The iOS 6 Review: Maps Thoroughly Investigated and More
by Brian Klug & Saumitra Bhagwat on September 19, 2012 2:21 PM ESTApp Store UI Changes
Apple hasn’t made a huge deal about it, but in iOS 6 the App Store UI changes in a dramatic way. The new interface appears to offer greater flexibility for Apple to customize the layout on the fly and change the order of menu items or other features. In addition there are a host of subtle but welcome changes.
The individual app listing page is different, adopting a three-tab system for details about the app, reviews, and a related column with apps by the same developer. There’s a lot more whitespace in the new layout as a whole, and although the changes make the app description pages more inviting I can’t help but shake a suspicion that information density took a hit as a result.
App discovery traditionally has been a challenge for mobile platforms, partly because it’s hard to come up with a good visualization for lots and lots of apps and partly because of the limited display area inherent in a mobile device. Unsurprisingly it seems as though the App Store redesign tries to tackle that problem head-on. First, the bottom bar places Genius dead center and offers a horizontally paginated nearly infinite scrolling list of recommended apps. This basic view also gets copied on the search page – there are pages of apps matching the search term with a big screenshot and install button. Featured gets changed dramatically and Top becomes Charts.
Updates with individual changelogs (Left), New search view (Right)
There are a few friction points which have also been smoothed over. A hugely welcome change is that app updates can now take place without requiring an Apple ID password. Likewise, free applications can be installed from the store without entering a password. Only purchases require a sign-on. The update screen also now has an expandable region under each app for viewing many changelogs at a glance as well. There’s update progress displayed in this menu in addition to on springboard. Newly installed applications also now get a new badge on them which goes away after a first launch.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
105 Comments
View All Comments
iwod - Thursday, September 20, 2012 - link
Am i the only one who think the Dial is Fugly?chenedwa - Thursday, September 20, 2012 - link
Some of the free GPS apps require you to pay for spoken directions. Apple's new Maps app plays well with other GPS apps. If you set Maps to navigate to a destination, then switch to another GPS app without the ability to speak turn by turn directions, then the Maps will offer continue to give navigation updates as a badge with drop down text over the status bar spoken with Siri's voice. A great way to augment other "silent" free GPS apps.Conficio - Thursday, September 20, 2012 - link
I'd like to send a caller that I can't take right now to a pre-determined voice message: "Call you back ASAP", etc. instead of sending messages. Why?* first of all it is not good to switch communication methods. If someone sends me a text I don't answer with an e-mail or a long form letter.
* Second not every phone line is mobile, so text messages end up nowhere
* There are users that do not use texts
* last the communication is disrupted. If I call then I get what (I guess a busy sign) and I put down the phone and a few seconds later I get a text, informing me of the pre-canned message, so I have to pick up the phone to read the message.
If I get a voice answer, then I stay in the intended communication mode and optionally can leave a voice message (which some service at the convenience of the recipient can transcribe).
mikato - Thursday, September 27, 2012 - link
Wow, so it doesn't actually answer the call and play your prerecorded message? That's what I thought the article was saying. Yeah no point to sending a text message if someone is calling from a regular phone.Impulses - Friday, September 21, 2012 - link
I'm more than halfway thru the article (currently on the Mail page) and I'm honestly not seeing this bias that a lot of comments are complaining of... And I'm hardly an Apple fan, I own exactly one Apple device (old 2nd gen IPod touch) and I've had three Android phones and a tablet (andI bought a second one as a gift even). Maybe it's more evident in the conclusion? Couple more pages to find out...
I'm not reading it as an Android vs iOS article tho, just as what it is, an update and overview on what's changed on iOS. Speaking of Android vs iOS, I've seen it mentioned here many times by various editors that they don't imagine a lot of people cross shopping between both ecosystems... And as far as existing customers I'd agree.
The smartphone and tablet markets are still growing rapidly tho and new buyers (who haven't owned either type of device before) are absolutely cross shopping IMO.
jramskov - Saturday, September 22, 2012 - link
As others have written, the maps may be fine in the USA, but Apple do sell their products elsewhere. Here in small Denmark, it's horrible. The amount of errors are staggering, I spent less than 30 seconds browsing the maps in my local area and found at least 3 big errors. Later I browsed a bit more and apparently the second biggest hospital in the country doesn't exist. The navigation guides you on highways that's not going to open until 2016. I have an iPhone because I like Apples attention to detail - their products generally just work. In this case they failed big time.Another thing: Isn't this the first time there aren't any new IOS features that's exclusive to the new model? I don't seem to lose any features by staying with my 4s.
medi01 - Saturday, September 22, 2012 - link
What does this pathetic marketing BS have to do with this article?Are you now officially apple's bi1ches, boys?
PS
Oh, and good one from brits:
http://media.bestofmicro.com/london-underground-io...
Stas - Sunday, September 23, 2012 - link
lolLaststop311 - Sunday, September 23, 2012 - link
video showing off the gps like wow test it on some residential roads without all these long ass red lights, do it on a day without rain dont enjoy hearing the wipers screeching. a little common sense would go a long way. you're an iphone user aren't youmikato - Thursday, September 27, 2012 - link
Maybe that's why they said the turn by turn voice directions were too quiet. It is good to know at least.