App Library: I hate it

[russell_314]

so true. i never see it, because i never scroll to it. meanwhile, i doubt apple will give us the option to disable it... look how long it took them to give us widgets....

I don’t see Apple giving the ability to disable something core to the OS. Let’s face it if you want customizability iOS just is not the operating system for you. It may be highly secure and stable but customizable it is not. I will say when I updated to iOS 14 it removed all my widgets so I had to reset them. It took me a few minutes to figure out how they worked now but now they’re working great better than ever!

 

[JSBRG]

People will complain no matter what Apple does. I don’t know how many posts I’ve seen in these forms complaining that iOS doesn’t have an app library like Android.

You literally don’t have to use it. I was trying to figure out what all the fuss was so I downloaded iOS 14. All my folders and icons are still there. There’s just another section that has an app library. Don’t scroll that far. That’s the fix 🤦‍♂️

People are different, and have different preferences. It's fine you've found a fix that suits you - now we others just need a fix that suits us.

 

[russell_314]

They gave us the ability to keep the old layout in iPadOS. You could choose for yourself. They should do the same with the App Library.

The difference is the app library is an additional feature. It being there is not disabling your current layout. If your icons or folders are missing then something went wrong with the update. You should have the exact same thing plus the app library.

 

[russell_314]

People are different, and have different preferences. It's fine you've found a fix that suits you - now we others just need a fix that suits us.

I guess some people might have the inability to keep scrolling. I’m not sure what the fix is for that though? I wouldn’t expect Apple to disable a core feature of the OS just because some people don’t like it’s existence 😂. Who knows though because Apple does what Apple does. If I could predict that I will be rich

 

[GnrlyMrly]

I absolutely love the app library. It brings of sense of cleanliness and space that iOS hasn't had since the app store was released.

This new feature promotes digital minimalism, which I think Apple owes us all at this point.

 

[JSBRG]

I guess some people might have the inability to keep scrolling. I’m not sure what the fix is for that though? I wouldn’t expect Apple to disable a core feature of the OS just because some people don’t like it’s existence 😂. Who knows though because Apple does what Apple does. If I could predict that I will be rich

Well. We must see what the future brings. I think they give people the opportunity in a later update.

 

[russell_314]

Well. We must see what the future brings. I think they give people the opportunity in a later update.

I don’t see Apple giving the ability to disable it because they spent time and money on this feature so they want users to use it. Apple has been known to push unpopular things in the sense of well if they try it enough they’ll eventually love it. Perhaps it will change in iOS 15 but I don’t see a setting to turn off completely such a major feature of the OS. The app library isn’t what I expected it was going to be. For some reason I expected it to be similar to what I remember android being where it would show all your icons alphabetically. Maybe I will use it after playing with it for a while but right now it just doesn’t seem very helpful. I’m just glad they didn’t take away the existing icons and made everything the app library

 

[vjcinajr]

I really don’t get this “feature.” It’s just another Home Screen with my apps organized far more haphazardly than my own folders. Like Mail goes with banking apps? Google translate, stocks, and kindle all go together? Really? This is supposed to help me?

And yes, I know people will say “just don’t use it,” but that’s not the point. You can turn off Siri, screen time, Touch/Face ID, etc. We should be able to turn this off too.

I agree completely. I have all of my apps categorized and then folders by the way that I use them and I think about them. The only good thing about the app library is that I can just ignore it. The organization in the app library makes no sense to me.
I really do hope they make a setting to disable it at an individual basis.

 

[QCassidy352]

I have a lightly used, working iPhone 6 you can buy off me for cheap!

Downgraded to iOS 13 and all is well. Thanks, though.

I don’t see Apple giving the ability to disable something core to the OS.

You can disable Siri. And it’s not core to anything. It’s a homepage of duplicate icons.

This new feature promotes digital minimalism, which I think Apple owes us all at this point.

It’s literally a page of duplicate icons you can’t delete. The exact opposite of minimalism.

 

[C DM]

I would be better able to accept that. All those folders and categories I can not manage myself, is the primary reason why I do not like that concept.

You have the same ability to have folders that you set up and manage on your home screens as usual.

 

[C DM]

People are different, and have different preferences. It's fine you've found a fix that suits you - now we others just need a fix that suits us.

Certainly possible it might change. That said, the Today View has been something similarly placed by the Home Screen and hasn't really changed as far as being removable or anything like that.

 

[russell_314]

Downgraded to iOS 13 and all is well. Thanks, though.

You can disable Siri. And it’s not core to anything. It’s a homepage of duplicate icons.

It’s literally a page of duplicate icons you can’t delete. The exact opposite of minimalism.

You can disable Siri only because of privacy reasons. There’s no privacy reasons to disable the app menu. It’s the equivalent of the Windows start menu so you can call it a bunch of duplicate icons if you want but it’s a major part of how the OS interacts with the user. Like I said I don’t know what Apple will do but I don’t see them giving the option of disabling it anytime soon. Maybe before iOS 16 comes out and their user data shows no one is interacting with the app menu then a change could happen.

 

[russell_314]

I am not on iOS 14 yet as I like to see what kind of bugs there are in the first couple of point releases. For all who are not liking the App Library I suggest you send your feedback to Apple about it. Enough complaints and maybe Apple will change it so that it can be configured or optionally disabled/enabled.

Feedback - iPhone

Apple wants to hear from you. Send us your comments and feedback about iPhone.

www.apple.com

Thanks for the link. I let them know how much I loved it and suggested some changes. Not to disable it or anything like that though

 

[GermanSuplex]

I don’t hate it. But if they offered a more customizable home screen, it would be unnecessary, as you’d be able to just make folders bigger, name them how you want, etc.

 

[QCassidy352]

you can call it a bunch of duplicate icons if you want but it’s a major part of how the OS interacts with the user.

except... this thread is full of countless posters saying “you can just choose not to interact with it!!!11!” So which is it? Something the user can just ignore or integral to the OS?

there is zero reason - zero - that a user should be able to hide a home screen but not the app library. It’s the same thing.

 

[C DM]

I don’t hate it. But if they offered a more customizable home screen, it would be unnecessary, as you’d be able to just make folders bigger, name them how you want, etc.

Part of why it's there is for those who don't bother with folders and don't really deal with any organizing.

 

[GermanSuplex]

Part of why it's there is for those who don't bother with folders and don't really deal with any organizing.

Agree. But it seems that they could integrate the customization options in and then people could do either - no organization and use App Library, or meticulous organization via the ability to use stacks, customizable folder names and sizes.
I don’t mind it. Just think it would be cool if we could resize app folders and icon sizes.

 

[russell_314]

except... this thread is full of countless posters saying “you can just choose not to interact with it!!!11!” So which is it? Something the user can just ignore or integral to the OS?

there is zero reason - zero - that a user should be able to hide a home screen but not the app library. It’s the same thing.

It’s part of the OS and you can choose not to use it. This isn’t an either or scenario. Like the Windows start menu you don’t have to use it. You can literally navigate to the program folders and launch all your programs without using the start menu in Windows. Some people launch all their programs from desktop shortcuts and never use the start menu. I don’t think anyone would argue that the start menu is not a core feature of Windows just because it’s possible not to use it. That’s what I mean by the app menu being a core feature of iOS 14. It isn’t required to make iOS work of course.

The only thing people on the forms can do is help with suggestions. The only suggestion I can think of is not turn on the app menu by scrolling that way. I realize perhaps this isn’t an ideal fix because you might accidentally do it and then you have to scroll the other way and it’s just terrible I know.

As to whether Apple adds a feature to disable the app menu, people in the forms can only give their opinion as to if Apple will ever do this or not. I’m not working for Apple and to my knowledge other people here aren’t so we don’t control this. We can only give an opinion as to if we think Apple will do such a thing and that’s usually based on what they have done in the past. Of course as the saying goes “past performance does not guarantee future results” meaning we can guess but no one could be for sure what will happen in the future

 

[AZhappyjack]

I really don’t get this “feature.” It’s just another Home Screen with my apps organized far more haphazardly than my own folders. Like Mail goes with banking apps? Google translate, stocks, and kindle all go together? Really? This is supposed to help me?

And yes, I know people will say “just don’t use it,” but that’s not the point. You can turn off Siri, screen time, Touch/Face ID, etc. We should be able to turn this off too.

I'm not a fan... but I am also not jumping off the deep end over it... I just ignore it... after playing with it for a day or so during the betas, I just don't use it. I don't swipe to it. For all I know, it doesn't exist... not sure why there's so much whinging and consternation over it. Simply ignore it... you WILL survive and the sun will come up tomorrow.

 

[daanodinot]

Yep, fully agreed. It looks like a mess with those nested ‘folders’. Moreover, as someone who has very few apps and an organized homescreen, I don’t need it. Just allow me to turn it off.

 

[JasonHB]

Downgraded to iOS 13 and all is well. Thanks, though.

You can disable Siri. And it’s not core to anything. It’s a homepage of duplicate icons.

It’s literally a page of duplicate icons you can’t delete. The exact opposite of minimalism.

I thought you were bowing out of the conversation because it had run it’s course, you moan about countless posts saying the same thing (the ones that disagree with you) yet you still continue to post countless times saying the same thing.

Let‘s get this into perspective here, it is a first world problem that does not change your phone, or operation, or the way it works yet some of the hyperbole you come out with is ridiculous.

I bet you’re currently trying to organise a baying mob with pitchforks and flames to invade Cupertino and drag whoever did the design through the streets and burn him at the stake!!!

Don‘t use it, don’t swipe over to it and get on with your life and stop stressing about things the DO NOT MATTER

 

[C DM]

Just think it would be cool if we could resize app folders and icon sizes.

Something like that would be a good thing to have. Perhaps at some point down the line it might happen.

 

[throAU]

I think the big thing for me that needs to die is whatever the page is called to the left (opposite side to the app library).

Why do I need it? I can put widgets on a regular home screen and its just a home for.... widgets?

 

[C DM]

I think the big thing for me that needs to die is whatever the page is called to the left (opposite side to the app library).

Why do I need it? I can put widgets on a regular home screen and its just a home for.... widgets?

Basically Today View is one place for all the widgets and can fit more than what a single home page could. Older widgets can only appear there. It can also be set up to be accessible when the device is locked.

 

[throAU]

Ah that's the name. And yeah, I get that it can be set to come up when the phone is locked, but that's not a feature IMHO (it's a security concern if any of those widgets leak personal info).

But as far as "useless duplicates" go, I've never used it before and its even more pointless now that widgets can live in the home screen