Multi-touch Feature Request Lists

[Sketh]

With the upcoming iPad we have a giant multi-touch display at our finger tips.

This being said, I think it would be more than appropriate for Apple to implement a few of the multi-touch features that we see in todays trackpads.

For example -

Back Swipe Gesture

I know that iPhone apps have dedicated back buttons, but in the same way they've incorperated pinching to go in and out of levels in the new Photos app, I think swiping to go back and forth between webpages, or even lists in any app only feels natural.

On current track pads, there are only two fingers used to swipe back and forth, I feel like having the display positioned in your hand, three points of touch may be a better idea, though two might work just fine.

*Multi-tasking* Expose Style

Now, this is kind of a wish of sorts, but none the less...

Expose does a great job of showing what applications are currently running, and if apple were to include true multi-tasking in the future, I think it only makes sense to have a gesture to view open apps. (ignore the crude mock up, you get the idea.)

Those are just a few ideas of mine, when I get some more time I'll whip up some more.

So what are YOUR thoughts on the multi-touch possibilities of a 9.7 inch screen?

 

[MikeyTree]

Those are great suggestions. I think that when multitasking is introduced, it'll use a multitouch UI similar to the one you propose.

I'd like to see the same approach used for Safari pages.

 

[Sketh]

I'm really surprised that it wasn't announced at launch. Not that it's a deal breaker, but still.

 

[calderone]

The problem with a system wide gesture is that the gesture has to be blocked out in the SDK. So in this example, a developer couldn't use three fingers down in their app. That is a problem and would stifle creativity.

You would also have the problem of gesture confusion, where a user intends to perform a system gesture and accidentally performs an application gesture which could be very frustrating.

 

[MikhailT]

I'm really surprised that it wasn't announced at launch. Not that it's a deal breaker, but still.

I think it'll be 4 or 5 finger swipe down for system-wide expose mode. What about applications with tab windows that might want to have expose mode, reserve three finger swipe for app expose.

This is something that Apple is mostly struggling with. Multitasking has to be simple and perfect the first time. People have a hard time adjusting to different gestures over time.

 

[calderone]

I think it'll be 4 or 5 finger swipe down for system-wide expose mode. What about applications with tab windows that might want to have expose mode, reserve three finger swipe for app expose.

This is something that Apple is mostly struggling with. Multitasking has to be simple and perfect the first time. People have a hard time adjusting to different gestures over time.

X finger gestures are a bad idea for system-wide functions.

There are plenty of apps out there using 3+ finger gestures.

 

[MikhailT]

X finger gestures are a bad idea for system-wide functions.

There are plenty of apps out there using 3+ finger gestures.

Yes, which is why I think Apple hasn't figure it out yet and why iPad will probably release with 3.2 so that Apple have more time to perfect this multitasking and others for iPhone 4.0 release.

 

[calderone]

Yes, which is why I think Apple hasn't figure it out yet and why iPad will probably release with 3.2 so that Apple have more time to perfect this multitasking and others for iPhone 4.0 release.

Oh I absolutely agree. I have said this very thing in similar threads. I just wish folks would realize that this isn't as easy as typing "multitasking" somewhere in the code.

 

[Sketh]

Expanding on my earlier ideas:

A stack like pile view on the springboard for organizing Apps:

When pinching:

 

[EssentialParado]

I think your multi-tasking idea is flawed. Firstly, how do you show the user they have apps currently running and using their battery? Second, how do you make it intuitive for the user to understand to swipe 3 fingers to bring up the currently running apps? It doesn't make sense. If you look at all of Apple's other gestures; pinching, swiping, scrolling - they're absolutely natural and don't even need learning. Apple only wants gestures that are second nature to us. You always need to keep in mind: no matter how simple and easy to learn this is to us tech geeks, is it just as simple and obvious to your grandma or a baby?

However, I LOVE your stack-like desktop. That is a very simple way to categorize apps into different categories, plus it expands on their iPhoto interface, allowing you to pinch the stacks to check the contents and touch the icon to follow through into the subfolder. I could certainly see that one working its way in there.

 

[Sketh]

I think your multi-tasking idea is flawed. Firstly, how do you show the user they have apps currently running and using their battery? Second, how do you make it intuitive for the user to understand to swipe 3 fingers to bring up the currently running apps? It doesn't make sense. If you look at all of Apple's other gestures; pinching, swiping, scrolling - they're absolutely natural and don't even need learning. Apple only wants gestures that are second nature to us. You always need to keep in mind: no matter how simple and easy to learn this is to us tech geeks, is it just as simple and obvious to your grandma or a baby?

However, I LOVE your stack-like desktop. That is a very simple way to categorize apps into different categories, plus it expands on their iPhoto interface, allowing you to pinch the stacks to check the contents and touch the icon to follow through into the subfolder. I could certainly see that one working its way in there.

I always envisioned a glowing indicator on the springboard to show that the app is current running in the background.

And a majority of the gestures apple uses are indeed very natural, and I love that, but they have gestures that aren't so widely used, two finger swiping in safari for example will scroll in sections of a site if it is in a scrolling box (Such as this reply box.)

And if something such as multi-tasking was incorporated, I'm sure Apple would make it a central point of their marketing scheme to make sure people understood how to use it.

That being said, I agree with you, I just personally am attached with the expose view on Snow Leopard, and thought it would be a natural fit for the iPad/iPhone OS.

 

[kdesign7]

Nice designs!