In iPhone 4, the Biggest Remaining Blind Spot
A variety of circumstances, all terribly interesting, kept me from commenting on the recent introduction of the iPhone OS 4 in the wake of the launch iPad. Since I’ve missed the window, I’ll keep the big picture thinking short: I think Apple has done exactly what he needs to maintain its leadership in mobile operating systems. I wish I had it now. I will be annoyed if paid apps get over-run with iAds, but I don’t think such paid apps will sell well enough to survive.
But there is much to discuss in detail, and here I have a great objection to the iPhone OS 4 – and is a force of WebOS and Android. Why no notification has yet been fixed? If you have an iPhone, you know exactly what I mean. While surfing the web, or playing a game, or even compose an e-mail, a blue box with white text appears in the center of the screen that lets you know an event, an incoming text messages, a bill due through Mint.com, or even a Facebook friend request from your high school nemesis.
All of these notifications have exactly the same level of priority (you can manage them manually, but I really shouldn’t have to let my phone know that I care less about a new comment on one of my Facebook threads than I do about a new text), all of them are capable of pulling you out of your current mode of activity, and none of them – not one – is capable of returning you to your prior state. They do not have a back button, and it is really unpleasant.
Now, the application of switching to the iPhone OS 4 will enhance this experience, no doubt. Instead of having to press the Start button and scan or go through your collection of applications to find their previous activity, you simply double-click the Interface Display multi-task and go to where it previously. But it’s even more measures that are guaranteed to read and reply to a text in watching a TV show should.
In addition, neither the notifications in the iPhone operating system will be available in a list. If another comes in the notice before reaching the final, you missed it, period. That can be pretty annoying if you leave your phone on your desk for an hour or two during a particularly busy period.
It’s very frustrating, because both Android 1.0 WebOS and even set great for that. Instead of continuing rolls, a blinking LED to let you know that you have read the reviews, and suddenly the top of the screen is lowered by a group that adds all the alerts in one place. And press the button panel rejects and returns to do exactly what it was before.
Apple is (in)famous for waiting until they have exactly the right solution before it will implement any solution at all (iPhone Copy and Paste being the most-discussed example). I am to believe in the creativity of the team of software from Apple to create something even better than Android Notifications WebOS panel and switch. But now, the iPhone operating system is significantly less than Android and WebOS on this front, and it is time to fix it.
In short, a nod to the iPhone OS 4 as a whole and a movement of fingers to the notifications as they were.
