7 
iOS is boring. It’s unconnected. It isn’t flexible. It’s slow. That’s generally the consensus. And while many look to Jony Ive’s new role as the answer, it doesn’t exactly solve these problems. So I thought I would give it a shot.
Our iPhones are starting to look a little stale when you turn them on. One major snoozer? The dull, outdated iOS lockscreen. Brent Caswell at The Tech Block has some killer ideas to give the iPhone a software makeover.
Apple has a serious problem: in this era of deep social- and web-service integration, their products don’t “just work” nearly as often as they used to. – Marco Arment
There are a ton of ways that Apple could “free” it’s mobile operating system to the power of the hundreds of thousands of apps that run on it. I could point to Siri’s inability to connect with applications beyond the superficial “launch Instapaper,” or the lack of third party widgets in the Notification Center. I could even point to the fact that Apple only allows its stock calendar app to display basic information through its icon. But those are all very straightforward and it’s kind of silly (to me) that Apple hasn’t opened these things up to developers already.
What isn’t very straightforward is the lockscreen. I set out to make the lockscreen flexible and open to the apps on your device, without throwing everything that works really well out the window. But before I get to my ideas, how does the lockscreen work now?
Here is a wireframe of the current lockscreen. From top to bottom: Status bar, top bar, background, bottom bar (slide to unlock on left, grabber on right). Typically, the status bar is a normal shape, the top bar displays the date and time, the background is a user designated wallpaper, and the bottom bar has “slide to unlock” and the grabber holds the camera application.But there are instances when this isn’t the case. When you’re receiving a call, getting directions, listening to music, recording audio, or when a notification pops up, the rules of the lockscreen fall to the side and what’s important takes priority. Unless of course that important thing is coming to you from a third party, in which case they can stand in line behind the date and time.
Some apps like Nike’s Running app have even gone so far as to creating their own little lockscreen within the app.
It’s far from a perfect solution, and it shows how hungry app developers are for true access to the the lockscreen.
So what am I proposing? A somewhat restructured lockscreen.
The first new feature of the lockscreen is something I call “Lockscreen Cards.” Basically, they’re little informative slates that are connected to an app. You can slide between the cards in the same way that you slide between homescreen pages.
When you’re on a card, double clicking the home button will bring up extra controls or information that is relevant to the card, if necessary. So when you’re on the weather card and you double click the home button, the card will expand to show the weekly forecast.“Basically, they’re little informative slates that are connected to an app.”
Because audio playback is so important on the iPhone, when the Time & Date card is expanded, it will house audio playback controls. Double clicking the home button doesn’t expand all cards at once. It’s more like a toggle. So as you go through the cards the ones that you have expanded will stay expanded and the ones you haven’t, won’t. When you put your phone to sleep and wake it back up, though, all the cards will be returned to their compressed position.
Cards are sorted the same way homescreen icons are sorted. Just long press a card, they all start to wiggle, put them where you want them (only one per page though) then press the home button to stick them down. Coincidentally, pressing the home button while you’re flipping through your cards will return you to the main card.
Some cards are more insistent to have your attention than others. When you’re getting directions, you’ll find that Maps’ Directions card will have usurped the Time & Date card (and it will have also overtaken the wallpaper to display a map). When you start a run using the Nike+ app, you’ll find your miles, pace, and time on the now front and center Running card. The same goes for when you are recording audio or receiving a call.
But don’t worry, when the Time & Date card has been replaced as the main card (whether by the user or an app), the time can still be found in the status bar. Another thing to note is that apps have to ask for your permission to place their card on your homescreen, just like how they have to ask for your permission to send you notifications.
Quick access to the camera was a great addition to the lockscreen in mid 2011, but I think that the idea could be taken further. The grabber should be able to open any app action that you want. So, first, what exactly is an “app action?” It’s basically anything that you do with an app. Update your status on Twitter, check-in on Foursquare, take a picture with Instagram, whatever. So you can customize your grabber to be one of those things.
When something has taken over the front card, though, it will also take over the app grabber. So if you’re getting directions from the lock screen, the app grabber will bring you right back to that app. These apps might also want to give you options in a pull-up menu like when you’re receiving a call in iOS 6. For instance, Skype might want to have a pull up option whenever you are receiving a video call to answer it, but make it a voice-only call.
It’s important to understand the structure of the lockscreen in the way that it handles information. All information that comes to the lockscreen can basically be summed up into three categories:
- Light Notifications (“You Facebook friend Bruce Wayne just joined Instagram as Batman!”)
- Heavy Notifications (Calls, FaceTime), and
- Temporary Takeovers (Voice Memos, Maps directions)
At this point, apps only have access to “light notifications”. Obviously, I think that needs to change.
Apps like Skype and Google+ should have just as much access to the lockscreen as the Phone or FaceTime apps. And to be clear, this wouldn’t lead to confusion from the user or a process that isn’t clean. In fact, users would be able to clearly understand that they are receiving a call rather than wondering why that little notification’s alert tone is going on for so long (“Oh that’s a call!”- confused user).
Anyways, that’s all I’ve got for now.
Resources:
Paul Nechita
Teehan + Lax
TheIntensePlayer
Picons
Timothy J. Reynolds [Wallpaper]
The TechBlock is a technology-oriented blog and podcast where passionate, plugged-in enthusiasts dispense with the drivel and weigh in on the latest industry news and gadgets affecting you. Our unique emphasis on personality, beauty, and clean design deliver content like you’ve never seen it before, and that’s the point. To see what we re all about, tune in to our podcast, subscribe to our RSS feed or follow us on Twitter.
Lockscreen Cards *cough* Google now *cough*
TBH At this stage everything you asked for is already on Android or Windows phone. Why bother with iOS if the other options are already doing what you want.
I’ve been saying for ages now that Apple’s biggest problem is that they are raking in the cash, as in iOS has been unbelievably successful for them. There is no way on earth that they will make a massive change to it and take a chance that it will upset anyone. Their problem is that yes they are selling more, but their market share is being eaten away and before they now it there market share will be in single figures and they will be an also ran, just like in the PC market.
Although someone might want those options there are still plenty of other reasons to bother with iOS.
-The user may still like all of the other things in iOS
-iMessage. Many of the kids have hung on to Blackberries for BBM alone
-Integration with OSX
-The user likes the iPhone design
There will be many more reasons, these are just a quick handful of possibles.
Worst. Idea. Ever. At least the way this has been explained it is.
“It’s basically anything you want to do with an app” before having to take 3 seconds to unlock your phone.
And more importantly, it’s letting people use your phone when its locked. Negating THE ENTIRE POINT OF HAVING A PASSWORD!
Seriously, if you’re so desperate to access your phone, just turn the passcode lock off, or set it to only require a passcode after a set amount of time. Any of this stuff is just basically trying to increase how lazy you can be about using your phone apps.
And why the hell would Apple make it easier for 3rd party apps to replace their own usability? giving google+ etc greater interface access? Skype I understand, if only because it’s more universal as a phone/video chat client. But even I think it’s pushing a bit.
Whatever they do, they need to revamp iOS soon, I am becoming increasingly envious of people I see using Android. If there isn’t some kind of radical overhaul in iOS 7, my next phone won’t be an iPhone.
I’m almost certain this is a feature of 4.2……….
Any happy Nexus 4 owners wanna confirm or deny this? There’s definitely been a change to the lockscreen, I just haven’t got the internet connection to research exactly what atm. >_<'
yes, I’ve got Nexus Jellybean 4.2 and you slide to the right to have custom app, or widget.
IPhone’s have got to be the worst phone ever, I mean wow how hard is it to create/set a ringtone. I mean I just hold click on any song and select ringtone.
Some things are just easier on one platform or another. I find it’s almost impossible for Android users to successfully send a video over any chat app. Whatsapp and Touch come to mind… On iPhone, if a video is too large it is automatically compressed, or at a minimum, you’re prompted to crop it to a reasonable length. Android users apparently have no such automatic assistance, thus rendering that feature unusable.
On the other hand, attachments sent via Skype to an iPhone are not received due and actually disappear, and can’t be retrieved even later from a desktop.
Bottom line – Apple needs to give app developers more freedom and let people customize more, and Android needs to continue to up their game in the area of usability. Neither device “just works” perfectly anymore given the increasing sophistication of smartphone users, but I still believe iOS leads in that area at least.
Dropbox ? OK, not a chat app, but you can share anything with Dropbox once it’s installed.
How exactly is iOS more usable than Android? Answer: it isn’t.
I tried to perform 2 very simple functions on the missus’ iPhone today: take a cheeky mugshot, and set it as her lockscreen background. For both, she had to walk me through like a toddler, and I’m a self-confessed geek with a penchant for good design.
My friend, the fact that you had to be walked through this process shows that the iPhone isn’t the problem…. Open the photos app, take a picture, click the options button, select set as wallpaper, job done. It’s not rocket science is it.
I wanted to use the lockscreen shortcut – for which there is completely no clue that you needed to drag it up. the gallery’s options are way to vague which left me trying to find the function elsewhere instead of realising it was under another submenu (for which, yet again, there is no prompt). compare this to sense: if you press down on the camera lockscreen shortcut, the unlock ring glides towards it implying the action of dragging it inside. to set a wallpaper in the gallery, the button is labelled “set as” implying there’s more content through the button.
2:0
You can argue your point all you want but if you really can’t fathom looking at a picture and pressing the icon in the bottom left (the only other icons being a trash can and a play button) then pressing “Set As Wallpaper” to, you know, set it as wallpaper well, there is nothing I can say
And they say iOS is the OS for kids because its so basic and lacking options….
I wanted to set it as a lockscreen wallpaper, different thing. What you’ve basically just said is make any point you like, but I won’t listen because I know how it works…
Yeah, “Set As Wallpaper” and it then asks if you want homescreen or lockscreen so I don’t really get your point…
2006 just called, it wants songs as ringtones back, and it can flippin’ well keep them
Exactly. My phone is permanently on silent/vibrate.
On the other hand, I hear the same 4-second snippet of Lady Gaga playing, distorted, through crappy phone speakers every time someone calls my flatmate, and it drives me spare.
So basically Apple need to copy more stuff from Android? Apple needs to stop trying to polish the turd and completely rebuild their OS. It’s just looking old now.
iOS unconnected and slow? I stopped reading after that.
In denial, good, good, feel the Apple love flow though you……
Wow, you got that from a few posts on the internet? You are amazing!
To give Giz the benefit of the doubt I read on. And what nonsense!
Firstly, I would not want battery draining widgets to run on my lock screen; I had them on my Android and turned them all off. And apps like the weather app are not only using the internet but also access the location services.
Also, while I appreciate that the camera is accessible without unlocking the phone, I most certainly would not want 99% of app functionality to be so readily accessible. The author’s example of updating Twitter status (if I had one) is exactly what I would not want anyone to use without me looking!
I had (and still do but not use often anymore) an Android phone. I had all these supposedly nice things that Android offers – widgets, cards, fancy clocks and UIs – but within a couple of months it ended up looking like iOS with just the shortcuts to my most used apps. I realised that the widgets were only saving me a couple of seconds while they were draining the battery like there’s no tomorrow. I really hope Apple doesn’t do any of the silly things this ill-conceived article suggests for the sake of a little bit more internet traffic.
What are you running your phone off – a pair of AAAs?
And regarding widgets being worthless, I think you’ve missed the point of them entirely. On one page, I can see my recent e-mails, latest news stories and snap a picture in Evernote. I swipe left, and I can switch connectivity options, monitor CPU load and perform a full app and data backup. This functionality is impossible with a grid of icons.
Hmm, you seem to have missed the point of my comment.
Your point is that widgets drain battery and are only as useful as a grid of icons, a la iOS.
My point is that neither of these things are true.
If I have missed the point then explain to me how.
Close but no cigar. My point was that widgets, no matter how useful they are perceived to be, only save a few seconds or 2-3 clicks while consuming a lot of battery. Saying that things like, i.e. weather widgets which keep GPS and internet live, do not consume battery is not true is, well, not true.
that’s one widget of possibly thousands. not only that, but the widget doesn’t refresh every time you go on it – it uses the data from the weather app where you can set exactly when (if at all) you want it to autonomously gather GPS data and update the information. as with most things on android, you are in control of how much widgets update, so for somebody me that has set up homescreens with a bit of TLC the battery drain is completely negligible.
Agree – the first line was complete rubbish.
Just get a Nexus 4