What features are missing from iPhone OS 4.0?

[Jellotime91]

I guess I just don't understand why Apple doesn't quit being dumb and do it. It's something people have been begging for, and their current notification system is weak, ever since push notifications. I also have never liked how the phone only dings once when you get an email, and you can't customize that noise to be any louder, or be a different noise. For some people (like me), e-mails are pretty important (more so than a text - who most of those come from friends, where e-mails come from work and my boss, lol) - I'd like to have an easier way to see my e-mails.

I love the iPhone and I won't use a different phone, but I just wish the notification system wasn't so poor. Most of my complaints are wrapped around that. Just give me an LED or SOMETHING Apple. If they'd do that, I would at least see I have missed something. Hopefully in new hardware. I'm really hoping, like I said, some features were not announced or given to developers yet as it would out features of new hardware. I'm not quite sure how a new notification system would out new hardware, but I'll keep hoping.

Yeah, hopefully their new super awesome notification system has some tie-ins with their new super awesome OS-integrated iChat application, so they can't reveal it yet??

And yeah that's why I sadly need my phone to be jailbroken, and will probably still need to come 4.0. Notifier and lock-screen info apps are a beautiful thing, however I wish Apple would get on the glanceable information train and realize it's NOT a bad thing!

Along with that theme, they desperately need live info on the weather and clock icons! They can do it for the calendar, why not the clock and weather? It's so stupid to have fake, static weather info on the icon.. If you won't give us widgets atleast give us some kind of live icons..

 

[parishyoung]

Jellotime91 - you're idea's and mock ups are awesome. Very well done to you
Only thing I would say is that, after the revision of the notification idea, the iPhone would become very ANDROID like, which I'd imagine Apple will try and avoid, even if we all want it.

Also, as you asked for idea's, how about a new lock screen.
Cover up our fancy new wallpapers with some useful info.

 

[Jellotime91]

ParishYoung
Thanks, I see where the comparison to Android comes in but because Apple has just introduced these behaviours into the OS I think it's one of those grey areas. Plus the status bar conditionals have been there since 1.0, it would just be a new function.

As for the lockscreen; I have lockinfo myself, and it's nice, but I don't know how much use I really have for it. I think actual widgets on the home screen are more interesting than lockscreen widgets.

 

[Arcanust]

The background on notifications screen is not Apple-like. It doesn't look like an Apple product because of this.

 

[Jellotime91]

The background on notifications screen is not Apple-like. It doesn't look like an Apple product because of this.

It's "not apple-like", and yet Apple uses it in OS 4.0 left and right.. Did you miss the presentation? Look at the multitasking tray, the folders UI, they both use this exact background...

 

[Orangensaft]

I've taken the time to mockup the features that I think are sorely missed on the new iPhone OS 4.0 (at least missed at introduction).

So far I have done a series of images depicting a revamped push notification system, adhering to Apple's new multitasking and folder UI elements. I think it looks great, and Apple could probably implement this in one day if they actually used their own devices and realized how damn useful this would be.

First, you have the dormant notification bar on the home screen. Then, you tap, and it opens!

Here's what it would look like when a notification comes in-app (note the red button - close and delete notification, green button - ignore for now).

Revisions: llofte noticed that the solution blocks out the use of the fourth row of icons, I hadn't thought of that since I personally don't use that row.
In this revision, I move the location of the tray to the status bar:

I know there's other features I'm forgetting, let me know what else you'd like to see mock'd up!

Wow! Those are great mockups.

Here's a feature that's easy to mock up: 3-finger swipe for back and forward in iPad Safari!

 

[SOV]

at some point apple will have to update the notification system, but its hard to say when, because they focus on something once per year.

 

[Jellotime91]

at some point apple will have to update the notification system, but its hard to say when, because they focus on something once per year.

I really hope they surprise us this year and update it with 4.0's release. They must know how ridiculous PNS is on the iPad..