iOS 6 leads to first-ever drop in satisfaction

[cynics]

You say iOS 6 is a major improvement over iOS 5, but iOS is kinda the same over the years??

The iPhone can already do everything the Galaxy note does. It just doesn't come with the stylus :S

I'm a little confused with your statements.

You are confused because you don't understand the technology with the note. The digitizer is designed for a stylus, like writing with a pencil the harder you press the darker the line. The USB is (as with all Android devices) is designed to support USB hosting. So plugging a mouse in an a mouse pops up on the screen or a game controller can just be plugged in. The software is based around the screen tech so there is nothing comparable as far as apps go on iOS.

Basically the iPhone doesn't have the hardware or software like a galaxy note. It's more then just a big phone with a stylus.

I think that's why you are a bit confused. It's a device for a certain market, it's not in competition with anything Apple makes because Apple doesn't make a competing product.

 

[DeathChill]

Uh, looking at the poll it's within a tenth. That's pretty likely within the margin of error. A better title would have been "New iOS version fails to increase satisfaction of customers for first time."

 

[onthecouchagain]

The ridiculous thing with attempting to implore Apple to make improvements to iOS that everyone would enjoy is that you have to first argue with the fans that there is even a need for improvement.

Nonsense.

See?

 

[onthecouchagain]

This is the sort of stuff I'm talking about: http://gizmodo.com/5946966/steve-jo...dium=recirculation&utm_campaign=recirculation

"Steve Jobs' Reality Distortion Field Lives On"

 

[Technarchy]

This is the sort of stuff I'm talking about: http://gizmodo.com/5946966/steve-jo...dium=recirculation&utm_campaign=recirculation

"Steve Jobs' Reality Distortion Field Lives On"

Gizmodo LOL

 

[onthecouchagain]

Gizmodo LOL

You do realize it's written by "Newsweek Technology Editor Dan Lyons" right?

Try reading it.

 

[Technarchy]

You do realize it's written by "Newsweek Technology Editor Dan Lyons" right?

Try reading it.

The same moron that paraded around as "Fake Steve Jobs"

The same idiot that compared Steve Ballmer to someone who tried to execute a US politician.

Yeah, lots of journalistic integrity there. A regular Edward R Murrow.

 

[onthecouchagain]

The same moron that paraded around as "Fake Steve Jobs"

The same idiot that compared Steve Ballmer to someone who tried to execute a US politician.

Yeah, lots of journalistic integrity there. A regular Edward R Murrow.

Still not Gizmodo. But fair enough.

So, you don't think Gruber and Siegler used the Jobs Reality Distortion Field in their praising reviews of iOS Maps?

----------

While we're at it, what are your thoughts on Maps, Technarchy? (genuinely curious).

 

[Technarchy]

Still not Gizmodo. But fair enough.

So, you don't think Gruber and Siegler used the Jobs Reality Distortion Field in their praising reviews of iOS Maps?

----------

While we're at it, what are your thoughts on Maps, Technarchy? (genuinely curious).

Deadly serious, I don't read Gruber because I think his writing is not very good, and I'm not sure who Siegler, but I don't deny having possibly read his work. I just don't recall him by name, and Techcrunch is low low low on my tech site reading list.

Here's my opinion on Maps, and Google Maps for that matter. In the city I'm currently stationed in Apple Maps has performed flawlessly. If the military sees fit to move me, is it possible that experience might change. Yes.

HOWEVER...

I've moved around a lot between deployments, and I've been using Google Maps for a couple of years, and in that time, I have seriously encountered funky mapping, directions, and outdated or wrong POI's.

I always put stuff like that in the "**** happens" column of technology dependence. It never occured to me to go on the internet and say Google maps sucks, because overall, I don't think it does.

 

[b166er]

I said this a while back and I'll say it again, if we don't at least begin to see the real customization options in iOS 7 we will never see them. iOS 6 is an obvious lack of effort in every way. A lot of people are getting sick of saying "but" after praising iOS vs other platforms. And not just the nerds on here, but even non-techy people are starting to catch on how tight and narrow iOS is.

Right now, in my opinion (which I realize is worth nothing to most of you), iOS leads in two areas- the app selection, and the overall "smoothness" of operation. Other than that, it's no contest anymore. Android used to suck, hard. It doesn't anymore, and it's getting better all the time. WP7 is great, WP8 looks like it will be greater. Once developers start catching up when it comes to apps (which is more or less happening right now on google play) the contest will be over.

Apple will be able to sell millions of iPhones either way, I'm not saying they are going anywhere. the iPhone is awesome, and iOS is great, but iOS 6 offers me nothing that iOS 5 didn't. Panorama photos? Passbook? Come on, a full iOS update should really feel like a version update, not a "." update.

The iPhone is capable of so much more than iOS 6 allows. It's a beast under the hood. Let it shine.

 

[darcyjames]

I THINK (there, disclaimer) that iOS 6 is definitely an a positive incremental progression. Except, uh, maps - but here are some thoughts that perhaps give perspective:

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/what-makes-googles-maps-so-good/

Siri, as an example, will get "smarter" as it is used more - so will maps. The line is probably getting blurred between beta and release if, for it to get better, it has to be released first.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I don't think anyone would argue iOS 6 isn't an upgrade/improvement (except for Maps) -- that'd be silly if it weren't. The actual issue is that it's not improving enough. And to be even more specific, not improving fast enough.

It's gotten to a point where not only is iOS becoming stagnant, it's becoming less usable.

Why? Others have figured out far better and easier ways to accomplish things. In Chrome, it takes all but 2 taps to launch private browsing. In Safari, it takes at least 6 steps to switch to private browsing (which involves leaving the actual app).

Other apps too... If I want to change a setting, I often have to exit the app and find my way to the OS' Settings icon. And the Settings page has gotten so convoluted and messy.

(I think the following is important so I've bolded it)
All this talk about how Apple shouldn't change much of their UI for fear of upsetting the "main stream" non-tech user base is really unfounded. Apple holds classes in their stores. Every time I visit the Apple store, there are people lined up and crowded around the classrooms with happy faces. They've signed up and paid to take those classes; people are eager to learn how to use their new shiny Apple products. Apple can teach them whatever new UI elements they introduce. They're capable of finding ways of implementing new ideas in an intuitive way. There's no reason Apple shouldn't dynamically change their OS to give users more flexibility.

As the competition improves and offers better solutions, people will begin to realize. It will be slow, but it will happen. Unless Apple decides to act.

 

[Mrg02d]

Nonsense.

More often than not, the improvement suggestions that come from the peanut gallery are stupid and emit from people that want Apple to produce something that stinks of HTC or Samsung.

Apple can do many things to improve iOS, but none should involve a screen splattered with buggy widgets or a phone design that can double as a surf board.

Yawn. Typical fanboy...

EDIT: didn't realise you we're a bad@ss. That explains it all...

 

[Beau10]

I think the biggest problem isn't Maps, customization, widgets, etc. Let's say Apple improved in all these regards, then they would be chasing Android's tail.

It's more that the when the iPhone originally launched, the OS was a revelation. The user is presented with the same basic UI 5+ years later. It's a screen of icons with a dock at the bottom with primary icons. All changes since then have seemed to add features or improve upon that concept, but none have changed that basic structure. They just continue to diddle/refine that formula. You send an iPhone5 in a time machine back to 2007, a user will marvel at the hardware, but the OS will be instantly familiar.

Compare this to what's been going on with Windows Phone. Pocket PC/Windows Mobile was horrific, it stagnated, if you look at what was happening around version 6.5 or thereabouts you could see MS really losing it. Then they started from scratch, WP7 looks ok... but WP8, now we're talking. You take the upcoming Lumia 920 back to 2007 and show a user of a WM device and it will induce serious future shock.

So it's not adding this or that. It really is figuring out a new way to interact with the phone that makes it an altogether more immersive experience. It doesn't have to follow Android or WM or Blackberry 10 or whatnot... it doesn't have to follow any of these. But if you can imagine what the most forward-thinking way of interacting with a smart phone (or whatever the equivalent will be in 5 years), it should be more like *that*.

 

[b166er]

It's not the UI that bothers me. I don't even get how the UI could change much on a touch screen. The Android UI isn't any better or worse, it's more or less the same.

What gets me is the lack of features and the lack of willingness to include them. It's ok to give the option to use widgets or shortcuts or toggles. Stuff like that should come stock, but turned off. Some users who don't go tweaking with setting would never even know they are there. The users who want them would know, and could turn them on. Kind of like how when you use a new iPhone it interrupts you at every step to let you know about locations, wifi, etc.

They dropped the ball with iOS 6, I stand by my opinion. It's just iOS 5 with terrible maps, a not so functional NFC work-around, and panorama photos. All the other "new" things are stuff my blackberry did 7 years ago. iOS users, including myself, are always saying "well in the next version" and "well it doesn't do that but it does this" and even worse a lot of people are defending the obvious (and now self admitted by apple) FLAWS like maps. Maps is not an oops, it's not a "my bad", it's a freaking disaster. And it was supposed to be the flagship feature and main reason to upgrade to iOS 6.

 

[Mrg02d]

It's not the UI that bothers me. I don't even get how the UI could change much on a touch screen. The Android UI isn't any better or worse, it's more or less the same.

What gets me is the lack of features and the lack of willingness to include them. It's ok to give the option to use widgets or shortcuts or toggles. Stuff like that should come stock, but turned off. Some users who don't go tweaking with setting would never even know they are there. The users who want them would know, and could turn them on. Kind of like how when you use a new iPhone it interrupts you at every step to let you know about locations, wifi, etc.

They dropped the ball with iOS 6, I stand by my opinion. It's just iOS 5 with terrible maps, a not so functional NFC work-around, and panorama photos. All the other "new" things are stuff my blackberry did 7 years ago. iOS users, including myself, are always saying "well in the next version" and "well it doesn't do that but it does this" and even worse a lot of people are defending the obvious (and now self admitted by apple) FLAWS like maps. Maps is not an oops, it's not a "my bad", it's a freaking disaster. And it was supposed to be the flagship feature and main reason to upgrade to iOS 6.

Yet they refuse to tell apple to kiss it...makes me wonder who they voted for....nvm, I know.

 

[Vegastouch]

I don't think anyone would argue iOS 6 isn't an upgrade/improvement (except for Maps) -- that'd be silly if it weren't. The actual issue is that it's not improving enough. And to be even more specific, not improving fast enough.

It's gotten to a point where not only is iOS becoming stagnant, it's becoming less usable.

Why? Others have figured out far better and easier ways to accomplish things. In Chrome, it takes all but 2 taps to launch private browsing. In Safari, it takes at least 6 steps to switch to private browsing (which involves leaving the actual app).

Other apps too... If I want to change a setting, I often have to exit the app and find my way to the OS' Settings icon. And the Settings page has gotten so convoluted and messy.

(I think the following is important so I've bolded it)
All this talk about how Apple shouldn't change much of their UI for fear of upsetting the "main stream" non-tech user base is really unfounded. Apple holds classes in their stores. Every time I visit the Apple store, there are people lined up and crowded around the classrooms with happy faces. They've signed up and paid to take those classes; people are eager to learn how to use their new shiny Apple products. Apple can teach them whatever new UI elements they introduce. They're capable of finding ways of implementing new ideas in an intuitive way. There's no reason Apple shouldn't dynamically change their OS to give users more flexibility.

As the competition improves and offers better solutions, people will begin to realize. It will be slow, but it will happen. Unless Apple decides to act.

LOL, sooo.....people PAY to learn how to use a iPhone? Apple should absolutely make the iOS do more if that is the case. They will continue to make a fortune off of dummies. I think you made a good case for those to keep their iPhone and never get an Android. A class? That just proves people hate to read because you can go buy this for $5 off of eBay and learn at your own leisure.

 

[b166er]

The sad thing is, iOS is still the smoothest mobile OS, in my opinion. I'm starting to think maybe it's so fluid because of all the stuff it doesn't do.

I'd imagine if Apple ever wakes up and gives us some real customization, widgets, toggles... it would be done with all the elegance and fluid motion that we have come to expect. The problem is they haven't shown any signs of doing this yet.

 

[mrskullfreak]

The next will be amazing I willing to bet on it...
Seems they are just doing to much this year.
Especially after the loss of Steve..

 

[Sensamic]

The sad thing is, iOS is still the smoothest mobile OS, in my opinion. I'm starting to think maybe it's so fluid because of all the stuff it doesn't do.

I'd imagine if Apple ever wakes up and gives us some real customization, widgets, toggles... it would be done with all the elegance and fluid motion that we have come to expect. The problem is they haven't shown any signs of doing this yet.

Correct.

It's smooth and fluid because there's no true multitasking, no widgets, etc.

 

[Vegastouch]

The next will be amazing I willing to bet on it...
Seems they are just doing to much this year.
Especially after the loss of Steve..

Keep thinking that. Everyone thought the same thing this time around but you can wait another year to find out just to be disapointed again. Big reason why i havent been using an iPhone any longer.

 

[b166er]

Keep thinking that. Everyone thought the same thing this time around but you can wait another year to find out just to be disapointed again. Big reason why i havent been using an iPhone any longer.

That's where I'm at too. I kept my 4S and in the mean time am really eyeing up a Lumina 920. I'm getting tired of saying "well maybe next year" and similar things. I know how well Android works and it's cool, but I really want to give Windows P8 a shot. Then I'll know for certain, having tried the major 3 mobile OS's. I did use blackberry as well back in the day but that's a lost cause now a days. If I come back to iOS at least I do it knowing I gave everyone a fair chance.

 

[Mrg02d]

What if iOS was in a plastic body rather than machined aluminium?

 

[Dave.UK]

I work with quite a few people in their 50's who arnt very technical and purchased the iPhone because of its simplicity and because its a known name.

Listening to them moan over the past week since the upgraded to ios6 has been intolerable. Mainly the lack of google maps/street view and apparently it seems to have slowed their phones down.

I can truly believe this poll.

 

[b166er]

iOS does defiantly appeal to people 40+ and I think it reaches further and further toward older generations all the time. We have people in there 80's learning to skype and email, and I think we can truly thank Apple for contributing to that. It's a cool thing to blur the lines of tech between generations. Neither of my parents knew anything about computers. My mom thought "double click" meant to click both buttons at the same time. My dad couldn't even power a pc on. So yeah it's cool to see old heads using computers and iPhones these days.

But iOS is beginning to really appeal to a more narrow group of people, the non tech savvy. I feel like it used to appeal to everyone, but now the more tech inclined crowds are all jumping ship. Maybe it's just me. Apple could easily make iOS work for everyone again. There is no reason to fear android like customization because it is up to each user what they want to do.

I dream of a day where I have iOS smoothness, the Apple ecosystem, and the ability to use toggles and widgets and other mods, without a jailbreak and with full support from the OS developers.