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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > iPhone, iPad & iPod > iOS 4.1/5.0 Wishlist Thread

iOS 4.1/5.0 Wishlist Thread
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slugslugslug
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Jun 23, 2010, 10:45 AM
 
Okay, people, the newest big iP* OS—sorry iOS—release has been out for almost two whole days. It’s time to stop all the chatter about its new features and look to the future. Let’s use this thread to wish for features in the next revision or two. Or make predictions, I suppose.

Or, if people prefer, we could split this into four threads, one each for possible combinations of wish-or-prediction × 4.x-or-5.0.

I’ll start it off:
  • 4.1
    • AVRCP support for Bluetooth audio devices. Actually this is still retroactively on my wishlist for 3.0. Having A2DP without it is madness, really. Skipping a track via Voice Command must take 4× as long as pressing a button.
    • Some kind of (subtle) control over homescreen folder appearance. I threw a bunch of stuff into folders on Monday and have to get used to what they look like. If I could choose from a few variations of background or border, it could help visually differentiate them.
    • Feature parity across devices, hardware permitting.
    • Printing… Okay, this is probably way more likely to show up in 5.0, but I’d like to think that maybe they’ve made some headway on this already. It’s got to be in the works. I could handle being limited at first to Bluetooth printers or shared ones connected to Apple devices (Mac or router).
    • iDisk API. Yeah, Apple doesn’t want people to think about file hierarchies, but everybody and their mom is building Dropbox support into their apps. If any developer could access iDisks with minimal effort, they wouldn’t have to weigh the benefits of including it. And if users knew that they could expect to access the same set of files in the same way from any app, they might want to use it. I was going to put this in the 5.0 list, but it actually seems plausible within a year. The iWork team has got to know that their file management system is a total clusterf*ck. Apple should want them to push iDisk, and they should want that implemented by the iOS team.
  • 5.0
    • Spotlight API. Like in my last wishlist, a plugin architecture like on the desktop, letting you search the contents of apps’ Documents folders.
    • USB/Wi-Fi/MobileMe sync architecture. I’ve ranted about this before: developers whose apps share data with Desktop apps shouldn’t have to roll their own mechanisms for syncing data via Wi-Fi, or have to build up their own infrastructure for cloud syncing. Users shouldn’t have to remember to Wi-Fi sync several individual apps after doing their standard USB sync, and they shouldn’t have to keep creating user accounts for every app that has a neat cloud feature. Apple could really make MobileMe worthwhile if they tackled this. Palm had the wired version of this with conduits more than 10 years ago
Well, that got long, didn’t it. I’ll shut up and let y’all contribute.
     
Railroader
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Jun 23, 2010, 02:18 PM
 
EQ settings in the iPod app.

I hate having to go to the home screen, select settings, scroll to iPod, Select iPod, and then select EQ, just to change EQ settings. It should be in the app.
     
SSharon
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Jun 23, 2010, 03:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by Railroader View Post
EQ settings in the iPod app.

I hate having to go to the home screen, select settings, scroll to iPod, Select iPod, and then select EQ, just to change EQ settings. It should be in the app.
App specific settings in general should be kept in the app. I don't go into system preferences on my mac to change EQ settings either.
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ort888
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Jun 23, 2010, 04:31 PM
 
My list...

"Universal File Directory" so you could save and store files that could be used by any app on the phone. You could access them with individual apps or see them directly with an app called "Files" or something. It would simply sync with iTunes.

Some sort of folder customization option. This is really important. A folder would still need to be immediately recognizable as a folder, but they also need to be visually unique.

I want to be able to set the screen lock for individual apps.

I want the ability to force Youtube to give me better quality videos even if I'm on 3G. Sometimes I want the quick low-res ones, but other times I would rather wait and get a better quality.

Fix that stupid smart playlist bug I'm always bitching about.

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stevesnj
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Jun 23, 2010, 04:33 PM
 
Bluetooth file transfer, every cellphone on the planet besides the iPhone can do this!!
MacBook Pro 15" i7 ~ Snow Leopard ~ iPhone 4 - 16Gb
     
raymcm
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Jun 23, 2010, 06:08 PM
 
4.01 or ASAP I want a prompt to exit or minimise an app when the home button is pressed rather than end up with dozens of "multitasking" apps. Also a FAST way to close ALL multiasking apps something like hold home and shake
     
imitchellg5
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Jun 23, 2010, 06:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by raymcm View Post
4.01 or ASAP I want a prompt to exit or minimise an app when the home button is pressed rather than end up with dozens of "multitasking" apps.
Um, just hit the home button once? Hitting it twice brings up multitasking, once brings you home, like always.
     
raymcm
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Jun 24, 2010, 01:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by imitchellg5 View Post
Um, just hit the home button once? Hitting it twice brings up multitasking, once brings you home, like always.
Gee, thanks for the sarcasm, but if you spent as much time reading my post as you did answering you would see I want a quick way to CLOSE all the "multitasking" apps or a way to PREVENT then appearing in the "multitasking" bar

I put "multitasking" in "" because I know they are not actually multitasking but they will be soon when they are updated so I could have lots of little drains sucking my battery and the only way to close them is one at a time .... at least we should have an option to DISABLE "multitasking" or as I have seen it called elsewhere "recently used apps"
     
jokell82
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Jun 24, 2010, 01:57 PM
 
Originally Posted by raymcm View Post
Gee, thanks for the sarcasm, but if you spent as much time reading my post as you did answering you would see I want a quick way to CLOSE all the "multitasking" apps or a way to PREVENT then appearing in the "multitasking" bar

I put "multitasking" in "" because I know they are not actually multitasking but they will be soon when they are updated so I could have lots of little drains sucking my battery and the only way to close them is one at a time .... at least we should have an option to DISABLE "multitasking" or as I have seen it called elsewhere "recently used apps"
Pretty sure that post wasn't sarcasm. Your initial request was very vague, and his response was appropriate.

I don't think you understand how the multitasking in iOS 4 works. These apps are not actually running in the background, so they won't be "lots of little drains" on your battery. Simply don't use the double-tap feature and you'll never know that multitasking is going on.

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raymcm
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Jun 24, 2010, 03:31 PM
 
Originally Posted by jokell82 View Post
Pretty sure that post wasn't sarcasm. Your initial request was very vague, and his response was appropriate.

I don't think you understand how the multitasking in iOS 4 works. These apps are not actually running in the background, so they won't be "lots of little drains" on your battery. Simply don't use the double-tap feature and you'll never know that multitasking is going on.
Cheers

I obviously dont know how multitasking works on the iPhnoe ... or how it will work when there are some multitasking apps.

I would have thought that multitasking will mean running in the background and using resources as necessary even when in sleep ?
     
jokell82
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Jun 24, 2010, 03:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by raymcm View Post
Cheers

I obviously dont know how multitasking works on the iPhnoe ... or how it will work when there are some multitasking apps.

I would have thought that multitasking will mean running in the background and using resources as necessary even when in sleep ?
No, that's not it. Apple will allow certain services to run in the background, but entire apps will not be doing so. Read this:
furbo.org � iPhone multitasking

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schalliol
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Jun 29, 2010, 11:58 AM
 
  • Signatures by account, and for multiple sigs (especially in iPad). Just like Apple's Mail. MobileMe already syncs them between computers.
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King Bob On The Cob
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Jun 30, 2010, 08:43 PM
 
Originally Posted by raymcm View Post
Cheers

I obviously dont know how multitasking works on the iPhnoe ... or how it will work when there are some multitasking apps.

I would have thought that multitasking will mean running in the background and using resources as necessary even when in sleep ?
There is only really four types of multitasking that end-users need to concern themselves with because they'll suck down batteries:

1) VOIP - It turns your menu bar red. It's very obvious.
2) Background Music - You'll hear music and the "Playing" menu bar icon will be visible.
3) Location Services - It will leave an arrow in the menu bar.
4) Background Tasking - No identifying marks, but it can only last 10 minutes.

The other ones don't eat more battery than your average non-multitasking apps.
     
asxless
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Jun 30, 2010, 10:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by jokell82 View Post
...Apple will allow certain services to run in the background, but entire apps will not be doing so. ...
Oh really? And this means it would not be handy to have a way to kill all the apps?

At this very moment I am listening to THREE different iOS4 approved apps streaming audio in the background AT THE SAME TIME. Maybe this will be fixed in the future. But Apple did approve all three of these app updates before I was allowed to download them. And OBTW it is not obvious which of the numerous apps in my multitasking/recent-apps/fast-application-switcher tray is streaming this audio

I too would really appreciate an easy "kill all apps' procedure, too simplify cleaning up the 'tray with many names' and way, way too many apps

asxless in i:Land
     
asxless
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Jun 30, 2010, 11:10 PM
 
Originally Posted by King Bob On The Cob View Post
There is only really four types of multitasking that end-users need to concern themselves with because they'll suck down batteries:

1) VOIP - It turns your menu bar red. It's very obvious.
2) Background Music - You'll hear music and the "Playing" menu bar icon will be visible.
3) Location Services - It will leave an arrow in the menu bar.
4) Background Tasking - No identifying marks, but it can only last 10 minutes.

The other ones don't eat more battery than your average non-multitasking apps.
Apple has already approved at least TWO background audio apps that DO NOT display their icon in the ""Playing" menu bar". Maybe these were just approval testing mistakes. But none the less, it has happened TWICE. And frankly, if this policy is as cut and dried as you state, how hard would it have been for Apple's testers to have looked in the ""Playing" menu bar" when testing/approving an internet radio app that had been updated to support iOS 4's new background audio feature?

asxless in iLand
     
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Sep 12, 2010, 06:03 PM
 
Making espressos. That's all I'm asking for.

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ort888
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Sep 12, 2010, 09:12 PM
 
The ability to search for words on a webpage is really needed.

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MacinTommy
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Sep 12, 2010, 09:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
The ability to search for words on a webpage is really needed.
+1
     
Brien
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Sep 12, 2010, 09:18 PM
 
I should mention that 4.1 did, in fact, add AVRCP, and 4.2 is addressing points 2 and 3 of his 4.1 wishlist. All that really leaves is Spotlight and iDisk APIs. Of those, the Spotlight API seems useful, and will probably happen now that Android and webOS have similar APIs.

Really, with iOS 4.2 I don't have a lot to ask for; all I was really hoping for was printing.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Sep 13, 2010, 02:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by stevesnj View Post
Bluetooth file transfer, every cellphone on the planet besides the iPhone can do this!!
Cannot come until they've figured out how/whether to build a file browser that doesn't add back in the very complexity that iOS was built to avoid.
     
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Sep 13, 2010, 06:13 AM
 
File browser complex? You have a list of files identified by name and perhaps icons and other tags/meta data. You can choose from that list. Not complex, assuming it's only the user explicitly adding to or removing from the browser and not any application. If applications are given write privileges to such a folder and have their apps put random support files in there, that could easily create confusion situations for users. But other than that I don't see what's complex about an inline file browser. There's no more complexity there than in iTunes, and people get by with that level of complexity.

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arog91
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Sep 13, 2010, 07:42 AM
 
this has been a huge disappointment to me everytime software has been released.......when the hellllll are they going to offer new text message tones....really we have had the same ones for how long now at least make a market available to where we can create our own or something i wouldnt mind paying like 50 cents per tone....or even come out with some new pre installed tones or something...i shouldnt have to wait to jailbreak my phone to fix this issue
     
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Sep 13, 2010, 07:54 AM
 
Originally Posted by arog91 View Post
this has been a huge disappointment to me everytime software has been released.......when the hellllll are they going to offer new text message tones....
I was just reminded of this on Friday. As soon as the plane landed and everyone turned their phones back on, the same voicemail/text message sounds were echoing thru the plane. I'd really like to be able to customize my message tones.
     
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Sep 13, 2010, 08:38 AM
 
How about being able to reorder email accounts.

I have over a dozen email accounts and would like to reorder them in groupings. I know the workaround is to sync them in order, but that's not the cleanest or simplest solution.
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ort888
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Sep 15, 2010, 11:23 AM
 
I want to delete the stupid "Bookmarks Bar" and "Bookmarks Menu" folders from my bookmarks list. I hate that I cannot. I have different bookmarks on my phone and my computer and I don't need them. They are wasteful clutter.

I want a quick and easy way to turn off things like 3G and Wifi. A single homescreen icon that toggles them on and off would be nice.

I want to be able to put it into a kid friendly mode where you can only access approved apps and you lose the ability to move and delete icons.

I want to be able to password protect my email app. Not the whole phone... just the email app.

Oh, and I've said it before and I'll say it again... FIX THIS STUPID PLAYLIST BUG!
( Last edited by ort888; Sep 15, 2010 at 12:19 PM. )

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Sep 15, 2010, 11:46 AM
 
Robust and accurate voice control!
     
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Sep 15, 2010, 03:16 PM
 
add PGP encryption to mail
     
Inkling
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Sep 15, 2010, 04:07 PM
 
I'll vote for a micro-USB on future iPhones and iPods, one that would not only charge but allow USB synching. And allow that USB port to do anything that makes sense, i.e. connect a keyboard or camera.
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jokell82
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Sep 15, 2010, 05:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by Inkling View Post
I'll vote for a micro-USB on future iPhones and iPods, one that would not only charge but allow USB synching. And allow that USB port to do anything that makes sense, i.e. connect a keyboard or camera.
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pacman
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Sep 15, 2010, 06:42 PM
 
My wish list and I am sorry if they have already been listed above

* Email Push Notification On/Off Button on home screen ( I know this can be done on a jail broken phone but am trying my best to stay true to apple)

* Ability to schedule when Push Notifications happen ie 6AM - 9PM M T W TH F and off on weekends instead of 24hrs a day all other smart phones have the ability to automatically control push via profiles.

* Create your own alert tones as you can ringtones
     
ort888
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Sep 15, 2010, 09:12 PM
 
Originally Posted by Inkling View Post
I'll vote for a micro-USB on future iPhones and iPods, one that would not only charge but allow USB synching. And allow that USB port to do anything that makes sense, i.e. connect a keyboard or camera.
Originally Posted by jokell82 View Post
But didn't Apple agree to join in with everyone else in using Micro-USB in Europe? I have no idea how that's going to work. I can't see Apple adding a Micro-USB to the iPhone and I don't think using an adaptor or something is following the spirit of the pact.

I guess we'll see.

At this point, I think iPod cables are more common then Micro-USB cables.

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DarkStarRed
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Sep 16, 2010, 03:41 AM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
But didn't Apple agree to join in with everyone else in using Micro-USB in Europe? I have no idea how that's going to work. I can't see Apple adding a Micro-USB to the iPhone and I don't think using an adaptor or something is following the spirit of the pact.

I guess we'll see.

At this point, I think iPod cables are more common then Micro-USB cables.
Scrap the USB most will want Lightpeak on all iDevices as well has their computers.
Yes the sync is pretty fast but future capacity will grow, we may not see it in iPhone 5
with only desktop side bringing it forth.
The only problem is how much the controller can handle (let's say an iMac with 12 LP connections running at maximum "100Gb" all at the same time.

The real problem right now I don't think they've come down on a design for the connection of LP.
     
MacinTommy
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Sep 17, 2010, 11:07 AM
 
Originally Posted by ort888 View Post
The ability to search for words on a webpage is really needed.
Looks like they are listening.

iOS 4.2 features: Find text on Safari web page | TiPb
     
DigitalEl
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Sep 17, 2010, 11:26 AM
 
1. Elegant, Android or webOS-style notifications.

2. Homescreen-accessible toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS. Maybe brightness, too.

Perhaps, swipe down from the homescreen for notifications and swipe up for the toggles. Or maybe the toggles go at the bottom of the Spotlight screen... But give us something. Since Apple hired the guy responsible for webOS notifications, hopefully something is in the works for the next major release.

Here's a look at those toggles on an Android device*.



_________
*Just realized that's kind of tacked onto the end of this post like "I'm on a horse."
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Brien
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Sep 17, 2010, 11:40 AM
 
So basically, SBSettings.
     
hyteckit
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Sep 17, 2010, 01:54 PM
 
I just recently discover SBSettings after jailbreaking my old iPhone 3G a little over a week about.

Quick and easy way to disable bluetooth, WiFi, and so forth.
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DigitalEl
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Sep 17, 2010, 07:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by Brien View Post
So basically, SBSettings.
Yeah. Pretty much. SBSettings was the only thing I found worth jailbreaking for on my 3GS. That and a wonderful default-looking theme which deglossed everything. iOS was gorgeous in a matte finish.

Add a matte option to my wishlist.
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