What's the point of the new app switcher?

[Small White Car]

If you swipe while keeping your finger on the left, it is a lot quicker.

What? No, it's incredibly slower than the old one.

Before you could see entire pages and that let you whip through them at a very rapid pace. Now you're only seeing a small sliver of each screen and, let me tell you, many apps look the same when you're comparing small slivers.

So now, instead of actually scrolling quickly, I have to closely examine that tiny slice-of-page on each app as it goes by. It's easily half the speed of the old one, and that's being generous. It's usually even slower than that.

I seriously do not understand why Apple decided to sit down and design this thing to make everyone's lives more difficult.

 

[lagwagon]

What? No, it's incredibly slower than the old one.

Before you could see entire pages and that let you whip through them at a very rapid pace. Now you're only seeing a small sliver of each screen and, let me tell you, many apps look the same when you're comparing small slivers.

So now, instead of actually scrolling quickly, I have to closely examine that tiny slice-of-page on each app as it goes by. It's easily half the speed of the old one, and that's being generous. It's usually even slower than that.

I seriously do not understand why Apple decided to sit down and design this thing to make everyone's lives more difficult.

If only there were icons that told you what app was on what card....oh wait.

 

[Small White Car]

If only there were icons that told you what app was on what card....oh wait.

If that's how you're supposed to use it then it's an even dumber design than I thought.

Believe me, I would LOVE it if the thing looked like it does on the Mac.

But you know what the Mac doesn't do? It doesn't make the app icons extremely tiny for no reason whatsoever.

Just using the app's icons on the switcher would be great. Apple should ditch the stupid app screens and just show the icons, like on a Mac.

But they didn't do that. If you think that was what they were going for then they screwed up that plan, big time.

 

[lagwagon]

If that's how you're supposed to use it then it's an even dumber design than I thought.

Believe me, I would LOVE it if the thing looked like it does on the Mac.

View attachment 569234

But you know what the Mac doesn't do? It doesn't make the app icons extremely tiny for no reason whatsoever.

Just using the app's icons on the switcher would be great. Apple should ditch the stupid app screens and just show the icons, like on a Mac.

But they didn't do that. If you think that was what they were going for then they screwed up that plan, big time.

No I don't think "that's what they were going for". Looking at the icons was more a comment to your complaint of "apps look the same when comparing small slivers". You're making an issue out of a non issue really. Some people with any little change they take on a "the sky is falling" attitude.

And no I'm not a "Apple is always right". I just don't care what it looks like, because it still does the task almost no different to how it was. I don't get upset and foam at the mouth over software.

 

[Small White Car]

because it still does the task almost no different to how it was.

How can you say it works the same way when even Apple knows they messed it up?

That's why they slapped the little icons up there. It was a last-minute attempt to fix what they knew wasn't working. That's what's actually annoying about the icons. They're proof that Apple knows they made a mistake and needed a band-aid to make it better.

Maybe it'll be better in the final version. I do know this is unfinished software. All I know for sure is that Apple knows they made it worse with this change. So I find it odd that there are people here claiming it's not worse when the people who made the darned thing clearly know it's worse.

EDIT: And I realize I'm not being totally clear. Before someone tells me that iOS8 had icons too, I'm talking about both 8/9 together. I think both app switchers suck. I'm currently ranting that 9 made it even worse, but that doesn't mean I think 8 was any good. This is one of the few areas where I feel like iOS has never gotten it right.

 

[C DM]

How can you say it works the same way when even Apple knows they messed it up?

That's why they slapped the little icons up there. It was a last-minute attempt to fix what they knew wasn't working. That's what's actually annoying about the icons. They're proof that Apple knows they made a mistake and needed a band-aid to make it better.

Maybe it'll be better in the final version. I do know this is unfinished software. All I know for sure is that Apple knows they made it worse with this change. So I find it odd that there are people here claiming it's not worse when the people who made the darned thing clearly know it's worse.

Is that really why the icons are there and how they went about it all and what it all actually means? Or is it more that it doesn't have to do anything with any of that and they simply kept the icons and the app names (with larger text now in the form of a title/heading) as that is something they always provided (be it iOS 8, 7, or even earlier versions that only used the icons and the app names)?

 

[lagwagon]

How can you say it works the same way when even Apple knows they messed it up?

That's why they slapped the little icons up there. It was a last-minute attempt to fix what they knew wasn't working. That's what's actually annoying about the icons. They're proof that Apple knows they made a mistake and needed a band-aid to make it better.

Maybe it'll be better in the final version. I do know this is unfinished software. All I know for sure is that Apple knows they made it worse with this change. So I find it odd that there are people here claiming it's not worse when the people who made the darned thing clearly know it's worse.

iOS 8: double tap home, swipe, tap card of app you want to open (or swipe up to close.)

iOS 9: double tap home, swipe, tap card of app you want to open (or swipe up to close.)

Seems to function same to me.

iOS 8 also had icons. (below the card instead of now at top left.) So its been a "last minute" bandaid fix for a year? Such a ridiculous claim to say they added icons in iOS 9 because they "know" they messed up.

 

[Small White Car]

iOS 8 also had icons. (below the card instead of now at top left.) So its been a "last minute" bandaid fix for a year? Such a ridiculous claim to say they added icons in iOS 9 because they "know" they messed up.

What was the point of making the cards bigger in iOS 9?

I think that they thought they could make the whole thing simpler (which Apple loves to do) and ditch the icons with that change. It's an extremely Apple-like thought processes.

I'm not sure why you think it's ridiculous to say that Apple was trying to do something Apple-like.

 

[C DM]

What was the point of making the cards bigger in iOS 9?

I think that they thought they could make the whole thing simpler (which Apple loves to do) and ditch the icons with that change. It's an extremely Apple-like thought processes.

I'm not sure why you think it's ridiculous to say that Apple was trying to do something Apple-like.

More space to swipe on?

Don't think anything in there implies anything about the icons and the app names (which they actually made bigger and more readable). I mean something could be read into it if one wants to, like a cloud can look like an animal to someone, but that doesn't really mean (let alone has something supporting it) that some sort of specific intent was there in relation to it or that some conclusion can be drawn based on it.

 

[Small White Car]

Don't think anything in there implies anything about the icons and the app names (which they actually made bigger and more readable). I mean something could be read into it if one wants to, like a cloud can look like an animal to someone, but that doesn't really mean (let alone has something supporting it) that some sort of specific intent was there in relation to it or that some conclusion can be drawn based on it.

Well if that's the case then there really is no reason to even have a thread called "What's the point of the new app switcher?" since that point is apparently unknowable.

 

[lagwagon]

What was the point of making the cards bigger in iOS 9?

I think that they thought they could make the whole thing simpler (which Apple loves to do) and ditch the icons with that change. It's an extremely Apple-like thought processes.

I'm not sure why you think it's ridiculous to say that Apple was trying to do something Apple-like.

Bigger cards because there is no more space being taken up by contacts (recent/favourites) and why not have bigger cards that use more of the screen. (especially with 6 and 6+)

Your claim was ridiculous because you were claiming Apple in the "last minute" decided to ADD icons in the app switcher as a band-aid fix to their knowingly big mistake for iOS 9 and the new app switcher. When fact is, the switcher has had icons for a long time and only moved to the top instead (which is more readable because now your thumb doesn't block your view of it while one handing it.)

 

[C DM]

Well if that's the case then there really is no reason to even have a thread called "What's the point of the new app switcher?" since that point is apparently unknowable.

Making conclusions about one aspect of it with some narrative around it all and presenting as if it's basically a given and not just some potential (and fairly fringe) theory is not exactly the same thing.

 

[SoYoung]

App switcher is way more beautiful on ios8 than 9. On 9 it takes almost all the screen and cover the wallpape. In ios8 its easier to switch between apps.

 

[LewisChapman]

In my eyes a feature should only be removed if; the feature does not work very well, the feature is not used very often or the feature exists elsewhere in the system.

The quick contacts feature that was located above the multitasking view was useful however I myself did not use it enough so it doesn't bother me too much.

I do however feel that the view is inaccurate and I'm often opening the wrong app.

 

[C DM]

App switcher is way more beautiful on ios8 than 9. On 9 it takes almost all the screen and cover the wallpape. In ios8 its easier to switch between apps.

Why does the wallpaper matter for an app switcher? It takes away from what you are doing there. Not sure what's easier about the old one and in fact find the new one to be quicker and easier.

 

[kmj2318]

That's why they slapped the little icons up there. It was a last-minute attempt to fix what they knew wasn't working. That's what's actually annoying about the icons. They're proof that Apple knows they made a mistake and needed a band-aid to make it better.

This makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Tycho24]

This is the first I'm hearing about this.

That's because it's an outright lie.

 

[C DM]

That's because it's an outright lie.

How so?

 

[Tycho24]

in what way? there's no reason to "close" those apps because they're just screenshots of apps that are suspended in the background anyway. having a button to clear them all would only encourage bad user habits that would be detrimental to the iOS user experience.

In the way that only having a few apps open at a time is literally the ONLY thing making multitasking useful.
Lol, I literally cannot imagine how you people are using your phones. I honestly am wincing a bit at the thought of it...
My multitasking experience on iOS is incredible!!! It is fast, efficient, & marvelous.... I have typically 3-4 apps open, which I can instantly & immediately tab to from the multitasking menu. It is similar to using a PC in that one aspect.
The pointless experience you describe, in which accessing multitasking would bring up dozens and dozens of open app "snaphots" that I could wade & wade through, searching for the app I want to re-open sounds horrific... & certainly not any quicker than searching page to page, folder to folder for the desired app. Yuck!!!!! Congrats on you managing to negate EVERY benefit of multitasking with your refusal to use "bad user habits", lol.
I'm sooooooooo glad I use my phone in a normal sensical way that you disapprove of.

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

In the way that only having a few apps open at a time is literally the ONLY thing making multitasking useful.
Lol, I literally cannot imagine how you people are using your phones. I honestly am wincing a bit at the thought of it...
My multitasking experience on iOS is incredible!!! It is fast, efficient, & marvelous.... I have typically 3-4 apps open, which I can instantly & immediately tab to from the multitasking menu. It is similar to using a PC in that one aspect.
The pointless experience you describe, in which accessing multitasking would bring up dozens and dozens of open app "snaphots" that I could wade & wade through, searching for the app I want to re-open sounds horrific... & certainly not any quicker than searching page to page, folder to folder for the desired app. Yuck!!!!! Congrats on you managing to negate EVERY benefit of multitasking with your refusal to use "bad user habits", lol.
I'm sooooooooo glad I use my phone in a normal sensical way that you disapprove of.

I'm not describing an experience, i'm describing exactly how iOS is designed. I'm sorry that the way iOS is intended to be used isn't the way you use it and that upsets you and for some reason you're blaming me for it ;-)

 

[lagwagon]

In the way that only having a few apps open at a time is literally the ONLY thing making multitasking useful.
Lol, I literally cannot imagine how you people are using your phones. I honestly am wincing a bit at the thought of it...
My multitasking experience on iOS is incredible!!! It is fast, efficient, & marvelous.... I have typically 3-4 apps open, which I can instantly & immediately tab to from the multitasking menu. It is similar to using a PC in that one aspect.
The pointless experience you describe, in which accessing multitasking would bring up dozens and dozens of open app "snaphots" that I could wade & wade through, searching for the app I want to re-open sounds horrific... & certainly not any quicker than searching page to page, folder to folder for the desired app. Yuck!!!!! Congrats on you managing to negate EVERY benefit of multitasking with your refusal to use "bad user habits", lol.
I'm sooooooooo glad I use my phone in a normal sensical way that you disapprove of.

I'm sort of like you, in that I usually only keep 3-4 things running in the background on the app switcher. Everything else I don't run/check often I close out immediately after using.

However. It is fact that opening an app from fresh vs just reopening from background does use more battery. It would be "bad practice" to always close every app after every use.

 

[C DM]

In the way that only having a few apps open at a time is literally the ONLY thing making multitasking useful.
Lol, I literally cannot imagine how you people are using your phones. I honestly am wincing a bit at the thought of it...
My multitasking experience on iOS is incredible!!! It is fast, efficient, & marvelous.... I have typically 3-4 apps open, which I can instantly & immediately tab to from the multitasking menu. It is similar to using a PC in that one aspect.
The pointless experience you describe, in which accessing multitasking would bring up dozens and dozens of open app "snaphots" that I could wade & wade through, searching for the app I want to re-open sounds horrific... & certainly not any quicker than searching page to page, folder to folder for the desired app. Yuck!!!!! Congrats on you managing to negate EVERY benefit of multitasking with your refusal to use "bad user habits", lol.
I'm sooooooooo glad I use my phone in a normal sensical way that you disapprove of.

Frequently used apps would be the first few that would come up, so that the rest won't really matter given that less frequently used apps wouldn't even be there in the menu in the usage you describe and would be needed to be launched from the home screen or some folder anyway. So what's the point of closing things out just to basically keep that recently used apps menu smaller? I mean it can perhaps work because that's how you are used to doing things or how you like to do things, but it doesn't mean that's the way it works for others or that there's an advantage of some sort to spend the time and effort on closing out apps just for those reasons, especially for others who aren't necessarily doing things the same way you are.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Uhhh, didn't there only used to be half of two apps showing, then the middle? So now there's an extra one in there, and you can switch to it by clicking what little screenshot of it is showing up there. I didn't like it from the screenshots, but it works nice when you're actually using it.

And then if you have an external keyboard, you can now switch through stuff like you would on a Mac. And that's so you don't have to reach up and touch the screen since a lot of these apps have keyboard shortcuts for every little thing like their Mac counterparts.

(Four fingers to do this screenshot though... )

 

[Tycho24]

How so?

Well...
At the risk of directly insulting your intelligence... I will break it down for you:
You see, software features are added to operating systems because they are actually INTENDED to be used!!!!! (weird concept, huh?!) So, for example... if there is an X in the upper right hand corner of a window on a Windows PC & if you click on it, it exits.... be assured that it was the INTENTION of the programmers for you to do such. If someone were to say something as ridiculous as: you are not "supposed" to click on that X- they'd sound like an idiot.
That's what the guy who says you aren't "supposed" to quit out of apps, despite the ability being built into iOS sounds like.

 

[C DM]

Well...
At the risk of directly insulting your intelligence... I will break it down for you:
You see, software features are added to operating systems because they are actually INTENDED to be used!!!!! (weird concept, huh?!) So, for example... if there is an X in the upper right hand corner of a window on a Windows PC & if you click on it, it exits.... be assured that it was the INTENTION of the programmers for you to do such. If someone were to say something as ridiculous as: you are not "supposed" to click on that X- they'd sound like an idiot.
That's what the guy who says you aren't "supposed" to quit out of apps, despite the ability being built into iOS sounds like.

Seems like you overlooked quite a bit of the context in which it was all brought up and focused on one statement out of it all. At the risk of directly insulting your intelligence...that's not really how a good discussion works.

To use the logic you presented there, cars come with a horn, it's there to be used, but to be used when needed. You don't just use it randomly or every time you see someone crossing the street or anything like that. Similarly, the feature to close the app is there, but within the design of iOS it is primarily there to close out apps that are not working properly (along with a few other reasons). It doesn't mean it's there to just randomly close apps each an every time, even though you can certainly do that if you want, just like you can honk your car's horn at every stoplight.