iPhone Any chance the Phone app finally gets updated?

[jonblatho]

You obviously don't develop software, which is clear by your flippant disregard for anything other than your very narrow desire.

For a real software company like Apple, whose devices are part of the lives of billions of people, they have to seriously consider the implications of changing something as dramatic as incoming calls. You understand nothing about this, instead you the echo "bla bla bla I want I want" sentiment of the typical KJETGIT user.

None of this is remotely comparable to how it is handled on macOs. macOS isn't a phone. It doesn't receive its own calls from a cell carrier. It is an optional extension of your iPhone where you are simultaneously receiving the call.

Did it ever occur to you that it might not be entirely up to Apple? That cell carriers undoubtedly have a say in what incoming calls look like? Of course it didn't.

There are SO many ways to address your "concerns" with the existing functionality and features that it is obnoxious to have to even point it out, so I won't.

Alright, you’re far beyond reason, but here we go:

1. This isn’t a “very narrow desire.” This is a reasonable and common request that has gotten the attention of folks who will be making the call. Craig Federighi is known for using coded language in his email responses so that he doesn’t overpromise and underdeliver — he’s done the same to me — and with that, I’d say we’ll see a new incoming call UI within the next couple of major iOS releases.
2. We’ve already established that this isn’t a “very narrow desire,” but speaking more generally, it’s annoying to users for anything — yes, this includes incoming calls — to take over the full screen unless it’s not reasonably avoidable (for example, on a tiny screen like that of the Apple Watch). Never mind the possibility of accidentally tapping a button that appeared while you were moving your finger to tap something else. Apple changed this behavior for nearly all other notifications back in iOS 5, almost a decade ago.
   
3. I do develop software, and in doing so I understand that (like many things in life) if you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one. Sometimes, there comes a point where you have to drag into the future users like you, who seemingly wish for nothing to change, ever, lest the San Andreas Fault open up and swallow the Great State of California whole for Apple’s daring to change the incoming call UI. It’s okay to discount the feedback of — or even outright ignore — users like you when significant improvements to user experience can be made, when more people will be pleased than those upset with the changes.
4. Correct, macOS isn’t a phone, but imagine if you were working away on your Mac, doing something important, when your entire screen was taken over by a call that you don’t wish to answer at the moment if ever. Because that’s what currently happens on iPad, which also doesn’t receive its own calls from a cell carrier.
5. Yes, it did occur to me that cell carriers may have demanded that incoming calls take over the entire screen. While that’s a strange demand and doesn’t square with Apple’s reputation for giving carriers relatively minimal control over the iPhone user experience or other OEMs’ being allowed to receive phone calls without taking over the entire screen, I suppose there’s a very small chance that that’s the case.
6. The ways to address my concerns with existing features are to answer a call, decline a call, or wait to resume what I was doing until the call is declined for me. That’s the issue — if you receive a call, you must either answer or decline or wait approximately 20–30 seconds to keep doing what you were doing. Answering isn’t always the right course of action, declining is usually considered rude if you know the person, but sometimes you just don’t want to talk right that moment. Let them wait and leave a voicemail or contact me elsewhere. The time burden shouldn’t be on me for wishing to merely ignore — without declining — a call even temporarily.

I close with the fitting words of Taylor Swift: “You need to calm down. You’re being too loud.”

 

[Hi Tek]

Is it something that could be in 13.1 ? Or has to wait till iOS 14 revamp ?

I feel like if anything, iOS 14 ... I would be very surprised (but happy! ) if it came in the incremental .updates

 

[Dranix]

just make it at least better than the ****** ui behaviour under Android.

 

[mikecwest]

Alright, you’re far beyond reason, but here we go:

1. This isn’t a “very narrow desire.” This is a reasonable and common request that has gotten the attention of folks who will be making the call. Craig Federighi is known for using coded language in his email responses so that he doesn’t overpromise and underdeliver — he’s done the same to me — and with that, I’d say we’ll see a new incoming call UI within the next couple of major iOS releases.
2. We’ve already established that this isn’t a “very narrow desire,” but speaking more generally, it’s annoying to users for anything — yes, this includes incoming calls — to take over the full screen unless it’s not reasonably avoidable (for example, on a tiny screen like that of the Apple Watch). Never mind the possibility of accidentally tapping a button that appeared while you were moving your finger to tap something else. Apple changed this behavior for nearly all other notifications back in iOS 5, almost a decade ago.
   
3. I do develop software, and in doing so I understand that (like many things in life) if you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one. Sometimes, there comes a point where you have to drag into the future users like you, who seemingly wish for nothing to change, ever, lest the San Andreas Fault open up and swallow the Great State of California whole for Apple’s daring to change the incoming call UI. It’s okay to discount the feedback of — or even outright ignore — users like you when significant improvements to user experience can be made, when more people will be pleased than those upset with the changes.
4. Correct, macOS isn’t a phone, but imagine if you were working away on your Mac, doing something important, when your entire screen was taken over by a call that you don’t wish to answer at the moment if ever. Because that’s what currently happens on iPad, which also doesn’t receive its own calls from a cell carrier.
5. Yes, it did occur to me that cell carriers may have demanded that incoming calls take over the entire screen. While that’s a strange demand and doesn’t square with Apple’s reputation for giving carriers relatively minimal control over the iPhone user experience or other OEMs’ being allowed to receive phone calls without taking over the entire screen, I suppose there’s a very small chance that that’s the case.
6. The ways to address my concerns with existing features are to answer a call, decline a call, or wait to resume what I was doing until the call is declined for me. That’s the issue — if you receive a call, you must either answer or decline or wait approximately 20–30 seconds to keep doing what you were doing. Answering isn’t always the right course of action, declining is usually considered rude if you know the person, but sometimes you just don’t want to talk right that moment. Let them wait and leave a voicemail or contact me elsewhere. The time burden shouldn’t be on me for wishing to merely ignore — without declining — a call even temporarily.

I close with the fitting words of Taylor Swift: “You need to calm down. You’re being too loud.”

I like how you offer your opinion without insulting anybody...It is very annoying how the whole screen is hijacked for an outgoing call. One thing that I do like, is that if I am still in the middle of typing an SMS message, the message isn't lost. (I have an android for work, and that is what happens if I am in the middle of an SMS and a call or text comes in, it is lost)

I like the idea to have it in a notification or smaller pop-up that can be swiped away, however I hope it is more smooth and MacLike (yes, there is someone here who won’t like the idea to make it MacLike). My company android phone has it come as a notification, but it is so "busy" with so many little icons, that they are hard to press.)

I am confident, that once Apple does "something" it isn't going to be just for the sake of doing something, and will be a somewhat elegant "Apple Style" approach.

 

[PastaPrimav]

I can see Apple updating CallKit to add additional options for presentation...banners being one of them. But that is how VOIP apps used to work before CallKit, and it was terrible, so don't expect it to be adopted enthusiastically by anyone.

And don't expect Apple to change its very purposed stance on the incoming and outgoing Call UI.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I'm still going to say by iOS 15 the phone app will have been updated, if not in iOS 14.

Absolutely no way Apple sticks with decade old out of date Phone app. it's totally rubbish as is right now just pure garbage and it's one of the most often complaint about stock iOS apps on the iPhone

 

[PastaPrimav]

I do develop software for a living and I cannot believe you are trying to double down on this. This gets implemented at least by iOS 15 (honestly shouldn't take that long, but well Apple takes awhile to do some things).

The carriers are not handcuffing Apple on the way their Phone app works. If anything, Apple has MORE pull over Android OEMs on most carrier related things (take VoLTE and WiFi calling as must be enabled features for all iPhones in the US).

You can act like you are some all-knowing person and that your way is the correct way... but you would be mistaken.

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

 

[mikecwest]

The idea that incoming phone calls should be relegated to simple banners is beyond absurd, and I'm sure brings with it all kinds of legal and social impact concerns for Apple. This isn't just software.

And no, making it "an option" is not the answer for bad ideas.

There is a new feature iOS 13 that lets you silence all unknown calls. That should be more than enough to address this strange concern of not wanting to answer calls.

No, you are wrong on that one. It is not enough, what if I want to quickly swipe away the call from Sancha, also my wife doesn’t see it?

I think you area way off the mark on the "legal" aspect of it, there is no law that says an incoming call has to take the full screen. Are you serious, and actually believe that to be even remotely possible? If you live in some strange nation, or place that exerts unnecessary control over its people, like deciding how loud you want your earphones to be, or decide that you shouldn’t be allowed to use Google, then maybe....

I challenge you to show me a law from ANY land, from the Land of the Free.....to the land behind an iron or red curtain...Just show me one, that says you have to have a full screen display for an incoming call on a phone, or any device.

Social impact concerns, as you can see clearly from this post they Cleary do have a social impact concern. That is proven by the fact that we are socializing about it, and users (how many users, who knows) would like change...

The ability to allow banner notifications, for "less intrusive" call notifications, while using other aspects of the phone, is in my opinion an excellent solution.

I will openly admit, I am NOT a programmer, I am NOT a software developer by any means. I am an end user of Apple products going back to my first one, an Apple IIGS...I certainly can not testify to the ease, ability, or inability to make those changes happen, but as an end user, it is not problem, I want what I want.

As far as being possible technically or not, the poor solution on my Samsung Galaxy S(something), is very awkward and poorly implemented. I do have faith that in my 30+ years of being an Apple customer, that they can do better than Google or Samsung.

 

[jonblatho]

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

You've said repeatedly that there is reason for it being this way and yet you refuse to say anything beyond speculation. You say this UI is a "purposed stance" from Apple. Clearly you know the all-encompassing details behind the iPhone’s incoming call UI, so go on, pray tell, the One True Developer, what do you know that we don’t?

 

[Tig Bitties]

I don't need to be a developer to say the iOS Phone app sucks balls.

Tim Cook might not be a developer himself but he's the boss of Apple and if he tells the developers hey for iOS 14 I want the phone app redone I guarantee you they get it done.

And it already has been done on a very popular jailbreak tweak . I'd be happy if they ported that JB tweak to stock IOS

 

[jonblatho]

I think you area way off the mark on the "legal" aspect of it, there is no law that says an incoming call has to take the full screen. Are you serious, and actually believe that to be even remotely possible? If you live in some strange nation, or place that exerts unnecessary control over its people, like deciding how loud you want your earphones to be, or decide that you shouldn’t be allowed to use Google, then maybe....

Yeah, the One True Developer pulled this right out of their rear end. I didn’t even address that because it was too ridiculous.

There are, last I knew, some requirements on what cell phones and service providers must and mustn’t do with incoming calls, SMS messages, and MMS messages. Some of them are even kind of strange. But this isn’t one of them.

 

[mikecwest]

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

What type of software do you develop? Also, keep in mind that just because you have a job doing something, does not offer proof that you actually know what you are doing. I work in a completely different industry, and have seen guys on their first day, who seem to have a better grasp that they doing since before I was born. Many of that older industry guys, are reluctant or unable to change their ways, and that is what makes them less capable.

I remember many years ago, telling a co-worker while delivering pizzas, that I wish there was some way to have like a little screen on my dashboard, that would give me directions to the place where the pizza was going. He laughed, and said that it was impossible, I laughed and said, that even if it was, there was no way a pizza driver could afford it. (NO I am not trying to take credit for inventing GPS navigation.) But, please remember, there were times when people said things were impossible, but are taken for granted now, such as GPS navigation. Any cheap smartphone is capable of it these days, and very few people that I know carry a standalone GPS navigator anymore. To make it even wore, ask anyone less than 30 if they own a Thomas Guide, you probably won't get a "yes" or "no," you will get a dazed look with "what's that?"

 

[Hi Tek]

Disagreeing with extremely amateur software ideas and pointing them out as a such is not being a jerk. Sorry if you don't know the difference.

No one agrees with what you're saying, literally.

 

[mikecwest]

No one agrees with what you're saying, literally.

I didn’t even see his response to me, I think it is gone. It is something I head from my wife often, "it's not what you said, it's how you said it."

 

[uecker87]

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

I'm boring you? Oh no! How will my fragile mind get over that.

I am a dev, but you can hold your high and mighty position all you want. The fact is that I would be willing to bet good money on this being changed within the next few major iOS releases.

You have the absolute worst kind of state of mind for a developer. "Oh well - it is that way for a reason! We can't do that project that would improve our users' lives because... reasons. It has always been that way."

Man, that mindset wouldn't cut it as a developer or a BA where I work. Progress requires change. Questioning why things are the way they are. Not just accepting that the status quo must be the correct way to proceed.

And I never was told 'no'. I jumped in after you started bashing other users because you have some superiority complex.

 

[simplynando]

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

You must be "bored" because you can't think of a good enough answer to back up any of your claims. NUMEROUS people have asked you what you meant by "legal or social" ramifications yet you have ignored every single one of them while still trying to make yourself look intelligent and educated as a "developer" yet you have not backed up any of your claims. There is no "strange concern of not wanting to answer call" because many MANY people do this to a lot of calls. You keep trying to make yourself seem more knowledgeable with these so-called facts you have up your sleeve yet you never actually present any of them and just try to disregard them like when you said "There are SO many ways to address your "concerns" with the existing functionality and features that it is obnoxious to have to even point it out, so I won't."

This entire thread is about implementing this functionality because IT DOES NOT EXIST. If you can solve every single persons frustrations here, then please, SHOW US. I'm guessing you can't, though, as you keep deflecting or acting as though it's beneath you.

It's also funny how you say "You post your ridiculous use case as "proof" of something while ignoring literally everything else." Which funnily enough, you've been doing this entire time because you have yet to explain the legal and social impacts that so many people have been asking you about.

I'm sorry for the team of developers you "manage" if you don't encourage new ideas because your app/software is doomed for failure.

 

[simplynando]

I've explained everything, clearly, and the response has been merely "I want, and don't care reasons."

False. I've explained it all thoroughly, and the response has been "waaaaa i want it anyway". You've run out of things to say.

You seem to not understand the meaning of some of the words you used in your responses because there has not been a single "clear" or "thorough" "explanation" anywhere in any of your responses. So i've gone ahead and linked some definitions for you so maybe you can learn something today.

Again, you've ignored every other question in my post so i'll just go ahead and use this fitting quote:

[doublepost=1563996561][/doublepost]
the only thing some people can come up with is to ignore it and pretend they didn't see it.

 

[Tig Bitties]

LOL @ PastaPrimav

I'm not sure if you're trolling or actually being serious here? We're not talking emergency Fire Department changes on how they save lives and put out fires.

We're just talking about an annoying Phone app that hijacks the screen when a call comes in, and this can easily be changed in a new iOS release, iOS 14 or iOS 15. Like I said Android has done it the way with the Header or Banner way since the beginning, and a JB tweak does this to for Jailbroke iPhone's, and it works great.

If Tim Cook says " I want" the Phone app revised, and to stop hijacking the screen, I guarantee the Apple developers get it done for Mr. Cook without question.

 

[jonblatho]

The answers are all in the original post.

Really? Let’s take a walk down memory lane, then.

I’ll add emphasis on anything I see from you in this thread, before you started yammering about how clearly you’ve explained everything, which appears to approximate an explanation. Emphasis is the only modification I'll make to your posts in this thread.

The “original post” of this Toxic Hellstew™:

The idea that incoming phone calls should be relegated to simple banners is beyond absurd, and I'm sure brings with it all kinds of legal and social impact concerns for Apple. This isn't just software.

And no, making it "an option" is not the answer for bad ideas.

There is a new feature iOS 13 that lets you silence all unknown calls. That should be more than enough to address this strange concern of not wanting to answer calls.

No absolutely is not a joke, and you demonstrate unimaginable ignorance to not understand any of what you responded to. You post your ridiculous use case as "proof" of something while ignoring literally everything else. What a great addition to a product team you would make.

I'm very familiar with non-software people like yourself being utterly incensed and confused when their bad ideas are revealed to have endless reasons why they can't be done...and all the belligerence that follows
[doublepost=1563982068][/doublepost]
It will not ever exist in the way you imagine, for reasons already explained. So you can forget it.

You obviously don't develop software, which is clear by your flippant disregard for anything other than your very narrow desire.

For a real software company like Apple, whose devices are part of the lives of billions of people, they have to seriously consider the implications of changing something as dramatic as incoming calls. You understand nothing about this, instead you the echo "bla bla bla I want I want" sentiment of the typical KJETGIT user.

None of this is remotely comparable to how it is handled on macOs. macOS isn't a phone. It doesn't receive its own calls from a cell carrier. It is an optional extension of your iPhone where you are simultaneously receiving the call.

Did it ever occur to you that it might not be entirely up to Apple? That cell carriers undoubtedly have a say in what incoming calls look like? Of course it didn't.

There are SO many ways to address your "concerns" with the existing functionality and features that it is obnoxious to have to even point it out, so I won't.

I can see Apple updating CallKit to add additional options for presentation...banners being one of them. But that is how VOIP apps used to work before CallKit, and it was terrible, so don't expect it to be adopted enthusiastically by anyone.

And don't expect Apple to change its very purposed stance on the incoming and outgoing Call UI.

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

Setting aside that you’re certainly not one to complain about others’ belligerence, you haven’t explained anything, let alone explained it clearly. Unless you’re privy to the supposed Real Reason why Apple hasn’t yet changed the incoming call UI — and you’re not — kindly quit treating your speculation as objective fact.

There’s no legal reason why the incoming call must consume the full screen, there’s no compelling legal concern that would prevent them from changing it — a lawsuit alleging that someone missed a call because Apple moved a button in software would be summarily laughed out of a courtroom — and there’s no functional reason why taking over the whole screen for 20+ seconds with no way to simply ignore the call is necessary.

These are claims that you have made and never adequately explained. If my interpretation of your claims is off-base or you have sources or valid explanations for any of them, feel free to correct me.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

You're boring me. The dead giveaway that you are not a developer is that you exhibit zero understanding for why it is the way it is, nor even engage in convervation on it. You and the others in this thread become belligerent when told that there is a reason for it to be the way it is (shocker) and that the reason is not "because they just haven't changed it yet".

As an actual developer, who manages a team of developers, it is easy to recognize people who are not developers by the way they engage in conversation and deal with being told No.

Please give it a rest. This is very embarrassing for you.

 

[StumpyBloke]

Please give it a rest. This is very embarrassing for you.

I think *he* has been suspended, thank goodness, so this place can lose its toxicity, at least for a while, well, until he starts again (which he will). There is a circular symbol by his name, I assume that means suspension.

Anyway for now, we can get back OT

My personal opinion, of which I can express now, is that iOS 14 will have the first major phone app update...I hope!

 

[Tig Bitties]

For now the only way to get the updated Phone app not to hijack the screen is to Jailbreak your phone and install the tweak. But sadly the JB scene is pretty much dead, and you need to be on very specific firmware to even have the ability to Jailbreak your phone.

 

[bradbomb]

Sidenote to this whole thread, @PastaPrimav had started a separate thread about his annoyance with how notifications function. Go read that thread in iOS 13 forum also because with that feature, he is completely frustrated and wants it changed to how he sees fit. He really just wants things his way

 

[Tig Bitties]

I'm a stock Android nerd I like the Pixel phones and OnePlus for Android.

if I were to go back to an iPhone two things I would like to see the Phone app updated to work like the JB tweak. And I'd like to see AOD always on display .The other updates to iOS 13 are very welcomed like a dark theme and so were other new features are nice to see Apple including .

 

[mikecwest]

I think *he* has been suspended, thank goodness, so this place can lose its toxicity, at least for a while, well, until he starts again (which he will). There is a circular symbol by his name, I assume that means suspension.

Anyway for now, we can get back OT

My personal opinion, of which I can express now, is that iOS 14 will have the first major phone app update...I hope!

I don't think I have ever seen such hostility on MacRumors. It almost felt like I was /r/jailbreak/ ... He tried to cover my arguments, basically explained that I was wrong, but did not even come close to defining his ideas.

I am pretty sure if Steve Jobs was around, and said "I want"...that is what he would get. He was famous for deciding what we want, before we knew that we want it.

The bottom line is, there are people who want a less intrusive incoming call screen, when busy with other tasks. If android can do it, somewhat poorly, then I am certain, IOS could do it, at least as poorly as android.