Who else is in for a new iPhone?

[MRU]

Here is an example of how 3D Touch needs to improve. In the screenshot below. I open the native music app using 3D Touch. It shows the last song i played and a search option. But also shows a Beats playlist that does not exist. I don't have a Beats music subscription. I wish I could edit the options I see in 3DT. It would rather have my existing playlists as a scrollable option.

You don't need a subscription to listen to beats1 their radio channel. I assume that's why it's there as a link to beats1 radio. But yeah hopefully we get more options to customise pop up menus like these.

 

[jamezr]

You don't need a subscription to listen to beats1 their radio channel. I assume that's why it's there as a link to beats1 radio. But yeah hopefully we get more options to customise pop up menus like these.

Just for the record...i have never used beats1 radio. I understand they want to push people to their own music subscription service to bring in more revenue. But to make this feature useful we should be able to customise it for what is useful to us.
I wonder if I had a say the Spotify or iHeartRadio app installed if it would show as a option.

 

[tbayrgs]

Completely agree--some customization would be a great addition to 3D Touch, however 'customization' isn't usually in Apple's wheelhouse. Hopefully in iOS 10 but not holding my breath.

 

[jamezr]

Completely agree--some customization would be a great addition to 3D Touch, however 'customization' isn't usually in Apple's wheelhouse. Hopefully in iOS 10 but not holding my breath.

agreed...IMHO....this is where Apple did not implement the feature very well. 3DT looks like a great feature. It can save a ton of time and effort. But only if 3DT presents options that people actually use. I would rather see my own local playlists than Beats1 radio links.

 

[MRU]

Just for the record...i have never used beats1 radio. I understand they want to push people to their own music subscription service to bring in more revenue. But to make this feature useful we should be able to customise it for what is useful to us.
I wonder if I had a say the Spotify or iHeartRadio app installed if it would show as a option.

But it's not directing you to their subscribers service. It's directing you to their free Radio channel within the app.

Hence no, it wouldn't show Spotify or Google play instead if you had them installed.

But yeah I do 100% agree it should be more relevant and contextual to be useful and offer options applicable to your music collection / listening habits. I don't use or listen to Beats1 radio so would have no use for a quick launch of it either.

 

[epicrayban]

I've had wireless charging on my last two phones and I've yet to use it. Not something I feel is important. I should mention I don't have a desk job.

Quick charge would be another great thing to add to the iPhone 7. It's saved me a number of times.

 

[Fernandez21]

I think 3DT has a bright future. They definitely need to add customizations to the app shortcuts you get, but there are so many cool things they can do with it as sort of a pro or power user type interface.

You already have stuf like make your keyboard into a trackpad, peek and pop, and 3dt from the left to go into multitasking view, but imagine expanding peek so that you can actually scroll the pop up window? Or if you 3dt from the right of the screen you get multi window mode? or 3dt a notification on your lock screen to get a preview? 3dt your lock screen clock and get a pop up of your calendar. There are so many ways they can go with this, I can't wait.

 

[MRU]

9th October !!!! The day it is available to order here

 

[tbayrgs]

Quick charge would be another great thing to add to the iPhone 7. It's saved me a number of times.

I know I've mentioned this before but I think it's worth noting here again--while it's certainly not as fast as the latest incarnations of quick charging seen in many Android phones, the 6 and 6s variants (including plus models) both charge much faster using the 12W plugs provided with iPads vs. the standard 5W plug included with the iPhone. Same goes for car chargers with 2 amp output. I'll have to test it specifically on one of my regular 15-20 minute commutes to see how much charge is gained.

But yes, I'd certainly welcome true 'quick charging' in a future iPhone, as well as wireless charging (as long as it's using Qi--no Apple proprietary method, which is sadly what I'd expect).

 

[epicrayban]

I know I've mentioned this before but I think it's worth noting here again--while it's certainly not as fast as the latest incarnations of quick charging seen in many Android phones, the 6 and 6s variants (including plus models) both charge much faster using the 12W plugs provided with iPads vs. the standard 5W plug included with the iPhone. Same goes for car chargers with 2 amp output. I'll have to test it specifically on one of my regular 15-20 minute commutes to see how much charge is gained.

But yes, I'd certainly welcome true 'quick charging' in a future iPhone, as well as wireless charging (as long as it's using Qi--no Apple proprietary method, which is sadly what I'd expect).

I forgot about that -- proprietary vs a more universal standard. I hope it's Qi, too, if it even happens.

 

[epicrayban]

I think 3DT has a bright future. They definitely need to add customizations to the app shortcuts you get, but there are so many cool things they can do with it as sort of a pro or power user type interface.

You already have stuf like make your keyboard into a trackpad, peek and pop, and 3dt from the left to go into multitasking view, but imagine expanding peek so that you can actually scroll the pop up window? Or if you 3dt from the right of the screen you get multi window mode? or 3dt a notification on your lock screen to get a preview? 3dt your lock screen clock and get a pop up of your calendar. There are so many ways they can go with this, I can't wait.

Or even better, imagine no more home button. If they can advance the Touch ID to be discrete enough to just sit below the screen, and if it can be pressure-sensitive (like a tap wakes the screen, a 3D touch starts scanning your fingerprint), that'd be really great.

Then we can get less bezels and a sleeker and more uniform design. A lot of possibilities.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

I think one of the reasons the home button is still very much part of the design is because it instantly makes it recognisable as an iPhone/iPad. With it removed it could be any other phone on the market with a screen, bezel etc. The button is almost a trademark for what it is. This doesn't mean Apple have to keep it forever or find something else to be synonymous with its brand of course. I would rather they shrank the top part of the bezel leaving the sides as they are. Less chance of accidental screen gripping.

 

[epicrayban]

I think one of the reasons the home button is still very much part of the design is because it instantly makes it recognisable as an iPhone/iPad. With it removed it could be any other phone on the market with a screen, bezel etc. The button is almost a trademark for what it is. This doesn't mean Apple have to keep it forever or find something else to be synonymous with its brand of course. I would rather they shrank the top part of the bezel leaving the sides as they are. Less chance of accidental screen gripping.

Very true. I'm just imagining the possibilities.

I don't think the home button is going anywhere soon.

 

[Fernandez21]

Or even better, imagine no more home button. If they can advance the Touch ID to be discrete enough to just sit below the screen, and if it can be pressure-sensitive (like a tap wakes the screen, a 3D touch starts scanning your fingerprint), that'd be really great.

Then we can get less bezels and a sleeker and more uniform design. A lot of possibilities.

Maybe, and maybe not getting rid of it entirely, but at least getting rid of the mechanical part, so it's just an indent in the glass for you to press.

 

[soulreaver99]

Received my iPhone 6s on Friday... great device but I still feel the Galaxy S6 Edge is still ahead of the iPhone in terms of screen quality, design, battery technology (wireless and quick charging), and camera.

 

[Vegastouch]

Quick charge would be another great thing to add to the iPhone 7. It's saved me a number of times.

Yeah quick charge is nice. Maybe one day I'll get a wireless charger but I don't see the need. That and it isn't quick charge either.

 

[The Game 161]

Received my iPhone 6s on Friday... great device but I still feel the Galaxy S6 Edge is still ahead of the iPhone in terms of screen quality, design, battery technology (wireless and quick charging), and camera.

Wireless charging is bit of a gimmick to me. It's nice to say you can use but I hardly used it and when i did it was too slow.

All I know is my S6 edge battery life is shocking and was dead by most days at 4pm

 

[Vegastouch]

Unpluged my GS6 at 6:30am, now its 12:22 pm and I'm at 79%/as i type this.

 

[soulreaver99]

Wireless charging is bit of a gimmick to me. It's nice to say you can use but I hardly used it and when i did it was too slow.

All I know is my S6 edge battery life is shocking and was dead by most days at 4pm

Quick charging works beautifully for me. Are you using a 2.1amp adapter?

Also I find 3D Touch to me more of a gimmick than wireless charging

 

[The Game 161]

Quick charging works beautifully for me. Are you using a 2.1amp adapter?

Also I find 3D Touch to me more of a gimmick than wireless charging

I only find things as a gimmick if i don't use them and so far i'm using 3D touch but with how limited it is right now and will be until more developers get their apps with it.

 

[epicrayban]

Just going to share my thoughts and impressions about 3D Touch after using the iPhone 6S for a bit. I still think in principle and in theory, 3D Touch is a great idea for iOS. It allows Apple to keep their "app drawer" style home screens while adding functionality and what I think is the closest thing to home screen widgets iOS can get.

However, in practice, I was disappointed.

Firstly, I'm not comfortable pressing harder on the screen. Yes it's slight and the vibration helps tell you when you've successfully done a hard press but it still feels uncomfortable to me. I much prefer long press. Doesn't require any additional strength, little though it may be. It's the same thing with physical home buttons versus on screen buttons. You have to apply a certain level of pressure AND reverse pressure to depress the button. Whereas on screen buttons just require your everyday common tap.

Secondly, 3D touch has the same problem as swiping backwards to go back in iOS. Inconsistency. 3D touch is not consistent and you don't know what app has it. That's frustrating. I was literally 3d pressing app icons on the home screen pages trying to figure out which had them and which didn't. This will change over time but for now, the lack of consistency is bothersome. I think 3d touch won't really come into play until iPhone 7. And even then, there needs to be improvements, like it'd be nice to have the ability to customize exactly what happens when you 3D Touch an app icon. Maybe I never take selfies and rather have the camera icon be able 3D Touch into another function.

Just like my wishes for Control Center, it'd be nice if 3D Touch allowed customization as to exactly what I want to happen when I use it.

And thirdly, 3D Touch is virtually useless in other implementations, like in mail. Pop and peek is in my opinion really pointless. This is where 3D Touch feels gimmicky. It's so much faster and easier to use muscle memory to just tap into the email and tap back than it is to peek at it then press harder to fully go into it. Plus, you don't get to actually scroll through the email when it pops up.

All in all, it just sounds like 3D Touch needs to be further developed and made more universal.

Part of the reason why I find myself having a difficult time going back to iOS is the lack of consistency, ranging from swiping-back, back buttons being in different places depending on the situation (versus Android where there is always a dedicated and reliable back button. There's almost no going back -- PUN! -- from a back button that is always there and in the same place), to 3D Touch being inconsistent with apps.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[tbayrgs]

Just going to share my thoughts and impressions about 3D Touch after using the iPhone 6S for a bit. I still think in principle and in theory, 3D Touch is a great idea for iOS. It allows Apple to keep their "app drawer" style home screens while adding functionality and what I think is the closest thing to home screen widgets iOS can get.

However, in practice, I was disappointed.

Certainly some fair criticisms but I think some are a little excessive or unrealistic.

Firstly, I'm not comfortable pressing harder on the screen. Yes it's slight and the vibration helps tell you when you've successfully done a hard press but it still feels uncomfortable to me. I much prefer long press. Doesn't require any additional strength, little though it may be. It's the same thing with physical home buttons versus on screen buttons. You have to apply a certain level of pressure AND reverse pressure to depress the button. Whereas on screen buttons just require your everyday common tap.

I can understand this but you can actually adjust the pressure required in the Accessibility Settings. I've set mine to the lightest sensitivity and it now requires very little pressure, yet it's still quite easy to control.



And the benefit us having pressure sensitive options means you still also have long press for other functionality.

Secondly, 3D touch has the same problem as swiping backwards to go back in iOS. Inconsistency. 3D touch is not consistent and you don't know what app has it. That's frustrating. I was literally 3d pressing app icons on the home screen pages trying to figure out which had them and which didn't. This will change over time but for now, the lack of consistency is bothersome. I think 3d touch won't really come into play until iPhone 7. And even then, there needs to be improvements, like it'd be nice to have the ability to customize exactly what happens when you 3D Touch an app icon. Maybe I never take selfies and rather have the camera icon be able 3D Touch into another function.

Just like my wishes for Control Center, it'd be nice if 3D Touch allowed customization as to exactly what I want to happen when I use it.

Don't you think its a little unrealistic to expect it to be implemented across all applications less than one week after release? It doesn't offer universal functionality as not all apps have the same features and functions--that's the beauty of it, so it can't just be automatically part of all third party apps. Of course it's going to take some time. A majority of Apple apps do have it. I won't disagree that customization would improve it significantly but again, what brand new functionality or system wide features are initially released full baked? This criticism would be far more applicable a year from now but is a bit unfair at this point.

And thirdly, 3D Touch is virtually useless in other implementations, like in mail. Pop and peek is in my opinion really pointless. This is where 3D Touch feels gimmicky. It's so much faster and easier to use muscle memory to just tap into the email and tap back than it is to peek at it then press harder to fully go into it. Plus, you don't get to actually scroll through the email when it pops up.

Don't disagree about it's use in previewing email messages--my assessment as well. But there are other times were it's great---previewing web links is something I find very useful, within emails, messages, when viewing webpages.

All in all, it just sounds like 3D Touch needs to be further developed and made more universal.

Agree with the former but the latter is already there---devs have access to the APIs, they just need to implement the functionality in their apps.

Part of the reason why I find myself having a difficult time going back to iOS is the lack of consistency, ranging from swiping-back, back buttons being in different places depending on the situation (versus Android where there is always a dedicated and reliable back button. There's almost no going back -- PUN! -- from a back button that is always there and in the same place), to 3D Touch being inconsistent with apps.

Just my 2 cents.

The back button on Android is great for sure. Apple needs to mandate the swipe left to go back across all apps. The introduction of the ability to return to the previous app is great but having to reach the top left corner to use it sucks. Deep 3DT to access the app switcher does help mitigate this problem though---did you happen to try it?

 

[epicrayban]

Certainly some fair criticisms but I think some are a little excessive or unrealistic.



I can understand this but you can actually adjust the pressure required in the Accessibility Settings. I've set mine to the lightest sensitivity and it now requires very little pressure, yet it's still quite easy to control.

View attachment 588703

And the benefit us having pressure sensitive options means you still also have long press for other functionality.



Don't you think its a little unrealistic to expect it to be implemented across all applications less than one week after release? It doesn't offer universal functionality as not all apps have the same features and functions--that's the beauty of it, so it can't just be automatically part of all third party apps. Of course it's going to take some time. A majority of Apple apps do have it. I won't disagree that customization would improve it significantly but again, what brand new functionality or system wide features are initially released full baked? This criticism would be far more applicable a year from now but is a bit unfair at this point.



Don't disagree about it's use in previewing email messages--my assessment as well. But there are other times were it's great---previewing web links is something I find very useful, within emails, messages, when viewing webpages.



Agree with the former but the latter is already there---devs have access to the APIs, they just need to implement the functionality in their apps.



The back button on Android is great for sure. Apple needs to mandate the swipe left to go back across all apps. The introduction of the ability to return to the previous app is great but having to reach the top left corner to use it sucks. Deep 3DT to access the app switcher does help mitigate this problem though---did you happen to try it?

Definitely agree with a lot here.

Like I said, iPhone 7 (if all the hardware rumors come true) will be very interesting. POtentially the year I return to the iPhone.

Maybe.

 

[tbayrgs]

Another minor criiticism of 3D Touch---it's only available on my iPhone. I already have found myself trying to use it on my iPad Air 2.

 

[Fernandez21]

The back button on Android is great for sure. Apple needs to mandate the swipe left to go back across all apps. The introduction of the ability to return to the previous app is great but having to reach the top left corner to use it sucks. Deep 3DT to access the app switcher does help mitigate this problem though---did you happen to try it?

What I'm hoping for now is that next year Apple gets rid of the home button and instead extends the 3D Touch area to the bottom bezel and just paints the home in the center. This way you can still have the home button that requires a press (my one gripe about capacitive android buttons is that you can sometimes activate them by mistake) and also have a force touch gesture area.

Such as press the home button but swipe right for back, swipe left for forward, swipe up for multi window, swipe down for Notification Center, press down to the left of the home button and swipe right to switch to your last app, and press down to the right of the home button and swipe left to get to the multitasking screen. This would make using the plus version so much easier one handed, and you could still double tap to bring everything down.