheer fact that non of the tap-targets are clearly marked as something you can tap.  The previous versions were very obviously marked as a button.  Something you could interact with. Now everything is subtle and really colored or highlighted text is the only indication that you can interact with it.  And that to me seems like the wrong approach.  I'm all for minimalism, and this kind of UI works well in a desktop platform because you can at least hover your cursor over it and see it's clickable.  But on a touch interface, there is no hovering over links or text.  it has to be visually obvious you can tap on it and something will happen.  Otherwise you're going to get a million and one users stabbing at their screens trying to figure out what works and what doesn't...and that will be frustrating enough that some users might just give up.


     



    I can't agree with more on this idea. There was an amazing simplicity in iOS from its lock screen to its back button. It made discovery easier than any other OS out there IMO. By loosing the tap targets (boxes), I think Apple made iOS more pretty but also a bit harder to use and this is a step backward.


     


    That said, I think the new recording app is actually easier to use (The old one always confused me a bit with its recording state somewhat ambiguous. NOTE: I used it only infrequently) but I wish it was black on white instead of white on black.  However (and this might be the reason), I see this being used often in meetings where less light would be a good thing.

  • Reply 10 of 33
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member


    Does the 40% ultra-thin grey text over 20% grey background also fit with this whole "clarity" theme Ive talks about? I don't get it. That shit is barely visible. What I've always hated about Google apps (gmail, etc) is the lack of contrast. I'm not happy Apple is headed in that same direction. 

  • Reply 11 of 33
    antkm1antkm1 Posts: 1,441member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post


    Does the 40% ultra-thin grey text over 20% grey background also fit with this whole "clarity" theme Ive talks about? I don't get it. 



    don't get me started on a sunny day in the weather app.image

  • Reply 12 of 33
    clegercleger Posts: 17member
    Eh I've been Using it since it came out and I miss a lot of the old os. Really Apple didn't update anything anyone wanted updated. Like widgets. And opening up a bit.
  • Reply 13 of 33
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    clever wrote: »
    ...Apple didn't update anything anyone wanted updated. Like widgets.

    Because no actual user wanted widgets.
    And opening up a bit.

    Or that.
  • Reply 14 of 33
    pedromartinspedromartins Posts: 1,333member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by cleger View Post



    Eh I've been Using it since it came out and I miss a lot of the old os. Really Apple didn't update anything anyone wanted updated. Like widgets. And opening up a bit.


    you are so sad,,,

  • Reply 15 of 33
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member


    Too bad.  Was happy to see it go.  

  • Reply 16 of 33
    gazoobeegazoobee Posts: 3,754member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post


    Does the 40% ultra-thin grey text over 20% grey background also fit with this whole "clarity" theme Ive talks about? I don't get it. That shit is barely visible. What I've always hated about Google apps (gmail, etc) is the lack of contrast. I'm not happy Apple is headed in that same direction. 



     


    I'm finding this all kind of amusing actually because when we first heard that Ive was going to design the UI, people with design chops said "he knows nothing about UI design and his graphic and industrial design skills won't translate."  These people were shouted down.  


     


    Now we see the design and it basically fails in every way that graphic and industrial design differs as a discipline from UI and interactivity design.  It's pretty much exactly what you'd expect as the result of turning over UI design to someone who really only knows graphics and materials design.  Precisely what people were arguing when he was given the job.

  • Reply 17 of 33
    macbook promacbook pro Posts: 1,605member
    cleger wrote: »
    Eh I've been Using it since it came out and I miss a lot of the old os. Really Apple didn't update anything anyone wanted updated. Like widgets. And opening up a bit.

    Every survey I have read for which features should Apple offer in iOS 7 seems very consistent with the features Apple is offering in iOS 7:
    • "Refreshed UI"
    • "More customization"
    • Multitasking (App Switcher)
    • Quick Access to Controls
    • AirDrop
    • Notification Center improvements
    • Siri improvements
    • Unified Search field in Safari
    • More "Tabs" in Safari
    • Full Screen Content for Safari
    • Smart Mailboxes in Mail
    • More swipe actions in Mail


    Perhaps the one thing some people requested which was not provided was "improvements" to File Management. I have seen requests for opening APIs to Siri. Siri will not be open as Apple is monetizing the contracted services provided by Siri.


    I didn't see a lot of people asking for these features:
    • Screen Sharing
    • Remote Control
    • "Full Access" to the Wi-Fi radio
    • Location Profiles



    There really aren't a large number of significant features that the Apple iPhone is missing natively at this point.


    What does "opening up a bit" even mean?
  • Reply 18 of 33
    macinthe408macinthe408 Posts: 1,050member
    Waiting for turtleneck and beret-wearing graphic design snobs to denounce the new Voice Memo icon as "wrong."
  • Reply 19 of 33
    gocmobigocmobi Posts: 1member
    oh. great
  • Reply 20 of 33
    bugsnwbugsnw Posts: 717member


    Realizing iOS 7 is still in beta, but I hope Apple puts Voice Memo on the Control Center panel. I would think Notes would be on there as well. A super quick way to capture pixels (as in photos and videos) and sound and notes.


     


    Very handy. Or give me a space or two for the App of my choice.


     


    I remember Steve Jobs demoing the Lips within NeXT's email application. You clicked on the lips and recorded your message. It was popped right into the email and all the recipient had to do was open the email and click the lips to listen.


     


    Not that I would be vocalizing my emails but there are some that would find it useful and/or fun.


     


    I'm liking the visual impact of Ive's work more and more, just by looking at it. I haven't even touched it yet and it's growing on me.

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