iPad Why is the folder grid STILL 3x3 on the iPad?

[Aluminum213]

In one of most stupid moves I've ever seen, apple reduced the grid on the iPad in folder view in iOS 7 because they love wasted space. It never was changed back in the iOS 7 updates

Now in iOS 8 it's the same garbage

 

[Small White Car]

It's because the choice was made to have visual consistency between a folder when it's opened and when it's closed.

When you look at a folder on the springboard you can see every app even before you click on it.

Since I see no way to fit more than 9 icons in the shrunken view, that's what we're stuck with. You may say that this doesn't matter to you, but my point is that Apple made a conscious choice to switch from the old method to this new method, so it's clearly something they thought about. Not something they just didn't realize. You should probably give up hoping that it will change back.

(The ability to scroll pages within the folder is, I suspect, a compromise that they aren't thrilled with but have conceded as a matter of practicality.)

 

[FSMBP]

It's because the choice was made to have visual consistency between a folder when it's opened and when it's closed.

When you look at a folder on the springboard you can see every app even before you click on it.

Since I see no way to fit more than 9 icons in the shrunken view, that's what we're stuck with. You may say that this doesn't matter to you, but my point is that Apple made a conscious choice to switch from the old method to this new method, so it's clearly something they thought about. Not something they just didn't realize. You should probably give up hoping that it will change back.

(The ability to scroll pages within the folder is, I suspect, a compromise that they aren't thrilled with but have conceded as a matter of practicality.)

With the iPad, couldn't you display more than 3x3 grid of icons in the shrunken view (while still retaining icon clarity)?

 

[Small White Car]

With the iPad, couldn't you display more than 3x3 grid of icons in the shrunken view (while still retaining icon clarity)?

Not sure, but this brings us to the larger question of why Apple seems unwilling to differentiate the iPhone iOS from the iPad iOS.

There's been talk about multi-tasking solutions for the iPad. Perhaps if those come to be we'll see Apple experiment with other differences too. At the moment is seems that all such ideas are simply shot down from the start.

 

[Aluminum213]

Not sure, but this brings us to the larger question of why Apple seems unwilling to differentiate the iPhone iOS from the iPad iOS.

There's been talk about multi-tasking solutions for the iPad. Perhaps if those come to be we'll see Apple experiment with other differences too. At the moment is seems that all such ideas are simply shot down from the start.

Apple doesn't give a damn about differentiating between the iPad and iPhone iOS despite the massive screen size difference, they leave it up to app devs to do that

Funny when Tim cook blasted android for wasting screen space yet now we have 3x3 folders on 10 inch screens

 

[ps3zocker]

They do it differently in Yosemite. They could do it on iPad the same way. If they wanted to...

 

[jonnyb098]

Not sure, but this brings us to the larger question of why Apple seems unwilling to differentiate the iPhone iOS from the iPad iOS.

There's been talk about multi-tasking solutions for the iPad. Perhaps if those come to be we'll see Apple experiment with other differences too. At the moment is seems that all such ideas are simply shot down from the start.

Apps on iPad like mail, safari, calendar, podcasts, photos take nice advantage of the iPad screen. A bigger screen was exactly what iOS needed. Before the iPad thinks felt kind of cramped on the smaller screen.

 

[snorkelman]

real reason it went to 9 is the ios7 directional animations when apps launch

When the launch animations are enabled an app slides in from top left, from top right, from centre top etc depending on the location of the apps icon in the 9 icon grid. (whereas on iOS 6 it just zoomed from centre)

so we're now stuck with maximum of 9 possible icon positions and need for multi page folders for 10 or more apps, just to satisfy the aesthetics of an animated app launch (that a lot of folks disable as they find it visually jarring anyway).

 

[BenTrovato]

Now in iOS 8 it's the same garbage

Haha that's a funny thread title 3 x 3 is a piece of garbage. Whoever made the decision to cut it down to allow for an oft-disabled animation feature should have been fired for even suggesting the idea.

 

[Aluminum213]

They do it differently in Yosemite. They could do it on iPad the same way. If they wanted to...

Yup, further stupidity of iOS designers

 

[Tubamajuba]

It would be nice if iOS could adopt a Yosemite-style expanding folder, but it's not the end of the world either.

 

[Paddle1]

real reason it went to 9 is the ios7 directional animations when apps launch

When the launch animations are enabled an app slides in from top left, from top right, from centre top etc depending on the location of the apps icon in the 9 icon grid. (whereas on iOS 6 it just zoomed from centre)

so we're now stuck with maximum of 9 possible icon positions and need for multi page folders for 10 or more apps, just to satisfy the aesthetics of an animated app launch (that a lot of folks disable as they find it visually jarring anyway).

That animation works outside of a folder also, and it can open in more than just 9 ways.

 

[charlituna]

It's because the choice was made to have visual consistency between a folder when it's opened and when it's closed.

Personally i think that is a crap reason. If that is their logic it is lame. But I suspect it is more laziness than 'visual consistency'.

There is no reason why folders couldn't expand out more 'launch pad' style on the iPad. Other than a lack of wanting to bother with the work

 

[Small White Car]

But I suspect it is more laziness than 'visual consistency'.

But iOS 6 had more icons in the folders and they went to the trouble to change it. If 'laziness' were the answer then surely they'd have just left it that way, right?

Changing something takes more work than not changing it.

 

[merrickdrfc]

Apple must think that the consistency between the closed and opened state of folders on iOS is important, thus the reasoning for the 3x3 grid.

It's purely a design choice. I'll be honest on my iPhone and iPad it doesn't really bother me at all, but if it was the same on OS X it would definitely bother me.