App Library: I hate it

[TiggrToo]

Guess I’ll have to respectfully disagree here...

Actually, that's exactly why Apple created it. Now, whether or not they achieved that aim is debatable (I personally feel they did not), but still, the rationale for its existence was to replace users apps and folders on the home screen.

Now with all those pages hidden, App Library's always a swipe or two away

Craig Federighi, 2020 WWDC

 

[mpavilion]

Actually, that's exactly why Apple created it. Now, whether or not they achieved that aim is debatable (I personally feel they did not), but still, the rationale for its existence was to replace users apps and folders on the home screen.

Seems to me like the rationale was to allow users to remove certain apps from their home screen, while still having a place to see all their apps—just as most other mobile OS’s have always worked?

 

[miamialley]

I mean, does anyone actually find apps by looking in the auto populated folders? I don't. I just search. So, how useful are the folders really?

 

[mpavilion]

To add to my point above—obviously, if you like having shortcuts and widgets and things on your home screen, you wouldn’t expect the app library to contain those things.

 

[TiggrToo]

Seems to me like the rationale was to allow users to remove certain apps from their home screen, while still having a place to see all their apps—just as most other mobile OS’s have always worked?

You disagreed with the following post:

but apple positions it as a way to replace your existing screens and folders.

The quote I gave from Craig F confirms that.

The entire WWDC video is available to watch athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEZhD3J89ZE if you choose not to believe me. The relevant section starts at 7:43.

 

[artfossil]

I mean, does anyone actually find apps by looking in the auto populated folders? I don't. I just search. So, how useful are the folders really?

Well, between Suggestions, Recently Added and Utilities (the top three folders in my App Library) I haven't had to actually search for anything yet as what I wanted was clearly visible.

 

[miamialley]

Well, between Suggestions, Recently Added and Utilities (the top three folders in my App Library) I haven't had to actually search for anything yet as what I wanted was clearly visible.

Yeah I use Siri Suggested App by pulling down on the home screen all the time or just type in what I want.

 

[mpavilion]

You disagreed with the following post:



The quote I gave from Craig F confirms that.

The entire WWDC video is available to watch athttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEZhD3J89ZE if you choose not to believe me. The relevant section starts at 7:43.

What I disagreed with was the suggestion that it is meant to replace every aspect of your homescreen, including Safari shortcuts (unless Craig said it would do this?). It’s an app drawer with funky organization. You can use it to replace your homescreens, but only by finally removing unwanted apps (like in other OSs). You can’t use it for widgets, etc.

 

[martin2345uk]

well, no surprise there... they’re not apps!

But then why do they appear in the A-Z list view of the App Library?

 

[Ansath]

But then why do they appear in the A-Z list view of the App Library?

Only apps built and submitted to the App Store appear in the App Library’s category folders, because they have categories picked by the developer. App shortcuts like yours, obviously don’t have any, so they have nowhere to go.

They appear in the A-Z because that is every app/app shortcut.

 

[dk001]

Except it's not changing what you already have and use and not locking it down.

But it is.
I have no need for the App Library nor the added deletion steps at this point in time. It is far too limited.
Being able to turn it off should be an option IMO.

 

[dk001]

I'm just pointing out that it doesn't change what someone has or how someone uses it since that seems to be getting brought up as a potential issue in relation to it all.

As far as simply not liking the idea of it being there, that's certainly something subjective and can apply differently to different people (again, similar to how it can apply to some already existing things like the Today View, for example).
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You are still able to keep the apps in the folders you have just as you could before.

Kind of like “oh by the way, we have added an extra set of shelves in your workshop/office that you have no control over, can’t get rid of and if you don’t like it just pretend it isn’t there”...

Personally I can see it being useful however it is far too limited at this stage. It reminds me of the early days of Android when the OEM’s would add Home screens you had to just “live with”.
Then came new launchers.

 

[TiggrToo]

But it is.
I have no need for the App Library nor the added deletion steps at this point in time. It is far too limited.
Being able to turn it off should be an option IMO.

You also can't turn off the Widgets page but I never hear anyone complain about that these days...

 

[dk001]

Oh but you can. It turns on by you scrolling all the way to the right. When you don’t scroll all the way to the right it’s off. You don’t see it at all. You’re welcome 😀

It amazes me the number of posters here who when Apple adds something people don’t like respond with “just ignore it”.
Must be the new Apple catch phrase.

 

[Ansath]

You also can't turn off the Widgets page but I never hear anyone complain about that these days...

What’s funny is that almost everyone ignores that fact when it’s raised in this thread, apart from one person who claimed it’s not the same....🙄

 

[dk001]

I mean, does anyone actually find apps by looking in the auto populated folders? I don't. I just search. So, how useful are the folders really?

That has been my end result after testing the heck out of it through all the betas.
I search or use the alphabetical listing. I have watched the folders and apps shift position and folders.

The App Library baby needs a lot of work and a big diaper change.

 

[fisherking]

It amazes me the number of posters here who when Apple adds something people don’t like respond with “just ignore it”.
Must be the new Apple catch phrase.

i really don't get this: there are lots of features on my iphone i choose not to use. does anyone use every single feature available on their phones? so, we turn off what we can, ignore what we choose to ignore, and just... use our iphones. simple.

 

[ericg301]

I’m sure most of us who spend all day on MacRumors have a very finely tuned system for organizing our apps. We’re geeks. That’s what we do. Either folders, search or both. We’re a “don’t move my cheese” kind of people.

That’s not who App Library is for.

It’s for people like my mom, who’s in her mid 60s and probably has 7 pages of apps. She’s never made a folder unless on accident. Her apps are in the order she downloaded them. No thought whatsoever. I’ve offered to help her organize but she has no interest.

But now she’s a swipe away from having all 7 pages instantly and automatically organized for her. It’s going to revolutionize the way she uses her phone. Going from no organization to a single, categorized page.

That’s who App Library is for.

 

[dk001]

You also can't turn off the Widgets page but I never hear anyone complain about that these days...

Apple made the Widgets page (pre 14) basically useful and the devs gave a lot of options. Getting there was a pain.
Based on that experience we kind of have a ”path forward” expectation for the new widget change.
For the App Library it is a case of “oh frack. Here we go again.”

 

[dk001]

i really don't get this: there are lots of features on my iphone i choose not to use. does anyone use every single feature available on their phones? so, we turn off what we can, ignore what we choose to ignore, and just... use our iphones. simple.

I absolutely agree. In my normal non testing day I don’t use Siri. It’s off. I don’t use “Find my ...”. it’s off. I use a couple of widgets (3rd party), etc...
I am hoping the same is allowed for the App Library.

 

[TiggrToo]

Apple made the Widgets page (pre 14) basically useful and the devs gave a lot of options. Getting there was a pain.
Based on that experience we kind of have a ”path forward” expectation for the new widget change.
For the App Library it is a case of “oh frack. Here we go again.”

But...you cannot disable it. That's my point.

There's a page to the left of the home screen that you cannot didable. No-one these days seems to mind.

There's a page to the right that you cannot disable. "OMG Apple - you've destroyed my home screen - I hates it!"

 

[dk001]

I’m sure most of us who spend all day on MacRumors have a very finely tuned system for organizing our apps. We’re geeks. That’s what we do. Either folders, search or both. We’re a “don’t move my cheese” kind of people.

That’s not who App Library is for.

It’s for people like my mom, who’s in her mid 60s and probably has 7 pages of apps. She’s never made a folder unless on accident. Her apps are in the order she downloaded them. No thought whatsoever. I’ve offered to help her organize but she has no interest.

But now she’s a swipe away from having all 7 pages instantly and automatically organized for her. It’s going to revolutionize the way she uses her phone. Going from no organization to a single, categorized page.

That’s who App Library is for.

But for us organized folks is it too much to allow us to turn that feature off?

 

[ericg301]

But for us organized folks is it too much to allow us to turn that feature off?

Just don’t swipe over? It’s no different than spotlight search or the widget page. Those panels are there but can be avoided if wanted.

 

[dk001]

But...you cannot disable it. That's my point.

There's a page to the left of the home screen that you cannot didable. No-one these days seems to mind.

There's a page to the right that you cannot disable. "OMG Apple - you've destroyed my home screen - I hates it!"

People mind it just that they have learned to live with it. 3rd party developers have been allowed enough access to give a lot of us original “don’t likers” something we might find useful. Or I can leave it blank. It is however not tied into the OS or apps like the App Library is.

 

[dk001]

Just don’t swipe over? It’s no different than spotlight search or the widget page. Those panels are there but can be avoided if wanted.

It is different. Far more invasive and tied into the app side of the OS.
iOS is starting to remind me of the early Android Home Screen days; “Don’t like it? Well we are not allowing you to delete nor turn it off. Just play “pretend it isn’t there” and all is good”.