Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,461
Cars today are actually much simpler today than 50 years ago because they have to appeal to younger generations which are tech geniuses, but mechanical idiots.
Simpler mechanically perhaps, but not electronically and as far as the options available to the driver go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dk001

KALLT

macrumors 603
Sep 23, 2008
5,380
3,415
Simpler mechanically perhaps, but not electronically and as far as the options available to the driver go.

Modern cars are littered with buttons and toggles. They are not actually easier to use, but they are easier to handle.

I share the OP’s concern and I think iOS is reaching the stage of bells and whistles. I’ve had a change to try out the new 3D Touch and I am actually really unimpressed by it. I’m very experienced with iOS and the iPhone, but the 3D Touch felt really gimmicky, even though it made more sense in the keynote. It’s the same problem I see in the Apple Watch. 3D Touch feels like an afterthought. I have accepted for a long time that smartphones will never become as powerful as larger devices due to the limited primary input method (the touch screen).
 

Aston441

macrumors 68030
Sep 16, 2014
2,607
3,948
Modern cars are littered with buttons and toggles. They are not actually easier to use, but they are easier to handle.

I share the OP’s concern and I think iOS is reaching the stage of bells and whistles. I’ve had a change to try out the new 3D Touch and I am actually really unimpressed by it. I’m very experienced with iOS and the iPhone, but the 3D Touch felt really gimmicky, even though it made more sense in the keynote. It’s the same problem I see in the Apple Watch. 3D Touch feels like an afterthought. I have accepted for a long time that smartphones will never become as powerful as larger devices due to the limited primary input method (the touch screen).

I also think that 3DT doesn't have much staying power. It seems like a lot of extra parts, expense, and complication for limited utility. Maybe it will turn out to be useful for artists with pen input, but even there it seems simpler and cheaper to put the pressure sensor in the pen.

It wouldn't surprise me if the feature is dropped in a few years.
 

leon44

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2010
356
175
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
What I like about iOS is the complications are optional, my Grandma uses an iPad every day and doesn't need to learn the gestures or understand control centre etc.

3D Touch though I'm still skeptical about. I think its great and useful technology but I think Apple is struggling to implement it on top of an OS that never had it. If it was there from the start it I think it would feel completely necessary.
Like now when I want to move and remove apps I have to lightly hold down on an app icon, which doesn't really feel right considering I'm trying to 'dislodge' the apps so they can be moved, but if I touch it with too much force it will activate 3D Touch.

There also is no clue as to which buttons or apps can be 3D touched, maybe if they had some kind of special glow or tiny clue this would be nicer to use. A UI interface that requires trial and error might struggle to take off.

Having said this I think they've made a really good job of it, I just wonder if a bit more time spent deeply considering its implementation would have been useful here.
 

maxsix

Suspended
Jun 28, 2015
3,100
3,731
Western Hemisphere
iOS is intuitive and not too complicated.

What it _is_ is simply too rough, buggy and unfinished. Knowing they have us over a barrel, Apple has determined just how much they can get away with when it comes to quality control shortcomings and ship hardware and software that's no longer their best work.

My iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 9.0.2 is unable to scroll smoothly, at its normal speed when pressing the home button to return from the last home screen to the first (just 5 screens). A fundamental task that is done many times each day. Apple support acknowledged it but has no fix.

This is but one example of bugs Apple provides routinely when "upgrading" to the latest OS. These annoyances make my Android phones look far superior. :D
 

Ash Pole

macrumors regular
Mar 2, 2015
136
149
No it's not too complicated. If it was, Apple would alienate the older generations....ie. your mom and grandma.
If you belong to AARP, you have either a flip phone or a iPhone.

I also don't think anyone over 50 is concerned with scrolling speeds or micro stutters.
 
Last edited:

FNH15

macrumors 6502a
Apr 19, 2011
822
867
Modern cars are littered with buttons and toggles. They are not actually easier to use, but they are easier to handle.

I share the OP’s concern and I think iOS is reaching the stage of bells and whistles. I’ve had a change to try out the new 3D Touch and I am actually really unimpressed by it. I’m very experienced with iOS and the iPhone, but the 3D Touch felt really gimmicky, even though it made more sense in the keynote. It’s the same problem I see in the Apple Watch. 3D Touch feels like an afterthought. I have accepted for a long time that smartphones will never become as powerful as larger devices due to the limited primary input method (the touch screen).

Really? If you look to the future (i.e, luxury cars), you'll find that modern vehicles have become more simple to use. Take the 2016 G01 BMW 7-series. When I compare its infotainment system, iDrive, to the system in my BMW, a 2004 330ci, which has a MK4 navigation computer, the iDrive is a far more simple and robust system. You'll have to pry my 6-speed stick from my cold, dead hands though...
 

MartyCan

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 31, 2012
1,541
366
Near Toronto, ON
What gestures can you do accidentally on an iPhone before 6s? Swipe to go back? Reachability? Multitasking? I find for the most part it's still pretty straight forward. (iPad is a bit more complicated though)

Well on my phone and iPad I've had the split screen fly out of the right side of the screen from an accidental touch while trying to complete another task.

Others are less accidental as trying to remember what should (but does not always) work. An example would be a form an a web page. You open the form over the page in Safari and fill in everything only to find that the button you need to click is actually off screen and you can neither scroll or zoom out to click it. It's happened a few times for me recently in different circumstances. Try pinching 2 fingers to zoom, nope. Double-tap one, two or 3 fingers? Nope. 4 finger pinch? Nope 3 finger scroll? Nope. Didn't have this kind of problem hen iOS was simpler.

Typing the next sentence the lower settings bar popped up when I was hitting the space bar.

And for whoever said you need a "Playbook" to figure it out, cute but BlackBerry is going the same way as their PlayBook! :D
 
  • Like
Reactions: dk001

lagwagon

Suspended
Oct 12, 2014
3,899
2,759
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I also think that 3DT doesn't have much staying power. It seems like a lot of extra parts, expense, and complication for limited utility. Maybe it will turn out to be useful for artists with pen input, but even there it seems simpler and cheaper to put the pressure sensor in the pen.

It wouldn't surprise me if the feature is dropped in a few years.
What I like about iOS is the complications are optional, my Grandma uses an iPad every day and doesn't need to learn the gestures or understand control centre etc.

3D Touch though I'm still skeptical about. I think its great and useful technology but I think Apple is struggling to implement it on top of an OS that never had it. If it was there from the start it I think it would feel completely necessary.
Like now when I want to move and remove apps I have to lightly hold down on an app icon, which doesn't really feel right considering I'm trying to 'dislodge' the apps so they can be moved, but if I touch it with too much force it will activate 3D Touch.

There also is no clue as to which buttons or apps can be 3D touched, maybe if they had some kind of special glow or tiny clue this would be nicer to use. A UI interface that requires trial and error might struggle to take off.

Having said this I think they've made a really good job of it, I just wonder if a bit more time spent deeply considering its implementation would have been useful here.

3D Touch isn't going anywhere. You're only feeling underwhelmed by it right now because it's new and not many app developers have implemented it into their apps yet. By this time next year when all major apps plus new apps will include it, it will feel better.

Also another thing to take into consideration, is that it is brand new (rev 1.) it will no doubt open up and get expanded with new features to it in iOS 10, iOS 11. It's a baby right now and needs time to mature. (People were originally very very hesitant against on screen touch keyboards when the first iPhone released.) No one thought Multi Touch would fly....now look at it.

I don't really ever understand the argument people make about "not knowing where and what can be 3D Touched." Explore the OS, have fun with it. In areas you can't use it, it's not like it hurts you or costs you money. The Taptic Engine lets you know. Or go online and read about it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: dk001

leon44

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2010
356
175
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
I don't really ever understand the argument people make about "not knowing where and what can be 3D Touched." Explore the OS, have fun with it. In areas you can't use it, it's not like it hurts you or costs you money. The Taptic Engin lets you know. Or go online and read about it.


Well, the only other person I know who bought a 6s didn't have a clue what 3D Touch was until I showed it to her. I love it and I will play with it and explore the OS with it. I'm not complaining because its wasting my time or I'm confused by it.

I'm just commenting on the fact that I think the majority of people wont notice it or play with it unless there is some even tiny amount of encouragement from the UI or if its essential for performing a certain function.

In its current implementation I just know 12 months down the line people are going to tell me that 3D Touch is 'pointless', because they never use it. If Apple can find a way of encouraging people to us it it will take off.

What frustrates me is that I can see this coming. Maybe I'm wrong, I hope I am.
 

afsnyder

macrumors 65816
Jan 7, 2014
1,270
33
The problem is Apple is actually adding features people are asking for instead of questioning their usefulness or


We have a swipe up (control center), swipe down (notification center), Swipe left (Siri suggestions screen), swipe down from middle (spotlight search).

5 different gestures just from the main screen. Is that necessary?

The iPhone used to be easy to use for people's parents and non techy people. It's become way too complex for it's own good in my opinion.

I think that Apple misplaced the Siri Suggestions search screen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aston441

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
I think that Apple misplaced the Siri Suggestions search screen.

It's one thing to put Siri suggestions where the old spotlight search used to be but why the heck did they keep the pull down search? Better yet why did recent contacts go from the task switcher to the siri screen. Make up your mind Apple. Muscle memory takes work to retrain.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aston441

Aston441

macrumors 68030
Sep 16, 2014
2,607
3,948
It's one thing to put Siri suggestions where the old spotlight search used to be but why the heck did they keep the pull down search? Better yet why did recent contacts go from the task switcher to the siri screen. Make up your mind Apple. Muscle memory takes work to retrain.
I know, right? Why stop at making the shift key impossible to figure out? Why not add random switching to DVORAK keyboard?
 

Armen

macrumors 604
Apr 30, 2013
7,408
2,274
Los Angeles
I know, right? Why stop at making the shift key impossible to figure out? Why not add random switching to DVORAK keyboard?

Apple pays attention to details in some areas like how the square iPhone charger charges/discharges/charges your phone the entire time its plugged in to keep the battery healthy and then they do half-assed things like I mentioned.
 

Jessica Lares

macrumors G3
Oct 31, 2009
9,612
1,057
Near Dallas, Texas, USA
I think iOS is doing just fine, besides the bugs.

Having two areas for Spotlight makes sense depending on where your fingers are and whether or not you're on page five of your home screen. I'm using both anyway.

And no, 3D Touch won't make sense for everyone, but then a lot of people still don't do FaceTime and other things with their devices.
 

Ash Pole

macrumors regular
Mar 2, 2015
136
149
In its current implementation I just know 12 months down the line people are going to tell me that 3D Touch is 'pointless', because they never use it. If Apple can find a way of encouraging people to us it it will take off.
It's like Apple Pay...a few use it but the majority of people don't and probably never will. The cashier at my Walgreens doesn't even know what Apple Pay is.
 

lagwagon

Suspended
Oct 12, 2014
3,899
2,759
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
I think iOS is doing just fine, besides the bugs.

Having two areas for Spotlight makes sense depending on where your fingers are and whether or not you're on page five of your home screen. I'm using both anyway.

And no, 3D Touch won't make sense for everyone, but then a lot of people still don't do FaceTime and other things with their devices.

Multi Touch didn't make sense to many either when Apple announced the very first iPhone. Many said, no one would want a touch only keyboard without having the physical keys. Fast forward to every smartphone using Apple's Multi Touch and physical keyboards an old relic for phones.

Once 3D Touch is on its third generation phone with it (the iPhone 7s and 7s+) the majority will be on 3D Touch enabled devices and will be a common thing. I fully expect late 2016 / early 2017 Android phones to have their first "take" on 3D Touch.
 

oldmacs

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2010
4,941
7,182
Australia
It's one thing to put Siri suggestions where the old spotlight search used to be but why the heck did they keep the pull down search? Better yet why did recent contacts go from the task switcher to the siri screen. Make up your mind Apple. Muscle memory takes work to retrain.

Because not all devices can access proactive features + the pull down search is great if you're not on your first page. I'd rather they move the whole thing to the pull down search.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lagwagon

lagwagon

Suspended
Oct 12, 2014
3,899
2,759
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Because not all devices can access proactive features + the pull down search is great if you're not on your first page. I'd rather they move the whole thing to the pull down search.

That's a good point about not all devices have proactive.

But I also suspect it's not all in the pull down to avoid confusion of having two pull downs that have a full screen of information (that would be Notification Center + Proactive) This way it's Proactive on the left and Notifications pulled down from the top.
 

oldmacs

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2010
4,941
7,182
Australia
That's a good point about not all devices have proactive.

But I also suspect it's not all in the pull down to avoid confusion of having two pull downs that have a full screen of information (that would be Notification Center + Proactive) This way it's Proactive on the left and Notifications pulled down from the top.

That is a good point. Didn't think about that.

I really hope they keep the pull down search. I love not having to go back to the main home screen to make a search.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lagwagon

Moneoa

macrumors regular
Oct 8, 2015
144
128
So the lack of cut and paste on earlier versions of iOS was a better and more simple time? I suppose so lol
 

lagwagon

Suspended
Oct 12, 2014
3,899
2,759
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
That is a good point. Didn't think about that.

I really hope they keep the pull down search. I love not having to go back to the main home screen to make a search.

I agree. It doesn't bother me one bit having two ways of searching. Exactly like you said. One can be accessed when the other cant. Confuses me a bit frankly that people are complaining about two searches. I hear all the time "we want choices" and now it's "we have too many searches" haha :)
 

bushido

Suspended
Mar 26, 2008
8,070
2,755
Germany
There also is no clue as to which buttons or apps can be 3D touched, maybe if they had some kind of special glow or tiny clue this would be nicer to use. A UI interface that requires trial and error might struggle to take off.

thats what already confuses me on my Apple Watch. When a force touch function seems obvious it does nothing but then theres a function hidden below it on places u never imagined it to do something.

--

i just had to tell a friend she can swipe back instead of tapping on the "buttons" :D she has had an iPhone for years
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.