Responding to concerns over the crippling of Apple Pencil of usability features in iOS 9.3 beta, namely the ability to navigate iPad Pro's user interface, Apple on Tuesday confirmed such functionality will be restored in the next beta build.
Apple's response comes weeks after AppleInsider first called attention to the apparent gimping of Apple's $99 iPad Pro accessory. Apple Pencil shipped last year to serve primarily as a drawing and writing tool, but the device also doubled as a stylus for Springboard input, menu navigation and other operations normally accomplished with a finger. But that changed with the iOS 9.3 beta release in January.
"We believe a finger will always be the primary way users navigate on an iPad, but we understand that some customers like to use Apple Pencil for this as well and we've been working on ways to better implement this while maintaining compatibility during this latest beta cycle," an Apple spokesperson toldThe Verge. "We will add this functionality back in the next beta of iOS 9.3."
Initially, iOS beta testers expected Apple to reinstate Pencil's secondary capabilities in an ensuing software update, but as of third beta issued on Monday, the device is still limited to in-app functions like drawing. Following yesterday's beta release, some users began to speculate that the decision to restrict Pencil to drawing activities was a conscious one. Indeed, Apple CDO Jony Ive expressed concern that users might "confuse the role of the Pencil with the role of your finger in iOS."
Apple said it temporarily removed Pencil's ability to act as a finger replacement as it works to refine such functionality, the report said. Full capabilities should be restored in the upcoming iOS 9.3 beta, and will assumedly be included in the firmware's final version.
Hmmm....what about Steve Jobs? We probably wouldn't even have Apple Pencil if Jobs was still around. And what's good UX about having to use a pencil to navigate the OS? That's what made Windows tablets from the early 2000s so sucky.
Hmmm....what about Steve Jobs? We probably wouldn't even have Apple Pencil if Jobs was still around. And what's good UX about having to use a pencil to navigate the OS? That's what made Windows tablets from the early 2000s so sucky.
In the original article I posted, Ive himself said that the pencil wasn't a finger replacement. My point is if you want to use it that way - why not - you don't have to.
When I use my Wacom I pretty much never put it down to use the interface, and I wouldn't use an input tool that wouldn't let me navigate regardless of how advanced it was. Even someone who only uses the input tool for 20% of the interface would be shut down. It's workflow, something Apple doesn't pay much attention to anymore. Nor allowing you to keep your preferred workflow (better for you than what they move to) when advancing.
It's not saying "We listened to you and responded". It's saying "We didn't pay any attention to you. And we're responding only because of the viral slamming that is major enough to get the top hits when you Google for the product. Otherwise we would have been on to other things".
Glad they un-crippled it for now. Not glad for the previously UnApple corp-speak spin.
Apple said it temporarily removed Pencil's ability to act as a finger replacement as it works to refine such functionality, the report said. Full capabilities should be restored in the upcoming iOS 9.3 beta, and will assumedly be included in the firmware's final version.
If this move was temporary and Apple had always intended to restore UI navigation for the Pencil in the final version, then the release notes for the beta should have included this as a "known issue" along with a statement that it will be corrected. I think that in this instance, Apple was trying to see if they could get away with removing the feature entirely, but too many people complained.
BS. I'm guessing you were a complainer and now you're just trying to justify your previous whining?
It wasn't a bug or an issue, there's no reason to mention in the release notes. The Pencil is a completely separate input device from your finger tips and is recognized as such by the hardware and operating system. It stands to reason that ANY use of it would require additional coding and support in the OS. It was more than likely removed until they could build in unilateral support for it OR until they could figure out how to keep it while adding additional Pencil-only features.
If this move was temporary and Apple had always intended to restore UI navigation for the Pencil in the final version, then the release notes for the beta should have included this as a "known issue" along with a statement that it will be corrected. I think that in this instance, Apple was trying to see if they could get away with removing the feature entirely, but too many people complained.
BS. I'm guessing you were a complainer and now you're just trying to justify your previous whining?
It wasn't a bug or an issue, there's no reason to mention in the release notes. The Pencil is a completely separate input device from your finger tips and is recognized as such by the hardware and operating system. It stands to reason that ANY use of it would require additional coding and support in the OS. It was more than likely removed until they could build in unilateral support for it OR until they could figure out how to keep it while adding additional Pencil-only features.
It looks like some people are upset at having egg on their face after dismissing the original complaints, berating the "whiners", and basically arguing that Apple should not support UI navigation from the Pencil -- only to have Apple come out and publicly state that they will add it back.
Yes... And there is no good reason to limit this functionality for those who feel comfortable that way... but apple wants to have its stubborn way i guess... Sigh...
Give me a break. There's a lot more functionality the Pencil can offer rather than as a replacement for your finger. It's a different tool and can have many different abilities.
And I'm not sure how you write, but it takes very, very little effort to switch back and forth from pencil to using my middle finger.
If you want a stylus for navigation, you can buy them for as little as $10.
Comments
Here are comments from a couple of the world's top UI/UX/Interaction designers who worked with Apple to create it's original world-class usability experience.
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3053406/how-apple-is-giving-design-a-bad-name
Hmmm....what about Steve Jobs? We probably wouldn't even have Apple Pencil if Jobs was still around. And what's good UX about having to use a pencil to navigate the OS? That's what made Windows tablets from the early 2000s so sucky.
BS. I'm guessing you were a complainer and now you're just trying to justify your previous whining?
It wasn't a bug or an issue, there's no reason to mention in the release notes. The Pencil is a completely separate input device from your finger tips and is recognized as such by the hardware and operating system. It stands to reason that ANY use of it would require additional coding and support in the OS. It was more than likely removed until they could build in unilateral support for it OR until they could figure out how to keep it while adding additional Pencil-only features.
It looks like some people are upset at having egg on their face after dismissing the original complaints, berating the "whiners", and basically arguing that Apple should not support UI navigation from the Pencil -- only to have Apple come out and publicly state that they will add it back.