evo design - graphics, photography, web
-
iOS5, iCloud and Lion
06
JunJust a couple of hours ago Steve Jobs delivered the annual Apple World Wide Developer Conference keynote address in San Francisco. For the uninitiated in all things Apple, the much lauded keynote is the platform of announcements for all the forthcoming products and services from Apple. What follows is a quick(ish) breakdown of the most exciting developments due for release of the next few months.
What is most impressive about the announcements Apple have made today is firstly the sheer number of new features, services and applications scheduled for release over the next few months and also the cost, or rather lack of, of the new offerings. The much awaited OS X Lion, the next version of the Apple operating system will be priced at just £20 (insane), has no restriction on user installs and includes the server edition of the OS (previously sold separately).
Then there is the release of iOS5, the next generation mobile operating system from Apple. As has previously been the case this is a free update to iPad, iPod and iPhone users and given the breadth and depth of enhancements it’s sure to be comparable to an entirely new device purchase.
And finally, there is the much awaited launch of iCloud - a service infrastructure which will both replace and extend the features of the old MobileMe service. Previously carrying a sizeable annual subscription this new service is completely free.
iOS5
iOS5 is the next version of the operating system powering Apple’s mobile devices - the iPhone, iPod, iPad. Here’s a run down of cool stuff coming in autumn but if you’d prefer to just watch Apple talk you through the new features just head over and watch the video: http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/gallery.html
Notification Centre
Smartphones are now abuzz with updates and information which can be difficult to stay on top of. From calendar appointments, mail messages, text messages and so on. The notification centre provides a convenient summary of the most relevant, current data on your device. It can be accessed by swiping down from the top of the main screen. There is also the option to provide summary information of the lock screen - though this won’t be to everyone’s taste.
This has been something we’ve seen on other devices for quite some time and in many respects its inclusion in iOS is long overdue. Nevertheless, Apple’s attention to detail and usability is sure to deliver a quality user experience.
iMessage
iPad and iPod users shouldn’t miss out on the convenience of text messaging just on the basis of no mobile contract. At least that’s what Apple think so they’ve introduced iMessage, a means by which unlimited text messages can be sent via WiFi and 3G to owners of iOS devices.
This is great news but one wonders how happy the network providers will be about this one. Large text bundle allowances are still a strong source of upsell for the network providers but with such a large number of Apple devices on the market this will certainly impact this. It’s clearly a cleaver play by Apple to push more users to their hardware in the pursuit of reducing text fees.
Newstand
A natural progression to the ever increasing number of proprietary apps for reading periodicals, this app will consolidate all your subscriptions to your favourite newspapers and magazine and allow for a single point of management.
Reminders
AT LAST! I will say it again - AT LAST. It has simply been beyond explanation why it has taken Apple so long to provide a straight forward To Do list. This new app plays nicely with existing mail apps and will also sync across devices via iCloud (see later).
Twitter
Really pleased to see this one. Apple has acknowledged the importance of Twitter by offering native integration into iOS5. With a single sign-in via Settings users can Tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube or Maps. For non-Twitter users this will fail to impress but for those who do, it’s value cannot be overstated.
As fantastic as this is, it serves to highlight how unfortunate it is that Apple and Facebook continue to be unable to work through their differences to build deeper integration in this area. Nevertheless, the inclusion of native user experience always brings a warm fuzzy glow and this is no exception.
Camera
The improvement in the camera quality following the release of iPhone4 was fabulous, if not anti-climactic by the standards of some other hardware. With iOS5 those hardware improvements are further enhanced by improvements in software. One of the simplest, yet nicest features is no doubt the product of Apple’s ruthless usability engineering. A camera icon has been added to the lock screen which allows rapid activation of the camera.
In addition you can now press the volume up button (a hardware button) as opposed the camera shutter button (a touch screen button) to take a photo. Not only is this a little more intuitive but it will provide better camera control. Some other features include grid lines to help shot composition, touch and hold to lock focus and exposure and pinch to zoom (rather than using the current awkward bar).
Photos
Users now have a wider array of possible manipulations which can be carried out on their shots. The typical photo manipulation processes are on offer - crop, rotate, enhance and red-eye removal all from within the photo app. You can now also organise photos into Albums directly on the device and with the addition of iCloud (see further down) photos will now be instantly pushed to your other devices.
Safari
Some really, and I mean really, nice enhancements here. Services like Readability and devices like Kindle have highlighted that users tend to enjoy a clutter-free reading experience. This is particularly the case on smarthphones in which, as good as the screen and browsing capability, it’s still better and easier to focus on the article you are interested in.
Apple have addressed this by adding Safari Reader, which allows all peripheral nonsense to be removed and a simple plain text view on the primary article is the focus. This has been available for a while on the desktop version of Safari but it really does make more sense on mobile devices. In conjunction is the addition of Reading Lists, a system allowing articles to be flagged for later reading which are also synced to iCloud (see later). This means you can pick up those all important articles from any device. Very nice!
The final addition is both logical and well received. Tabbed browsing on iPad will see an end to the constant switching.. Whoop!
Mail
Mainly cosmetic enhancements but still worthy additions.
- Style text as bold, italic or underlined
- Add indents
- Flag important mail
- Add and delete mailbox folders
WiFi Sync
WOOHOO! Plug your device into charge and it will leap into a wireless synchronisation with iTunes. Of course iTunes will need to be on, somewhere but it’s still great.
Multitasking Gestures for iPad
Now use four and/or five fingers to control the iPad. Swipe to reveal the multitasking bar, pinch to return to Home screen and swipe left and right to switch apps. Neat.
AirPlay Mirroring for iPad 2
Popular with business users giving presentations I guess. In conjunction with AppleTV you can now throw exactly what you’re seeing on the iPad up to a big screen.
There are more features coming with iOS5 but these are just the main ones on offer. For more info visit: http://www.apple.com/ios/ios5/
iCloud
To some iCloud will seem like a service that should have been in place a long time ago to others it will seem pure magic. Much of iCloud is a repackaging of Apple’s old MobileMe platform with some obvious enhancements; the best (for some) being it’s free.
However, more than anything it appears Apple have finally invested in the infrastructure required to deliver such a service and importantly they seem to be explaining and positioning it better than their previous attempts. Previously, MobileMe seemed like a very expensive email account with some pretty standard synchronisation features (i.e. calendars, contacts, bookmarks), and in many respects this was exactly what it was. A lacklustre cloud based file storage system, iDisk, which was frankly appalling did little to make it any more appealing.
It’s fair to say that MobileMe never truly captivated the hearts and minds of even the most ardent Apple fans and in many ways became just a necessary evil for business users wanting the easiest option for calendar, contact and bookmark syncing. Even during the keynote address Steve Jobs managed a self-deprecating jibe in the direction of MobileMe. So how are they going to convince us?
Where iCloud is undoubtedly going to shine is rooted in the notion that the PC / Mac is no longer the digital hub, as Steve puts it. There are many individuals who don’t have such devices or use them so infrequently that the practicalities of storing music, video, photos, documents etc. on the computer and then syncing everything to an array of mobile devices is highly frustrating.
the iCloud quietly and effortlessly ensures each device is bang up to date
The notion behind iCloud is simple. All of your devices are created equal - none commands, owns or manages the other. Instead the iCloud quietly and effortlessly ensures each device is bang up to date. Take a photo on your iPhone, it will appear on your iPad or computer by the time you load it up. Purchase a song on your computer, it’s on your iPod right away. Edit a document on your iPad and it’s on your computer when you get home. You get the idea.
Yes, the technology to achieve all this is impressive but not as impressive as Apple letting you have it all for free. An extremely clever move by Apple in which they have identified the high value users are placing on synchronisation. Apple want to sell more expensive hardware and lock people into iTunes and the App Store for a long time to come, so the cost of providing effortless synchronisation by comparison is insignificant.
What Apple have done with iCloud, and some other software enhancements in the forthcoming iOS5, is firstly done away with the need for users to own a Mac or PC, in addition to ensuring owners of multiple devices needn’t worry about countless ‘cabled’ syncing and backing up.
Apple are the first organisation to cohesively bind such an ecosystem and create a user experience as rich and compelling
It’s true there’s no new technology or groundbreaking engineering being deployed but Apple are the first organisation to cohesively bind such an ecosystem and create a user experience as rich and compelling. Indeed there are ever fewer reasons to join the club…
Lion
Sorry, not quite finished…