Too many features makes the phone confusing

[Apple blogger]

In the recent 3-4 months we saw 2 major releases of BB10 and Samsung s4.

BB 10 came out with many features. It was hard to remember so many features in the first go.. S4 copied almost all the features of blackberry and iOS also.. But gave 3 of its new features only(smart pause,see, and group share)
They said that these phones are ur companions , and can do everyday things.. But how many people are going to use all of them?
They have story features, camera features, etc which are good definately good,but they are not needed.. The companies sell it at a high price because of these, but actually they are a waste! They make the phone more confusing , so many features to remember !
iPhone on the other hand has less features in-built features but most of these features can be downloaded from the AppStore making it easy to use.. Much easier than the other 2 ..

The other 2 have health features, different photosharing features, hubs, etc. Honestly? How many people would be using it? 20%?? 30%??

If any apple executive or employee is reading this, please tell the designers on iOS to not bring these kinds of features but important and innovative features like screen sharing, checking emails when there is no network, and updating their main feature iCLOUD and SIRI!!!

Instead they can give developers the chance of making these features and giving the usesrs an option to download them.. iPhone is known to be a simple phone usable, it can be used from 2 yrs ppl to 80 yrs ones.. Please Keep it that way ..

Some features like defaults may be useful in which user is able to set a third party app as a default rather than an existing apple app enabling the user to Remove the app(can download it again if needed from settings)...

 

[mattopotamus]

I agree about the features. I know they are trying to be innovative, and it is, but most people will never use them. I hate when people say, "you may not use them, but if you need them they are there." That is ridiculous and I bet most people do not use over half of the built in features. IMO, companies need to focus on polishing the phone aspect and other small things people want. LIKE QUICK REPLY!

 

[Tarzanman]

Not sure if serious....

 

[kiltedthrower]

BB copied what features? I'm going to assume you were joking. I still don't understand why features is a bad thing. Don't want to use them? Don't

 

[ugahairydawgs]

To me the perfect visual representation of this is this screen shot of the Settings toggles from Android Central's hands on with the GS4.

 

[Truefan31]

I agree about the features. I know they are trying to be innovative, and it is, but most people will never use them. I hate when people say, "you may not use them, but if you need them they are there." That is ridiculous and I bet most people do not use over half of the built in features. IMO, companies need to focus on polishing the phone aspect and other small things people want. LIKE QUICK REPLY!

Why is it ridiculous to have the option of using a feature or not? Just because some don't use a feature doesn't mean others won't. You can choose what you want to use, just like you can customize your settings notification window toggles. Different strokes for different folks.

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To me the perfect visual representation of this is this screen shot of the Settings toggles from Android Central's hands on with the GS4.

You can change the number of toggles shown. Not to compare but iOS doesn't even let you have the feature unless you jailbreak.

 

[mattopotamus]

Why is it ridiculous to have the option of using a feature or not? Just because some don't use a feature doesn't mean others won't. You can choose what you want to use, just like you can customize your settings notification window toggles. Different strokes for different folks.

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You can change the number of toggles shown. Not to compare but iOS doesn't even let you have the feature unless you jailbreak.

I just wish they would shift their focus to other aspects of the phone.

 

[Truefan31]

Like what?

 

[Oohara]

I much prefer Samsung's attitude to Apples here.

Samsung shows willingness to innovate by testing new functions in the real world rather than on the drawing table/in the comfort of their own labs only, and give me the choice to simply not use whatever I don't need or like.

Apple tells me what I need and persists in withholding new functions until they are 110% sure that they work perfectly (which they don't always do anyway - Maps, anyone?), for which I pay the price of having very limited options and being stuck with certain very inefficient and annoying ways of doing things (having to wade through the setting meny just to change the screen brightness, wifi-settings etc.).

If the S4 has functions that I don't need, I'll simply turn them off or refrain from using them. How hard is that?

 

[jamojamo]

Got the phone for you...

 

[onthecouchagain]

I much prefer Samsung's attitude to Apples here.

Samsung shows willingness to innovate by testing new functions in the real world rather than on the drawing table/in the comfort of their own labs only, and give me the choice to simply not use whatever I don't need or like.

Apple tells me what I need and persists in withholding new functions until they are 110% sure that they work perfectly (which they don't always do anyway - Maps, anyone?), for which I pay the price of having very limited options and being stuck with certain very inefficient and annoying ways of doing things (having to wade through the setting meny just to change the screen brightness, wifi-settings etc.).

If the S4 has functions that I don't need, I'll simply turn them off or refrain from using them. How hard is that?

Bam.



And besides, we're living in an age that's becoming more and more technologically fluent. This whole fear of new technology being introduced too fast and too robustly is unfounded.

I've said this a million times before: Apple offers classes. Classes, which if you observe at the Apple stores, people happily line up to sign up for. People are thrilled to learn how to use their new shiny Apple products (and rightfully so).

 

[MRU]

Introducing Samsung's S KitchenSink.

Just when you thought we had thrown enough stuff in there........

 

[onthecouchagain]

My mom went to 3 classes to learn how to use her gs3,it was her first smart phone and Verizon offers classes.Apple is not the only ones doing it.

Exactly. Even carriers are offering classes now.

 

[RetepNamenots]

To me the perfect visual representation of this is this screen shot of the Settings toggles from Android Central's hands on with the GS4.

If only it was customisable...

Oh wait, it is!

 

[Truefan31]

If only it was customisable...

Oh wait, it is!

That's what I don't get. We're complaining now that there's too many features, even though they can all be changed and customized to anyone's liking? Too many toggles in the drop down window even though you can put what you want on there. Crazy.

 

[b166er]

I don't think the features are confusing, I think the gestures/touch patterns are. Especially if you use more than one platform. In the interest of not getting sued by each other, each company has developed different touch techniques to accomplish the same tasks. Sometimes when I'm on android I still tap the status bar to go to the top of the page, because in iOS that's standard. The way we copy/past, zoom, the effect a tilt or shake has... it's all different on each platform.

Given this is my own "fault" for not just sticking with one platform. But I'm cool with the features, I think Samsung has added a couple good ones (and a few duds) that aren't offered elsewhere (yet). I'm really big on anything related to the camera, which is why I started using a 920, but the S4 demo had some cool camera features as well.

 

[Stuntman06]

All modern smartphones are loaded with a whole bunch of features. I'm sure many users don't use or don't even know about many of the features on their smartphones. Generally, people will just use features they know about and need. You can highlight various features to get people's attention. That's what all phone manufacturers do to sell phones.

People will explore their phone to see what it can do. Also, people may ask around or do their own research if they want to do something specific on their phones. As confusing as phones may be, I think almost anyone can at least figure out the basic functions of it and make good use of even the simplest functions. Where they go from there is up to the individual user.

Having many features can be nice. People may change the way they use their phones, so sometimes over time, people discover or rediscover features they never used before.

 

[Zwhaler]

To me the perfect visual representation of this is this screen shot of the Settings toggles from Android Central's hands on with the GS4.

TO be fair that is the edit page for the toggles, you use that to potentially reduce the number of toggles when you pull down the notification center. Apple take note, people like being able to adjust wifi and brightness on any page and not have to take a settings app voyage every time!!!

 

[mobilebuddha]

hahahahahahahaha

there, a phone with no features, so simple to use.. and a small screen!

Got the phone for you...

 

[McCool71]

To me the perfect visual representation of this is this screen shot of the Settings toggles from Android Central's hands on with the GS4.

Yep, ONE screen where you can activate/deactivate any of the major features in less than a couple of seconds (this menu is available by swiping from the top of the screen and lets you select what is immediately available for adjustment in ANY app) is bad of course.

In fact choice is bad. Who in their right mind want to easily control stuff like this without going into menus:

Wi-Fi
GPS
Sound
Screen rotation
Bluetooth
Mobile data
Caller blocking
Power saving
Multi Window (S3 and S4 can run 2 apps in the same window)
Phone-to-phone sharing
NFC
Air view and gestures (the phone reacts without you having to actuall touch the screen)
Driving mode
Smart stay (the screen stays on as long as you look at it)
Sync
Airplane mode

...

Lots of these features are not for everyone. But I am sure that most people gladly use at lest a few of them. The challenge being that the ones people use vary from person to person, so having a broad range caters to more people than limiting the phone to just having a couple of options.

I know choice is complicated for lots of people and that the freedom can feel a bit threatening when you are used to someone holding your hand and deciding for you all the time, but personally I like being able to choose.

And to scare you even more: This screen shows just a few of the user-selectable options for functions and interaction with the phone. There are lots more even on the S3.

 

[mobilebuddha]

ya know what.. I'd give props to Samsung and let them go wild. The features that work (good feedback from users), they would continue to innovate, the things that don't, they would put it on hold.

One example of things that I use constantly on my Note 2 is the air view thing. I'm glad to see that with the S4, they've expanded that to include non s-pen support. And this is exactly what I want to see.

Maybe it doesn't work, maybe it does.. but you can't blame Samsung for trying when Apple is just sitting on its butt like a child screaming "3.5 in is the perfect size! .... 4 inch is the perfect size! .... for holding 1 hand, ipad mini is the perfect size!"

way too much arrogance for a professional company that has so much going for them.

I don't think the features are confusing, I think the gestures/touch patterns are. Especially if you use more than one platform. In the interest of not getting sued by each other, each company has developed different touch techniques to accomplish the same tasks. Sometimes when I'm on android I still tap the status bar to go to the top of the page, because in iOS that's standard. The way we copy/past, zoom, the effect a tilt or shake has... it's all different on each platform.

Given this is my own "fault" for not just sticking with one platform. But I'm cool with the features, I think Samsung has added a couple good ones (and a few duds) that aren't offered elsewhere (yet). I'm really big on anything related to the camera, which is why I started using a 920, but the S4 demo had some cool camera features as well.

 

[F123D]

To me the perfect visual representation of this is this screen shot of the Settings toggles from Android Central's hands on with the GS4.

I find this a convenience. You don't have to dig through different settings and menus to turn on/off different things. They're all in one place.

 

[matttye]

That's what I don't get. We're complaining now that there's too many features, even though they can all be changed and customized to anyone's liking? Too many toggles in the drop down window even though you can put what you want on there. Crazy.

So there's an option for how many options you want in your menu? I'm sure there's an xzibit meme that fits here

Only messing...

I don't know why people are trying to say more features don't make it more confusing though. That's a given, surely? It's like comparing a car dashboard to a plane dashboard, or a screwdriver to a Swiss Army knife.

 

[cynics]

So there's an option for how many options you want in your menu? I'm sure there's an xzibit meme that fits here

Image

Only messing...

I don't know why people are trying to say more features don't make it more confusing though. That's a given, surely? It's like comparing a car dashboard to a plane dashboard, or a screwdriver to a Swiss Army knife.

A million options neatly organized to your own choosing is less confusing then menu diving for a few.

In response to another thread I wanted to turn on Facebook in the notification center on my iPhone. I had to look online to realize "share widget" meant share Facebook and twitter widget.

I've always felt the settings menu is something that should rarely be used. However I'm constantly diving into it to turn on/off Bluetooth, wifi, do not disturb, etc.

Then the redundant menus. Setting > iCloud > storage and back up OR settings > general > usage > manage storage. Same difference.

Facebook settings. Are you looking for settings > Facebook OR settings > general > usage > Facebook. There different so choose wisely. But don't get too excited because once you think you found what you are looking for sorry Charlie, the princess is in another castle.

That's when I was looking for "share widget".

Siri is under settings > general for some reason and not with native features under just settings.

IMO Androids setting menu is very intuitive. While iOS's is a complete mess.

 

[matttye]

A million options neatly organized to your own choosing is less confusing then menu diving for a few.

In response to another thread I wanted to turn on Facebook in the notification center on my iPhone. I had to look online to realize "share widget" meant share Facebook and twitter widget.

I've always felt the settings menu is something that should rarely be used. However I'm constantly diving into it to turn on/off Bluetooth, wifi, do not disturb, etc.

Then the redundant menus. Setting > iCloud > storage and back up OR settings > general > usage > manage storage. Same difference.

Facebook settings. Are you looking for settings > Facebook OR settings > general > usage > Facebook. There different so choose wisely. But don't get too excited because once you think you found what you are looking for sorry Charlie, the princess is in another castle.

Image

That's when I was looking for "share widget".

Siri is under settings > general for some reason and not with native features under just settings.

IMO Androids setting menu is very intuitive. While iOS's is a complete mess.

Having two different paths to get to the same setting isn't a bad thing if they're both logical, like you've pointed out with the iCloud thing.

I'm not sure what you mean with the Facebook one, as settings > general > usage > Facebook doesn't exist for me. Unless you mean to see how much data is being used by the Facebook app? However that is the same for every app: settings > general > usage > [app name].

It wouldn't be logical to have the notification settings in the settings app itself because the Facebook app can be uninstalled. Unless the settings app becomes more dynamic and apps can add to the default OS menus, this is something that cannot be helped.