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Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

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Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#81

Post by scarface74 »

liberte82 wrote: post #59
pwinnski wrote: post #36

They need to hit a panic button inside Apple, and use the time they've bought themselves by introducing 2018's hardware in 2017 (as they claim the X does), and focus 100% on software. I think giving iOS design to Ive was an error, but even if they don't agree with that, they need to focus on software very clearly and very publicly, making iOS 12 a release like the old Snow Leopard MacOS release. Focus on quality and…

Bringing out the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 at the same time is already a confusing marketing mess and something that never would have happened under Jobs.

Yes it was such a huge marketing mess that Apple's guidance is that they will have a record breaking quarter during the 4th calendar quarter....

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#82

Post by scarface74 »

arprocter wrote: post #3

Another for the list - the new Podcasts app is terrible Edit: it's as if they tried to make the interface less efficient than before - it makes it much more difficult to find subscribed to podcasts you haven't listened to in a while

The podcast app has always been terrible.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#83

Post by scarface74 »

cageface wrote: post #31
BadassFractal wrote: post #2

I'm earnestly appalled at how terrible this release has been. I've had an iPhone since 3GS and this is the first time I can remember I've really regretted an update. I've NEVER experienced my iPhone completely locking up for 5-10 minutes right in the middle of me trying to get work done, not allowing me to even force-reboot it. I have to power cycle it at least a dozen times a day now because it gets into a state whe…

Apple makes great hardware but they are falling farther and farther behind Android in software IMO. Modern Android on a good phone is just a smoother, more powerful, and more pleasant experience. I develop iOS apps for a living but I carry a Pixel 2 in my pocket and it's the best phone I've ever had.

Considering that unless you own a Google manufactured phone you have to wait for the latest OS and even then you only get 18-24 months worth of updates.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#84

Post by cageface »

scarface74 wrote: post #83
cageface wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple makes great hardware but they are falling farther and farther behind Android in software IMO. Modern Android on a good phone is just a smoother, more powerful, and more pleasant experience. I develop iOS apps for a living but I carry a Pixel 2 in my pocket and it's the best phone I've ever had.

Considering that unless you own a Google manufactured phone you have to wait for the latest OS and even then you only get 18-24 months worth of updates.

That's true and it's one of the main reasons I use a Google phone. But it's also true that you don't need an OS-level update to get a lot of the newest features and services on Android. Google has broken out a lot of their services and apps into separate updates so you can get them even if you're not running the latest version of Android.

I don't need an OS update to get the latest Chrome or Gmail or Maps, for example, unlike iOS.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#85

Post by cageface »

tolmasky wrote: post #55

Every iOS has been a mess since iOS 7 at least, and the reason seems pretty straight-forward: every year there is an expansion in scope while maintaining a strict 1-year development cycle. This necessarily means that the bugs start to pile up (since the main focus is constantly some set of new features, never fully allowing a true stabilization period), and I suppose its reached a point now where they are evident to…

iOS 9: Support for the latest gimmick "3D Touch" which required every app to add a bunch of (IMO) useless new undiscoverable affordances as well as long overdue major overhaul of iPad features: multitasking, etc.

3D touch also adds weight, complexity and cost to the screen, for a feature most users completely ignore. I consider it one of Apple's biggest feature misfires.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#86

Post by calciphus »

paulbeattie wrote: post #61
spyspy wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They've already been sitting on the same physical design for the past 4 years, from the 6 to the 8. I wonder why they waited so long to release a new chassis. The fact that they took so long and when it finally does come, they jack up the prices for what should have been standard annoys me.

IMO and as other outlets have stated I don't think they planned to release the X this year. You can tell a lot of this just by the way the software feels like it has been shoehorned in to work e.g. swipe down from the right for Control Center, swipe down from the left for notifications.

Those are both badly copied features from Android. On Nexus/Pixel tablets the top right was used for the system toggle, left was used for notifications. What I'm surprised by is that they didn't copy the "hard press where home should be for home", instead relying on swipe and press. The galaxy s8 supports both and the hard press is substantially more useful.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#87

Post by cthulha »

spyspy wrote: post #51
paulbeattie wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. I agree they need to focus on quality and performance and be public that they're working to address it. But they also need to focus on adding new functionality to catch up with Android and other flavours of Android. The mobile market is moving a little too quickly for them just to sit still and not move for 2 years.

They've already been sitting on the same physical design for the past 4 years, from the 6 to the 8. I wonder why they waited so long to release a new chassis. The fact that they took so long and when it finally does come, they jack up the prices for what should have been standard annoys me.

I'd politely disagree with the assumptions underlying the question.

Changing the physical proportions is a very big deal when you look at the long term impact on the development and app ecosystem.

iOS developers can test their design on the SE, the Plus and the regular size and it will cover over 4 years of phones in the hands of users.

And for what? Have people's hands changed shape or size? Once you've reached something that makes your customer base happy, you would want to have a new design that is substantially better. Novelty isn't a better selling point than knowing you'll be happy with what you get.

There's an old Wired article on the making of the iPod, where they reveal that they made over 100 prototypes, down to weights internally to check the balance and feel of the device. It's likely that there are thousands of iPhone prototypes they have tested out, and the models we have are the survivors of a much larger and longer process than is publically visible.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#88

Post by dionidium »

dionidium wrote: post #30
hutattedonmyarm wrote: post #11

> Hitting airplane mode now drops connected bluetooth devices Huh, doesn't happen to me

Wait, hasn't this always been the case? https://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/4pwv0l/i_finally_f...

Oops, I obviously pasted the wrong link. But, my point stands. This did happen before iOS 11.

Re: Ask HN: Why is iOS 11 such a mess?

#90

Post by davelnewton »

planetjones wrote: post #32
arprocter wrote: post #3

Another for the list - the new Podcasts app is terrible Edit: it's as if they tried to make the interface less efficient than before - it makes it much more difficult to find subscribed to podcasts you haven't listened to in a while

I ditched that disgraceful application for downcast after it used my whole data allowance by not respecting a download on WiFi only setting. This was a previous iOS release, but once bitten twice as shy. I will never take another look at podcasts because it already cost me real money.

Anecdotal, but that's never happened to me w/ PocketCasts in any release on any iOS or Android.
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