Phones iPhone X: An Apple User’s Crisis of Identity

[Tig Bitties]

Not trying to start a iOS vs. Android fight here. Please keep this civil. I do think the iPhone X is a great phone, with a fantastic display, great camera, and overall size is just about perfect, and the A11 chipset is amazing. But this super cool futuristic X phone just seems strange running this version of iOS, like it doesn't belong on the iPhone X, with iOS 11 it makes the X seems like it's running something from 5 years ago. In my opinion, the iPhone X should have gotten a refreshed UI from Apple.

But anyways, start reading the article with chapter 4 about the Notifications. I totally agree on the Notification system on iOS it's just a pile of dog poo, and hasn't gotten any better;


https://www.phonearena.com/news/iPhone-X-An-Apple-Users-Crisis-of-Identity-Pt.-1_id99575

iPhone X: An Apple User’s Crisis of Identity Pt. 1

Chapter 4: Android vs. iOS – A War of Philosophy and Execution

Notification Center is a Mess, and Always Has Been

 

[tbayrgs]

I haven’t read the article but I’ll acknowledge, as an avid iOS user, that Notifications on iOS are in dire need of a rework. I have no idea why they removed the ability to group them by app (iOS 9 maybe?) but it’s the biggest problem I have with their implementation. Putting this back in would improve (but not completely fix) the experience dramatically.

 

[Puddled]

It is only scratching the surface

The iPhone should be un-tethered from iTunes.
No Default apps is ridiculous
Settings are a complete mess
Springboard is utterly outdated.
And notifications

to name a few.

Quite why IOS users put up with it i don't know.

Personally, I won't return to IOS until iTunes is canned. (yes i hate it that much)

 

[Tig Bitties]

It is only scratching the surface

The iPhone should be un-tethered from iTunes.
No Default apps is ridiculous
Settings are a complete mess
Springboard is utterly outdated.
And notifications

to name a few.

Quite why IOS users put up with it i don't know.

Personally, I won't return to IOS until iTunes is canned. (yes i hate it that much)

Totally spot-on agree

 

[widgeteer]

So it was super incredibly necessary to start a new thread in which the only purpose is to crap on an OS you don't use?

Yeah, this won't devolve into Android vs iOS. And will be completely unique.

 

[Tig Bitties]

So it was super incredibly necessary to start a new thread in which the only purpose is to crap on an OS you don't use?

Yeah, this won't devolve into Android vs iOS. And will be completely unique.

WRONG

I had an iPhone 7 Plus earlier, this year, and really liked it a lot. But certain frustration in iOS led me back to stock Android, but was thinking and hoping Apple would wake up and revise the needed stuff like Notifications in iOS 11, and come June, with the first iOS 11 beta, and NOTHING done to notifications, i sold my 7 Plus.

I think the iPhone could be even better, if certain things were revised in iOS is my point. Right now the iPhone X is an amazing hardware, just one of the best looking, best feeling smartphones on the market, but hot damn iOS feels so outdated in certain aspects. if Apple would address those issues, they can steel back millions more sales from Samsung, etc...

If Apple did this, I'd come back and never leave;

- Redo Notifications
- Allow default app settings change
- Ditch the need for iTunes
- Allow some basic form of customization: Dark Mode, Icon packs, more options to move stuff around the screen, like put apps on the bottom of the screen right above the Dock.
- Allow Widgets on the Home screen, allow user to decide where to put them.

And don't say, just tick with Android if the above is what you want. Well no, I still like the other stuff Apple does and has, like iMessage, and the smoothness of the Ui, the apps, etc...

 

[tbayrgs]

What do you guys do that requires the use of iTunes? I haven’t plugged my iPhone into my computer in years, save for an encrypted backup or two.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

WRONG

I had an iPhone 7 Plus earlier, this year, and really liked it a lot. But certain frustration in iOS led me back to stock Android, but was thinking and hoping Apple would wake up and revise the needed stuff like Notifications in iOS 11, and come June, with the first iOS 11 beta, and NOTHING done to notifications, i sold my 7 Plus.

I think the iPhone could be even better, if certain things were revised in iOS is my point. Right now the iPhone X is an amazing hardware, just one of the best looking, best feeling smartphones on the market, but hot damn iOS feels so outdated in certain aspects. if Apple would address those issues, they can steel back millions more sales from Samsung, etc...

If Apple did this, I'd come back and never leave;

- Redo Notifications
- Allow default app settings change
- Ditch the need for iTunes
- Allow some basic form of customization: Dark Mode, Icon packs, more options to move stuff around the screen, like put apps on the bottom of the screen right above the Dock.
- Allow Widgets on the Home screen, allow user to decide where to put them.

And don't say, just tick with Android if the above is what you want. Well no, I still like the other stuff Apple does and has, like iMessage, and the smoothness of the Ui, the apps, etc...

Life is all about tradeoffs and these are just another example of that. You like widgets and have a strong desire to customize large swaths of the look and function of the OS. It sounds like Android is perfect for you. As opposed to someone like myself, who doesn't want any of that stuff and don't want developers, Apple or otherwise, wasting bandwidth to get it to work.

Agree on the Settings app clutter though. That is a mess. Having search functionality in there helps, but so too would them not half way re-organizing where everything is in there with every major iOS update.

 

[eyoungren]

Life is all about tradeoffs and these are just another example of that. You like widgets and have a strong desire to customize large swaths of the look and function of the OS. It sounds like Android is perfect for you. As opposed to someone like myself, who doesn't want any of that stuff and don't want developers, Apple or otherwise, wasting bandwidth to get it to work.

There's a way to have both on iOS without a tradeoff.

Unfortunately Apple likes to prevent that solution as much as they can. But jailbreaking your iDevice to circumvent Apple's restrictions is a viable way to get the best of both worlds when a firmware is jailbreakable.

I know that if @Tig Bitties could jailbreak the new iPhone he'd be back in a heartbeat.

 

[mikef07]

Simply put for me this phone is the best there is today for what I want. I want the smallest footprint with the largest screen. Since this is mostly screen the X works. I want iMessage. X has it. I want Facetime. X has it. I want a good music program. X has it. I want mac integration. X has it.

Not sure what you think it is missing for the average user (which I am). For the power user I get why the X does not appeal.

I kind of laugh about the setting being a mess. For your average user it is great. The only things that most average users adjust is ring type, ring volume, volume, brightness, airplane mode, bluetooth on/off, wireless on/off and that is about it.

Apple is trying to appeal to people like me, my father, my wife, my kids and this is more than enough. You power users are a different animal to go after.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I agree with the first paragraph on chapter 4 in the OP link. When it comes to software, Apple needs to revamp iOS from top to bottom into something completely different. I'm talking drastic change. Some might disagree with me, but year after year the justification for users to stick with iOS gets weaker and weaker.

 

[mikef07]

I agree with the first paragraph on chapter 4 in the OP link. When it comes to software, Apple needs to revamp iOS from top to bottom into something completely different. I'm talking drastic change. Some might disagree with me, but year after year the justification for users to stick with iOS gets weaker and weaker.

I completely disagree with you. The appeal to all these new phones are minor additions with the ability to pick up the phone and already know how to do 90% of what the phone can do. The majority of posters here are thinking like power users who can grasp big changes

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I completely disagree with you. The appeal to all these new phones are minor additions with the ability to pick up the phone and already know how to do 90% of what the phone can do. The majority of posters here are thinking like power users who can grasp big changes

You're assuming drastic changes would be too difficult or a turnoff for the average user, which is not true.

 

[mikef07]

You're assuming drastic changes would be too difficult or a turnoff for the average user, which is not true.

Yeah it is. My wife, father, wife's parents, wife's sister, 3 kids, it would all be a turnoff for. You are just wrong. All of them are more typical than your average user here. Big changes and they lose about 10 people in my family. No changes and they lose you. Most people are not like posters here, especially in the alternative to ios forum where the knowledge is much higher than an average use.

 

[Tig Bitties]

I agree with the first paragraph on chapter 4 in the OP link. When it comes to software, Apple needs to revamp iOS from top to bottom into something completely different. I'm talking drastic change. Some might disagree with me, but year after year the justification for users to stick with iOS gets weaker and weaker.

Agree 100%, and it does not need to copy Android revision. Apple is a very smart company, with intelligent engineers and programmers. Put as much effort into how they designed the iPhone X and A11, now into iOS. How people can't see that iOS needs a pretty big revisions is beyond me. Again I am not saying copy Windows Phone or Android, but it does need a UI upgrade desperately.

 

[decafjava]

- Ditch the need for iTunes

They've pretty much already ditched iTunes, heck you can't even buy apps through iTunes any more. I use it because I like having a local backup and I still sync my ripped and downloaded music and use smartplaylists (though I also subscribe to Apple music).

 

[Tig Bitties]

I completely disagree with you. The appeal to all these new phones are minor additions with the ability to pick up the phone and already know how to do 90% of what the phone can do. The majority of posters here are thinking like power users who can grasp big changes

Look at the iPhone X itself. it's a drastic change in how the user operates the device. The average Joe Blow and Grandma will be very turned off and have a difficult time using an X, I guarantee you that. My Mom just got her first iPhone, we got her a 6S, and she has a hard enough time figuring how to operate it, taking her weeks to get even remotely comfortable with it. If we bought her an X, ha, forget about it. She would throw that phone on the floor in a mad fit of rage, not being able to use it.

I've shown videos of the iPhone X and how it works to older family members, that are die hard iPhone fans. All of them were like ugh, not happy with the gestures, and they said it looks confusing, most said they rather just an iPhone 8, even if the X was the same price. I have asked the older crowd, they would just be happy if the iPhone 8 style kept on being made for years down the road. They don't like change, and once comfortable and used to something they want to stick with it. The X is something they are not interested in.

So revising iOS to match 2017 and not 2009, wouldn't be that hard on customers.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Yeah it is. My wife, father, wife's parents, wife's sister, 3 kids, it would all be a turnoff for. You are just wrong. All of them are more typical than your average user here. Big changes and they lose about 10 people in my family. No changes and they lose you. Most people are not like posters here, especially in the alternative to ios forum where the knowledge is much higher than an average use.

The majority of my family had iPhones for years. Now the majority uses Android devices. The adjustment was minimal. Although my family was never fully embedded into the Apple ecosystem. Nobody with the exception of myself had Apple everything, and they mostly use PCs. My family is more a representative of the majority of iPhone users, because most iPhone users don't have a Mac, iPad or all the major Apple products.

Now my statement above is speaking on a complete platform change. So a top to bottom revamp of iOS while still maintaining it's core foundation and ecosystem will not turn the majority of iOS users away. It will actually improve loyalty.
[doublepost=1510091583][/doublepost]

Look at the iPhone X itself. it's a drastic change in how the user operates the device. The average Joe Blow and Grandma will be very turned off and have a difficult time using an X, I guarantee you that. My Mom just got her first iPhone, we got her a 6S, and she has a hard enough time figuring how to operate it, taking her weeks to get even remotely comfortable with it. If we bought her an X, ha, forget about it. She would throw that phone on the floor in a mad fit of rage, not being able to use it.

I've shown videos of the iPhone X and how it works to older family members, that are die hard iPhone fans. All of them were like ugh, not happy with the gestures, and they said it looks confusing, most said they rather just an iPhone 8, even if the X was the same price. I have asked the older crowd, they would just be happy if the iPhone 8 style kept on being made for years down the road. They don't like change, and once comfortable and used to something they want to stick with it. The X is something they are not interested in.

So revising iOS to match 2017 and not 2009, wouldn't be that hard on customers.

Many of all ages say had extreme dislike for iOS7, and that was more just because of the design change. But they got over that fast. The same will happen with the new User Input gestures on the iPhone X, it will be normal in no time.

 

[mikef07]

The majority of my family had iPhones for years. Now the majority uses Android devices. The adjustment was minimal. Although my family was never fully embedded into the Apple ecosystem. Nobody with the exception of myself had Apple everything, and they mostly use PCs. My family is more a representative of the majority of iPhone users, because most iPhone users don't have a Mac, iPad or all the major Apple products.

Now my statement above is speaking on a complete platform change. So a top to bottom revamp of iOS while still maintaining it's core foundation and ecosystem will not turn the majority of iOS users away. It will actually improve loyalty.

Ok, but literally over 10+ people (probably around 20 total) in our family will not switch because they do not know how to use an Android phone. Almost all of them can pick up my X and use it. They needed to learn 2 gestures. Home swipe and swipe from top right corner.

None figured out how to use my S7 Edge, except my 2 teenage sons.

You guys keep thinking you are right though. Apple knows exactly what they are doing. I have asked my family members multiple times if they want to switch to Android. No interest whatsoever. None of them remotely know about Apple marketing and what is being marketed.

If you asked any family member what IOS they are on they have no clue. You could tell them IOS 20 and they would say OK. They simply want to be able and know how to be able to make calls, get on internet, imessage, facetime, youtube, music, video, visual voicemail, and a couple apps.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Ok, but literally over 10+ people (probably around 20 total) in our family will not switch because they do not know how to use an Android phone. Almost all of them can pick up my X and use it. They needed to learn 2 gestures. Home swipe and swipe from top right corner.

None figured out how to use my S7 Edge, except my 2 teenage sons.

This is why I stated .......

So a top to bottom revamp of iOS while still maintaining it's core foundation and ecosystem will not turn the majority of iOS users away.

My mother went from an iPhone 5S to a Note 4. She still uses the Note 4 and won't let it go, even when I offered her newer phones. And she's very ignorant in anything tech. The premise the someone can't figure out how to use an Android phone, especially the recent models of several years back, is just unbelievable to me or they barely spent time the device.

 

[mikef07]

This is why I stated .......






My mother went from an iPhone 5S to a Note 4. She still uses the Note 4 and won't let it go, even when I offered her newer phones. And she's very ignorant in anything tech. The premise the someone can't figure out how to use an Android phone, especially the recent models of several years back, is just unbelievable to me or they barely spent time the device.

Ok what more are you looking for. I explained what your average user does which is "make calls, get on internet, imessage, facetime, youtube, music, video, visual voicemail, and a couple apps." I forgot camera and photos and calendar.

Now do I think that they could figure out Android if they had to (for example if Apple disappeared)? Of course. you and I both know they could. The point is Apple knows exactly what they are doing. Keep things virtually the same. I would love to know what you think the average user possibly wants that they are missing. I can tell you before you even answer multitasking is not one of them.

 

[KingslayerG5]

Apple needs to revamp the entire UI. Not that static rows of icons that hasn't changed in ten years. Since they already copied webOS, they might as well copy its Card UI.

That's why I only like to use a plain black wallpaper. Any wallpaper I see from ZEDGE like a beautiful scenery will get obscured by it.

I have 3D parallax wallpapers of Iron Man and Spider-Man and it will still get obscured by that boring grid of apps. It's Michael Fisher's #1 complaint with iOS since we are at the mercy of what Apple wants. He says the UI looks preschool. I think its cartoony.

I can't set the grid layout to 4x4. The X will now offer 7 rows. Can't hide apps. Can't change it with icons pack. Can't resize it. Can't rename it. Can't resize font.

I actually don't mind the Control Center. Alot of us here are already accustomed to toggles on top. When I jailbroke my iPhone 2G, I used SBSettings that came from pulling down from the status bar as far back as 2008-2009.

I like the direction where Apple is going. Still not as good as Android's but I don't mind it. I just wish they change up the UI and gives us more options. I can't even check my RAM usage.

I feel Huawei which copies iOS the way Xiaomi does has better themes and UI design than Apple's while maintaining Android's versatility. MIUI and EMUI is like marrying Android and iOS together.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Ok, but literally over 10+ people (probably around 20 total) in our family will not switch because they do not know how to use an Android phone. Almost all of them can pick up my X and use it. They needed to learn 2 gestures. Home swipe and swipe from top right corner.

None figured out how to use my S7 Edge, except my 2 teenage sons.

You guys keep thinking you are right though. Apple knows exactly what they are doing. I have asked my family members multiple times if they want to switch to Android. No interest whatsoever. None of them remotely know about Apple marketing and what is being marketed.

If you asked any family member what IOS they are on they have no clue. You could tell them IOS 20 and they would say OK. They simply want to be able and know how to be able to make calls, get on internet, imessage, facetime, youtube, music, video, visual voicemail, and a couple apps.

Sorry but I call foul. The S7 Edge is brain dead easy to turn an and get into the home screen, especially with Samsuing's "Easy mode" or whatever they call it, that makes everything extra large and simplified. Any Grandma and Joe Schmoe can figure that out, I would argue the iPhone X has far steeper learning curve to get used too.

The old adage of the iPhone is just more simple and easy to use for the casual non techie, is just not true anymore. I think a stock Android phone is now simpler and easy for a regulart Schmoe to use compared to the X.

 

[mikef07]

Sorry but I call foul. The S7 Edge is brain dead easy to turn an and get into the home screen, especially with Samsuing's "Easy mode" or whatever they call it, that makes everything extra large and simplified. Any Grandma and Joe Schmoe can figure that out, I would argue the iPhone X has far steeper learning curve to get used too.

The old adage of the iPhone is just more simple and easy to use for the casual non techie, is just not true anymore. I think a stock Android phone is now simpler and easy for a regulart Schmoe to use compared to the X.

Go to visual voicemail. None of them can do it since they can't find icon on the actual call screen.
Sync videos and music with the mac. None of them can do it and would not know where to start.
Send video or picture in a message that is not severely downgraded in quality. None of them can do it.
Make calls. No problem
Get on internet. No problem
Camera and photos. No problem
Video message? None of them can do it and would not know where to start.
Other stuff they could probably do like calendar, music, video if it was already on phone.
Change settings on phone. None of them can do it. On the X they can do it because there is a setting button and they know where to go. Did have to teach them about swipe from top right corner. Can they close apps on X? Nope and did not even think about showing them but they couldn't do it on their iphones (non X) right now.

They can do everything listed on my iphone x. Again you are flat out wrong.

The day Apple changes the UI my guess is I would have many in my family consider switching to Android phones since they would have to learn something completely new which means what better time to try something else.

 

[Tig Bitties]

The themes aspect would be cool, but not a major must have. But seriously Apple really needs to revamp the Notification system from the ground up, that's something that really needs to be worked on A.S.A.P. I am shocked iOS 11 didn't have a major Notification system revamp, how can people not realize it sucks ? Again not saying they should copy Android's, but come up with something better than pile of smelly dog poo that iOS notifications are.