Fantasizing about future iOS features is a pretty fun pastime, even if we know some of our wishes will take a while to come true. Last week, we published a list of features that the iOS-using Ars staff would like to see appear in the next major release of the operating system, and the reader reaction was huge. In addition to the dozens of e-mails still pouring into my inbox, the discussion thread of that article had nearly 400 (and counting) comments from readers about what they would like to see in iOS 7.
After going through as many comments and e-mails as humanly possible, we gathered together some of the best suggestions from the Ars readership. So read on to see what you told us were your most desired features for iOS, reality be damned:
Build upon Siri
A number of Ars readers like where Siri is going but want to see some improvements in order to make the virtual assistant more usable in everyday life. Ars reader iconmaster agreed with the staff's suggestion to allow third-party developers to access an API for Siri: "I use Siri all the time, but she could always do more. A third-party API would blow it right open of course; but even apart from that there is plenty for Apple to do."
Another reader going by the name martynpie feels that Apple could better handle situations where Siri can't get through the cell networks. "I want Siri to revert to the old voice control when it can't get decent 3G reception. If I'm driving, and I want to 'call Dave' I just get a long pause, then an apology because I work out in the sticks," martynpie wrote.
"An option for Maps to use the same Bluetooth audio connection that Siri and Phone do would be nice," added Dave Kauffman via e-mail. Kauffman explained that when his iPhone is paired with his car's audio system, the radio is automatically muted when he uses Siri. But when he asks for directions in Maps, the spoken directions are "only audible if I put my radio into Bluetooth Audio mode. I’d like to see the turn by turn directions mute my radio like the phone does and speak the directions. It would be more seamless. This may partly be just poor implementation of BT audio in my car's audio system but I’d think if they give an option to output audio the same way phone and Siri currently does, it would be more flexible."
Device settings on a per-app basis
A couple readers made a point of voicing their annoyance that iOS doesn't currently allow per-app settings changes for what might otherwise be considered universal settings.
"I would like to have different contrast on different applications," Ars reader Gaute said via e-mail. "Most of the time my phone is on almost lowest light setting as my eyes don't like the light. However when I'm [showing] a picture, which I frequently do, I have to first change the light setting and then back again. It pisses me off."
Another reader, Scott Andrews, echoed Gaute's sentiments. "One little thing I'd love to see is the ability to enable/disable spelling auto-correct on an app by app basis," Andrews wrote via e-mail. "I'm an amateur (wannabe) chef who uses a recipe manager and a to-do list app for grocery lists. There are a lot of culinary and ingredient terms that are not in iOS's dictionary and that these apps frustratingly try to auto-correct. I'd like to leave auto-correct turned on for mail and messages, but off for my recipe manager and to-do list. It's a little thing, but it would put an end to a major source of frustration."
Make good on that FaceTime promise
Some of you may remember when FaceTime was first introduced in 2010: then-CEO Steve Jobs claimed Apple would make FaceTime into an open, industry-wide standard. FaceTime is certainly based on some open standards, such as SIP for VoIP calls, H.264 and AAC for video and audio, and so on. But Apple has not published the specifications for FaceTime yet, and the service is still only supported on iOS devices and Macs running the FaceTime app. Many of you have mentioned this to us numerous times in the past, but Ars user pontavignon has had enough of it.
"Steve Jobs, when he announced FaceTime, promised that it would become a standard. Time to deliver," pontavignon wrote. "Include FaceTime in iTunes so it runs on Windows and OS X machines. Add Linux while you're at it. Make FaceTime available as an app on Android, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry, with use requiring an Apple ID."
"Upgrade FaceTime to permit calling in either voice or video modes, easily switching between either," pontavignon continued. "Allow the leaving of either voice or video messages in case of missed calls. Allow FaceTime to display inset videos, Keynote presentations, or Pages and Numbers files. Where permitted (like in the US and Canada) allow FaceTime to assign a mobile phone number so as to permit VOIP calls to landline phones and mobiles that don't have FaceTime on the receiving end."
He went on to point out that Skype (owned by Microsoft) is almost there, and Google Voice is also coming close (but has yet to go international). "The time is now to do what Jobs said and launch first, or prepare to settle for another 'me too,'" pontavignon said.
Make various parts of the UI easier to use
It should come as no surprise that there were numerous suggestions from the Ars readership on how to improve the iOS user interface.
Christopher Dildy suggested via e-mail that Apple finally adopt live icons for the appropriate apps. "I would like to look at the weather icon and see a preview of the weather with a glance. You could show a thunder cloud with lighting and the temperature of 68 degrees. The calendar app shows the day of the month, why can’t the clock app show the time (thinking about it now the time is at the top of the screen, but why not anyway?)" he wrote.
Dildy—and numerous others—also wanted the Notification Center buttons to be bigger. "Make the Notification Center more finger friendly. The X and Clear button are awfully small and run counter to the iOS usability guidelines," Dildy wrote. Commenter Lepton68 agreed: "It's a pain going through the notification list clearing them out. At least make that removal X bigger, as the UI guidelines say!"
Lepton68 pointed out that Notification Center could use a number of improvements, and not just to those tiny buttons. "Notifications need to be able to expire. In Settings, [under] notification settings for an app, add a setting that says to remove the notification after an hour, a day, a week, and so on. With many apps, notifications become moot after a while. How long does my weather app need to keep the notification that a storm is coming a week ago?" he asked.
And then there were those who just want to see more stuff in the Notification Center: "I would really like access to some of the settings in the Notification Center pull down instead of stock quotes. I would love Wi-Fi on/off and the brightness setting," gt40spec wrote.
But it's not all about Notification Center. "I wish they would add the ability to delete/clear multiple SMS conversations at once," an Ars reader going by Hytes wrote. "You've had the ability to do this forever in mail, why not for messages? I get tons of automated alerts from work and I hate having to clear them off one at a time."
Then there are those who want to see a better handling of common and open apps. "I would like a close all Apps option. Closing dozens of Apps one at a time isn’t very efficient," Dave Kauffman wrote via e-mail. "Also, give me a mode where it automatically moves my most used apps to the home screen for me," added Flawed.
Finally, marcusj0015 summarized the feeling experienced by millions of users who like to use their iPhones and iPod touches in landscape mode: "HORIZONTAL FUCKING SPRINGBOARD."
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