Can't wait to see the new iOS 7? Let's see some expectations on Apple's new mobile operating system.
Apple’s WWDC 2013 is coming this afternoon. The leader in computer hardware/software and consumer electronics is about to release its new operating system for its iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. With a 43.5% market share of smartphones in the United States, and 53.8% market share of tablets, iOS is the biggest opponent against Android. The release of iOS 6 was a success, although most users were angry at Apple for cutting out Google Maps, its great improvements on email and Siri, as well as new features like Shared Photo Stream and Passbook still makes it a good system. As the new iOS 7 is being announced today, here is what I expect to see in the new iOS 7.
New UI Design
The UI of iOS hasn’t changed a lot since its first release in 2007. Although it is now considered as a classic UI for Apple, changes need to be made before people start to get bored. One thing I want to see in the new system is the option to choose themes for our devices to make it different from someone else’s device. The theme switching function has been available on Android and Nokia phones for a long time. Maybe it’s time to make our iOS devices more unique than before. The rumor that iOS 7 will use flat design for its buttons is now almost proved to be true, but there are a lot more Apple can do to bring us more personality.
Built-in Map
Probably the biggest drawback in iOS 6 is the undesirable built-in map. Undoubtedly, major upgrades must be done to bring Apple Maps back to the competition against Google Maps. Other than fixing the accuracy problem and the poor 3D mode, it will be wonderful if Apple could provide us with an offline mode so that we can read the map without using data. This is especially useful when we are in other countries and international data plan is too expensive to afford, or when we are at some places where there is no signal.
File Sharing
Rumors are that Apple will add AirDrop file-sharing service into iOS. AirDrop is a built-in app in OS X that allows users to share files with each other if they are using the same Wi-Fi network. If AirDrop is available on iOS, it will greatly improve the easiness of effort to share files in offices, classrooms, or conference rooms.
Multiple Account Log-in
Multiple account log-in was available for PCs for a long time. With more and more iPads being used in business, sometimes we may need a public iPad that people can share. Although Apple will certainly be happy to see everyone get his own iPad, this is not the best solution for business. If Apple can allow one iPad to be shared by different accounts with different authorities, it may grab more market share on tablets against Android and Windows.
Simplify The Settings
I bet most iOS users have the experience that some settings of iOS are just too trivial. For example, you have to make at least three clicks to adjust the brightness of the screen or turn on the Wi-Fi. All these operations can be realized by a simple widget in the notification bar just like what most Android phones are applying now. In addition to this, the notification bar itself has something to improve. For example, it will be simpler to dismiss the notifications if there is a single-tap clear button. The current iOS6 requires us to clear the notifications one by one, which is unnecessary. Since we can see all the notifications at one time, why can’t we clear them with one tap?
No one knows what new surprises Apple will bring us this Monday afternoon. No matter what happens, the new iOS7 will be the trump card against Google’s Android.
Contributors: Eugene Vnuk & Alex Yakubov