iOS 11 a foreshadow of an underwhelming 10 year iPhone release?

[robbietop]

I just wanted to apologize for starting this thread. I didn't realize that expressing my opinion about the staleness of iOS would have such backlash.

Don't ever worry about expressing your opinion. It makes us think "is Apple truly devoted to iOS or is it milking it?"
It is better to have a discussion than a flame war. I respect your feelings as I too sometimes worry Apple is falling into a rhythm of not moving as fast as we all believe Steve may have.

I felt that iOS 10 was a milking. And iOS 11 is the first time I truly feel excited for a new iPhone. Hell, I am an iPad cynic who abandoned his original iPad and never upgraded.

However much Android is innovating, I don't see how the argument that quantity in any way implies quality.
Fragmentation argument ad infinitum. Apple 90% of all profits argument addendum.

Also, If KGI is to be believed (again), we are looking at wireless inductive charging a la Watch, full screen phone (Android hallmark for 3 years now), and the A11 (which could possibly be a refinement of the A10, but could be a surpriser).

Lastly, we don't need to go attacking opinions. It is better to logically compare the emotion in the opinion against the reality of the world we live in. And you know what, ChrisCrowlee may be right. We won't know until September.

 

[KittyKatta]

I can't think of any releases in the past which have been even a small surprise when it comes to final release. If Apple were to do anything even remotely "big" it would negate the whole purpose of 4 months of developer releases so developers could ready their apps.

How about an iPhone X TouchBar?

With the new mystery iPhone losing the home button then it would make sense to adopt the TouchBar from the MacBook to replicate a TouchBar and Dock (for multitasking).

That would be a pretty huge feature that would differentiate the new iPhoneX from the other iPhones.

 

[mariusignorello]

The problem is, that you aren't asking your boss for a change. You are complaining to strangers on the internet! since when does Apple listen to people complaining on a forum? You are not getting to apple with this. And I hardly believe, that so many people really care about your problem of not being able to fit more icons.

Also: if your are looking for a big software feature. That wasn't shown at wwdc, but was a headline feature of a new iPhone, I suggest you hold down your home button for a second.

You know, there are these things called the Bug Reporter and Feedback Assistant. Direct your complaining there and maybe there’ll be some changes. Apple doesn’t give a crap about what people say in forums.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Don’t forget: for a for-profit company, making money is more important than market share. Many companies have discovered that too late. Apple makes the lion's share of mobile profits. Until that changes, I think they are fine where they are.

This, a thousand times this. Market share doesn't matter. I keep telling people this. Profits are what matter. That's it. It's like the PC market. Apple makes billions on the high end of the market. It doesn't care that Windows outsells it massively.

 

[User 6502]

I totally agree: iOS 11 is underwhelming to say the least. Very few changes, and mostly minor. iPad got a bit more love, but still nothing extraordinary.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

While I hate to make give this thread any new life, what exactly were you wanting in the new iOS?

 

[Crzyrio]

Let's be real....if a UI/UX designer in another company comes up with a control centre UI (or something similar to a control centre) as in this new iOS 11 a.k.a cluster**** of toggles in one screen he/she can pack his bags and look for another job.
But ofcourse, not at Apple HQ.

When those designers at Apple HQ were ready with the revamp of the iOS 11 control centre they looked at eachother and said to eachother:
''wow, yes...this is it...it took us 11 (!!!) versions of iOS, but this is the most beautiful useful control centre we ever created, we can be very proud, heck its designed by Apple, so its amazing anyway!!"

To me, this new Control Centre is a perfect example of a company getting really, really lazy when it comes to both soft- and hardware (iPhone 6/6S/7).
But then again I realise people are coming back anyway for the Holy Grail, the Apple eco system. And of course due to the fact they are vendor locked in (seamless intergration between Apple devices).

Apple is fully aware of this, so even if they **** up a Control Centre in iOS 11 by being super lazy, the user doesn't care, cause of the Apple eco system and vendor lock in.
People are buying their iPhones regardless at almost any price (f.e outright or in a 24 months plan), Apple can do little to less efforts for this, the $$$ are coming to Cupertinho anyway so why bother??

I still really like and use with joy, all of my Apple devices I got over the years, but the laziness (soft-hardware) of Apple is very clear the last few years.

TL;DR

Apple can continue hardware and software wise like they did the last 3 or 4 years, with very very little changes, they make billions of dollars with making iPhones. Just simply look at the sales history.
People stay with Apple cause of the seamless integration between Apple devices and the eco system; you have got the prefect vendor lock in here.
So why should Apple really bother with real useful changes in soft- and hardware?

Apple to me is leading in both software and hardware.

Developer support is just out of this world, easy to use frameworks for state of the art tech.

Combination of software and hardware needed to accomplish force touch alone is just crazy. And if they actually manage to get Touch ID working under the screen it will be mind blowing. Have you used the dual camera set up? It’s done so well and seamless to the user.

Handoff, global copy/paste, seamless photos syncing to your Mac. And don’t get my started on the AX chips

The thing is your looking for a toy to top last years. And that is done with, there will be no phone that’s going to blow you away year after year.


Tell me just 3 specific features available on Android that’s not on iOS. Other than the usual file system and widgets. Lol


ARKIT, VRKIT, Metal, AFPS alone show their efforts.

P.s: the control center is ugly at first but once ya start using it you realize how horrible the previous one was

 

[pika2000]

I was more excited for iOS to be discussed during WWDC than any previous iOS. There has been so much hype about "iPhone 8" and what could be of it, that I thought for sure we'd be blown away with Apple FINALLY modernizing the OS. I get it, it works, but each passing year iOS lags further and further behind Android's feature list.

After watching the keynote and seeing what Apple has up its sleeves for iOS 11, I'm a bit skeptical that the iPhone 8 (or whatever they'll call it this fall) will live up to the hype that people are making it out to be. For three years now, Apple has delivered consistently unremarkable updates to iPhone. If this year's iOS preview is any indication of what's coming, I think we're all in for a disappointing September\October.

I hope I'm wrong.

What did you personally want/expect? Not trying to be smart, just actual question.
For me, Apple did its best on every iPhone for that moment within their self-defined constrains (margins, components, etc). You might think the iPhones have been underwhelming, but to me considering it has the fastest and most efficient SoC on the market tells me that Apple is still a tech company at heart, not just making their phones to look different every year with off-the-shelve components.

As for iOS11, on WWDC, the focus was put on what they have done to improve the iPad experience, because they were also announcing the new iPads. If you see previous Apple events, in September, Apple will talk about the new iOS again (sometimes it feels like a rehash), but then with the iPhone in mind because they will be announcing iPhones. It's about presenting what's appropriate for the theme of the event, not just blathering all the feature lists. Besides, the smartphone OS is "maturing." I cannot even remember what new features Android Nougat/O bring after Marshmallow. All the main features have been nailed down that anything else are just icing on the cake. I can see the new "buzz" will be AR, and maybe in September we will see Craig talking even more about AR (and maybe the new iPhone will have more sophisticated depth camera to augment the ARkit).

 

[robbietop]

I totally agree: iOS 11 is underwhelming to say the least. Very few changes, and mostly minor. iPad got a bit more love, but still nothing extraordinary.

I've been using iOS 11 for two weeks now and the changes are not minor. They did a massive cleanup of the whole OS with Control Center and Notifications receiving substantial changes. Also, for an Apple Developer Beta/Public Alpha, it is surprisingly stable. iOS 10 DP/PB was buggy as hell. You could ship the iOS 11 developer preview.

This is a tock year for Apple, and thus all the changes are under the hood. I have been playing in XCode 9, however, and ARKit is INSANE. I do not think anyone watching that keynote could disagree that AR is going to be revolutionary beyond anything VR could ever do. You're thinking about now. Who cares about look and feel? I want my AR and I want it now!

 

[naasrd]

Tim Cook was the wrong man to replace Jobs. It’s was Jobs’s strength, ambition and agession that brought us the iPhone and its impeccable iOS updates. Cook’s jaded adjectives, his “mr nice guy” attitude and his lack of aggression are what informs the downward spiral of dull iOS updates and boring new phones. Apple needs an Alpha male or female to drag him off the pitch pretty soon or our beloved iPhone won’t see its 15 birthday.

 

[Bobout]

There a far too many Apple fans that are ok with minor changes from year to year.. they will still sell millions and millions of phones even if the make the same phone but its a different color.. Cook has not felt any pressure to gamble or be ambitious .. Jobs had balls from the start .. big difference my opinion

 

[gwhizkids]

There a far too many Apple fans that are ok with minor changes from year to year.. they will still sell millions and millions of phones even if the make the same phone but its a different color.. Cook has not felt any pressure to gamble or be ambitious .. Jobs had balls from the start .. big difference my opinion

Why this obsession (not just you) with substantial changes year over year. Almost every product ever made has an initial very steep innovation curve, flattening out over time. Mobile computing devices are not really any different, in this regard.

Perhaps the reason Apple sells millions and millions of phones is that most users value ease of use, a large pool of apps and hardware stability over significant feature-set changes. I don't buy refrigerators based on how often major features change; I buy them based on whether it meets my food preservation needs.

If dollars spent are the equivalent of votes, I'd say Apple is winning, hands down.

 

[jr866gooner]

Hi

At what point do apple release specifics of the new iOS in full? I.e. Spring surprises, is it before unveiling the new iPhone? Or at public beta release?

 

[Bobout]

Why this obsession (not just you) with substantial changes year over year. Almost every product ever made has an initial very steep innovation curve, flattening out over time. Mobile computing devices are not really any different, in this regard.

Perhaps the reason Apple sells millions and millions of phones is that most users value ease of use, a large pool of apps and hardware stability over significant feature-set changes. I don't buy refrigerators based on how often major features change; I buy them based on whether it meets my food preservation needs.

If dollars spent are the equivalent of votes, I'd say Apple is winning, hands down.

Maybe we or I expect more from Apple from past history.. Trust me I buy the new phone every year regardless of the changes just for the fact you mention.. STABILITY !!

FYI i had just buy a fridge don't get me started on that rant LOL

 

[gwhizkids]

Hi

At what point do apple release specifics of the new iOS in full? I.e. Spring surprises, is it before unveiling the new iPhone? Or at public beta release?

New features occasionally show up in later betas (or, more likely, refinements of features show up). For completely new, unknown features, you'll have to wait until the new iPhones are introduced, which are the reasons the new features are not disclosed already.

 

[CTHarrryH]

Most of what I read, other than this and the other 100000 similar threads says that IOS11 is one of the biggest releases that Apple has released. There are substantial changes but the phone looks similar so people say no changes. I'd take functional changes over looks every time. I don't pickup my phone all the time and think -how beautiful the icons look and the wall paper is superb.
The Cook is terrible threads have now reached 2000000

 

[MEJHarrison]

Most of what I read, other than this and the other 100000 similar threads says that IOS11 is one of the biggest releases that Apple has released. There are substantial changes but the phone looks similar so people say no changes. I'd take functional changes over looks every time. I don't pickup my phone all the time and think -how beautiful the icons look and the wall paper is superb.
The Cook is terrible threads have now reached 2000000

I think we're in a very small club. About the only time I'm not in an app is when I'm switching to another. So I don't care a ton about the appearance of my home screen. Of course I'm a developer too, so I understand that the real meat of iOS 11 is in the new APIs, not whatever graphical tweaks Apple made.

 

[Marshall73]

I just wanted to apologize for starting this thread. I didn't realize that expressing my opinion about the staleness of iOS would have such backlash. I didn't think having an opinion about what I perceive to be a rather stale OS would be so hated on. I love Apple, but I'd also love them for years to come. Android is absolutely decimating iOS right now, and it's because every time a new Android phone comes out, it has wow features. Whenever a new Android OS comes out, it has wow features. If you're a user on the iOS side, it's hard to stay loyal when the competition is getting wow hardware and wow software. We've gotten neither for more than 4 years now.

Sorry if people are upset I expressed my opinions. I never felt so smashed and feeling like I'm not allowed to have an opinion. It's really sad. I guess the only opinion that matters is yours. When an OS has 10% marketshare, it's absurd to not think there's huge room for improvement, so sorry to say, if you're in the "Apple can do no wrong, the OS is great" camp, you'll find you're on the wrong side of history.

Everyone has an opinion, you are entitled to yours but don’t get bunched up about it if others disagree, especially when posting on an Apple centric forum.

IOS updates are incremental and solid, likewise with the hardware. I have the benefit/disfortune of having to deal with many android users who have constant issues with devices locking up requiring daily/weekly reboots. Exchange accounts failing to sync, piss poor battery life and hardware construction, piss poor support from the manufacturers etc etc.(it’s like the second coming of windows ce) It is such a ballache that we no longer provide it support for Android in our IT contracts and have assisted many clients in their move to iOS.
Because of this I wouldn’t for a single second consider jumping to Android.

You also mention wow features, that is for the look at the shiny shiny attention deficit disorder generation and at the end of the day it’s all endless gimmicks which disappear as no one uses them.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

Everyone has an opinion, you are entitled to yours but don’t get bunched up about it if others disagree, especially when posting on an Apple centric forum.

IOS updates are incremental and solid, likewise with the hardware. I have the benefit/disfortune of having to deal with many android users who have constant issues with devices locking up requiring daily/weekly reboots. Exchange accounts failing to sync, piss poor battery life and hardware construction, piss poor support from the manufacturers etc etc.(it’s like the second coming of windows ce) It is such a ballache that we no longer provide it support for Android in our IT contracts and have assisted many clients in their move to iOS.
Because of this I wouldn’t for a single second consider jumping to Android.

You also mention wow features, that is for the look at the shiny shiny attention deficit disorder generation and at the end of the day it’s all endless gimmicks which disappear as no one uses them.

This.

 

[Tubamajuba]

I just wanted to apologize for starting this thread. I didn't realize that expressing my opinion about the staleness of iOS would have such backlash. I didn't think having an opinion about what I perceive to be a rather stale OS would be so hated on. I love Apple, but I'd also love them for years to come. Android is absolutely decimating iOS right now, and it's because every time a new Android phone comes out, it has wow features. Whenever a new Android OS comes out, it has wow features. If you're a user on the iOS side, it's hard to stay loyal when the competition is getting wow hardware and wow software. We've gotten neither for more than 4 years now.

Sorry if people are upset I expressed my opinions. I never felt so smashed and feeling like I'm not allowed to have an opinion. It's really sad. I guess the only opinion that matters is yours. When an OS has 10% marketshare, it's absurd to not think there's huge room for improvement, so sorry to say, if you're in the "Apple can do no wrong, the OS is great" camp, you'll find you're on the wrong side of history.

You've expressed your opinion, and we've expressed ours- you should switch to Android if Android consistently impresses you and iOS doesn't. It just so happens that most of the people here feel that way and disagree with you, which is always a risk you take when you share an opinion.

iOS hasn't really "wow"ed most people since it came out ten years ago. It's a stable, secure platform for users and developers alike that undergoes incremental changes and feature additions on a yearly basis. And that's what many of us love about iOS. I know that when I buy an iPhone, I'm guaranteed to get the latest security and feature updates as soon as they are released for several years. I'm not likely to experience any major incompatibility issues with software or hardware, and my phone will do exactly what I want it to do for many years before the hardware is old and outdated. Nobody is saying "Apple can do no wrong", as you alluded to. Obviously, Apple has had software and hardware problems in the past and will have them in the future too. But the vast, vast majority of iOS devices work beautifully. That's why the iPhone 7 still sells very well, even when going against competition that focuses on the latest bells and whistles.

 

[Racineur]

Exactly what I've been saying all along: there's an OS for bells and whistles, and it's called Android. If it has such massive appeal on some users, maybe it's time to switch. I have a friend who's a fervent Android devotee and when asked "why do you love Android so much", the only answer I've had since his first phone a Samsung Galaxy Ace II is "because I can change the appearance". Not ever a word on the specs, quality build, camera, apps or updates and upgrades. His present phone is a Moto G 2nd generation and he never dared to upgrade it. "No need. It does what I want". Still running Kit-Kat. Made me mad as hell. I saw this profile with many Android users. The fear of update/upgrade is very strong. As if there was a deep sacre of moving forward. OK, enough of my Android bashing. Got carried away. Actually, I'd be very happy to have an S8...for some time.

 

[Abazigal]

Do you take that approach to everything in life? If you're unhappy with politics in the country, do you move to another country, or try to push for change (vote)? If you're dissatisfied with your job, do you just quit, or do you go to your boss and ask for more challenge\change? If you check into a hotel and the room doesn't have something you want in it, do you just leave the hotel, or do you talk to the front desk?

The "if you don't like it, go away" argument is tired and silly. Get some new material. If you don't hold the makers of the products you buy to a standard, what incentive do they have to improve on a product? Competition drives the market, but consumers ultimately have to have expectations, or the competition will fill the customers' wants.

But thanks for your utterly amazing response. It contributed so so much.

A more suitable analogy would be like going to a French restaurant and then complaining that they don't serve Japanese cuisine. If you don't like the food, then it might be more prudent to go patronise another restaurant which does serve the food you prefer, rather than expect the chef to bend over backwards and specially prepare a dish which isn't on their menu at all. The French chef is never going to learn to serve Japanese food no matter how big of a fuss you kick up, so you are really barking up the wrong tree here.

 

[pika2000]

There a far too many Apple fans that are ok with minor changes from year to year.. they will still sell millions and millions of phones even if the make the same phone but its a different color.. Cook has not felt any pressure to gamble or be ambitious .. Jobs had balls from the start .. big difference my opinion

Minor? Really? The A10 is practically the fastest and most efficient SoC out there (only beaten by the A10X), while the competitors are still catching up to the A9. You call that minor?

Seriously, is appearance your only concern on a smartphone?

 

[Math889]

Minor? Really? The A10 is practically the fastest and most efficient SoC out there (only beaten by the A10X), while the competitors are still catching up to the A9. You call that minor?

Seriously, is appearance your only concern on a smartphone?

A11 processor that will beat the A10X.

 

[MEJHarrison]

A11 processor that will beat the A10X.

Yes Math, 11 is greater than 10. As is customary, we'd expect better performance from the newest chip. Following that general trend, we can extrapolate that subsequent chips will also outperform the previous generations going forward for the unforeseen future (so there's no need to inform us next year that the A12 is likely to beat out an A11 or A11X.)

What's your point? Or were you simply intending to state the obvious?