Left-of-Home/Pulldown Search Screen: Do you use it?

mavsguy842

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I've had an iPhone for about a month now, and I find myself never using the left-of-home search screen (with search, suggested apps, and news). I can already pull down from any home screen app/folder page to get a search bar, so I'm finding Apple's current implementation rather redundant. I'm curious how many people actually use this screen? If you do use it, what do you find useful about it that might give me insight into why/how I should start using it?

Coming from BB10, and having used Android I'd find it useful to have the option to turn either the left-of-home or the pull-down search page into a page where I can either pin an app there (email or messages would be useful), or if Apple implemented on-screen widgets that you could put on those pages.
 

ejraney

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I only use it for quick access to my most recent favorite contacts that it lists. Other than that, no I don't use it.
 

Rob Phillips

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I actually use them both but I use the pull down method much more frequently. I have a large number of apps on my iPhone so it's often easier to type the app name than finding it on my homescreen. They are kind of redundant but I can get information using the "left of homescreen" method, like news and "nearby".
At the end of the day it's your decision to use the feature or ignore it. It can't be completely turned off though.
 

mavsguy842

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I actually use them both but I use the pull down method much more frequently. I have a large number of apps on my iPhone so it's often easier to type the app name than finding it on my homescreen. They are kind of redundant but I can get information using the "left of homescreen" method, like news and "nearby".
At the end of the day it's your decision to use the feature or ignore it. It can't be completely turned off though.

What ideas do you have for improving it? I like the idea of using the space for added functionality, I'm just not convinced the current implementation is very useful.
 

avt123

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I use it all the time. It is easier to swipe right and type a contact or app than it is to locate the app on my device and search my contacts. I use one homescreen with folders.
 

dejanh

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I did not get into a habit of using these yet. I don't find them to be very "intuitive" and nothing proactively suggests to use these.

I use it to quickly google something, convert currencies, calculator, and search apps or contacts.
I think you're talking about the pull-down shade with widgets, where as OP is talking about Spotlight screen to the left of the home-screen. I'm not aware of any ability to add interactive widgets to the Spotlight screen to the left of the home-screen.
 

TripleOne

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How do you use it to convert currencies, and for calculator? Did you do something to get a converter or calculator on the screen?

For example, just drag down the spotlight search either from the top or left. And to convert currencies just type in ' 100 USD to AUD '

And to calculate, type in '500 x 10'

It's pretty simple, useful and fast :)
 

dejanh

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For example, just drag down the spotlight search either from the top or left. And to convert currencies just type in ' 100 USD to AUD '

And to calculate, type in '500 x 10'

It's pretty simple, useful and fast :)
Wow? Awesome, never knew! Are there other ones and is there an official or unofficial guide?
 

Ledsteplin

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If you mean the today screen in the notification center, I use it a lot for various things.
Launchers
Weather
Music access
Data info
Calendar
Radio
Clocks
Converter
And more

Here's my Launchers and music Launcher.
d1fa6f37a6f3129631acfcb9186b7c82.jpg


Other things:
e3e96cf8fc33d2c432258200d8daae05.jpg
 

mavsguy842

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If you mean the today screen in the notification center, I use it a lot for various things.
Launchers
Weather
Music access
Data info
Calendar
Radio
Clocks
Converter
And more...

No, I don't mean the Today/Notification pulldown. I meant when you swipe downwards from anywhere on the home screen (not from the top bezel) you get a search with app suggestions. When you swipe to go to the left of the 1st home screen you also get a search with app suggestions, recent contacts, Nearby, and News.
 

Ledsteplin

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No, I don't mean the Today/Notification pulldown. I meant when you swipe downwards from anywhere on the home screen (not from the top bezel) you get a search with app suggestions. When you swipe to go to the left of the 1st home screen you also get a search with app suggestions, recent contacts, Nearby, and News.

It has a name. Spotlight Search. And yes, you can access it two ways. I use it mostly to find specific Notes in the Notes app quickly. Not much else though. I did use it once to locate a lost app icon.
 

mavsguy842

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It has a name. Spotlight Search. And yes, you can access it two ways. I use it mostly to find specific Notes in the Notes app quickly. Not much else though. I did use it once to locate a lost app icon.

I thought I read that the branding "Spotlight" was dead in favor of Siri branding? Either way - would you like to see it changed/improved or do you think it's as useful as it can be in the current implementation?
 

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