Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, OS, Software, iPhone, SDK, iPod touch
iPhone 3.0 feature predictions: TUAW report card
As is our wont, we predicated today's iPhone press event with our own predictions and wishes for what would be released. Let's look back and see how we did.Copy and paste
As the event wore on, and everything but copy and paste was being announced, I started to worry. "Someday," I thought, "This event will be known as The Great Copy And Paste Debacle." The attending geek corps were about to slip into Angry Mob Mode, replacing their laptops with torches and pitchforks, when Scott Forstall gave them what they wanted. Crisis averted.
How did TUAW score? Quite well. Mike Rose, Cory, Steve and Aron all called for copy and paste.
Push
Remember Apple's promise of push notification for developers? We nearly forgot, too. It was finally announced today, and Aron was the only TUAW blogger to call it. Incidentally, we shudder to think of how fart apps will make use of push notification.
Landscape keyboard in Mail
Once again, Aron comes through and calls for a landscape keyboard in Mail. I would have done the same, but I've found that my muscle memory has acclimated itself to the portrait keyboard, and I now make more mistakes when it's in landscape mode.
Notes sync
While Aron was the only TUAW blogger to wish for notes synchronization, he wasn't really alone. Fortunately, he got his wish. Score: we're at 4 out of 4.
Lock screen changes
This would have been a good one. Both Aron and I have wished for a customizable lock screen. Instead of the time and date, I might like to see the weather, number of waiting emails, calendar appointments for the day and so on. Apple let us down.
Tethering
We've been hearing rumors about this for quite a while now. Steve, Cory and Mike Rose all called for it this time around, and their wishes were granted. Thanks, Apple! Score: 4 out of 6.
Wireless keyboard
While we saw a slew of cool accessories today (I'm not even a doctor and I want the blood pressure cuff), there was no official keyboard from Apple. While hackers have paired a Bluetooth keyboard to a jailbroken phone, blogger Steve saw his wish for the real deal fall flat. Sorry, Steve.
Springboard changes
This could use some work. Not because it's bad, but because five screens of apps quickly become disorganized and cluttered. Plus, jumping from a collection of games to a collection of utilities is a real swipe-tastic pain in the butt.
There's a concept video floating around that demonstrates how this could work via iTunes. It's neat, but I'd rather see something on the iPhone itself. Similar to how Dash Board enhances the experience on a Newton. Mike Rose, Cory, Aron and I all called for this change. It's due.
Enhanced search
Cory and Mike Rose both asked for greater search capabilities, and Apple delivered. The other features we were after, namely greater call reliability, MMS and calendar enhancement, received one vote each. The enhanced calendar and MMS (for 3G owners at least) are coming for sure; we'll have to wait and see about greater call reliability.
As for the final tally, we went 7 out of 12, or 58%. Not too shabby. What did you miss?
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
D said 9:44PM on 3-17-2009
Notes sync is included. Look at the top of one of the final slides.
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Izzy said 9:06AM on 3-18-2009
They said that. It's the third line item in the blog.
.nate said 9:48PM on 3-17-2009
Notes syncing WAS mentioned
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ckohler@evansville.net said 9:46PM on 3-17-2009
It has notes syncing, guys.
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jonathan said 9:45PM on 3-17-2009
Was just going to post what D said above.
Screenshot:
http://bayimg.com/daOBaaabg
Maybe you missed some of the other features there?
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Bungles said 9:46PM on 3-17-2009
There are only 2 reasons i jailbreak my phone....for the customization of the springboard(themes) and the dock app...so i can hide icons and et to everthing by sliding the my finger from the corner...I think that is something that Apple should implement.
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über said 12:02AM on 3-18-2009
Did you say note sync was not to be? Cause it was definitely listed as one of the new features.
http://lifehacker.com/5172360/iphone-30-adds-copy-and-paste-mms-search-notes-sync-and-tons-more
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Ranu said 9:51PM on 3-17-2009
You missed off MMS, a couple of your pundits mentioned that they would like to see it, masses of iPhone users were clamouring for it and Apple (finally) delivered.
Also, I'm not sure what you mean by "Unfortunately it wasn't to be" when talkiing about notes syncing. Engadgets live feed included the quote (at 11:22am): "So, Spotlight. A single place to search across your phone. And again, these are only a few of the new features that come with 3.0. Like Note Sync, you can sync your notes." So it looks like that feature is included.
Time to update your scoring?
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Bungles said 9:49PM on 3-17-2009
i want to know what call log was on that slide. I want to know all about these other features that weren't talked about...we should have another press conference.
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had it said 10:05PM on 3-17-2009
Don't forget the nickel and dime you to death API.
What's the object class? com.apple.iphone.screwthepeople.thosethatenjoyspottyservice.thosethatarelockedincontract
Got it.
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xxburt0nxx said 10:30AM on 3-18-2009
you are a retard... this is not how it's going to end up. Many people thought it would be the same with the xbox marketplace when it was introduced and how people would be charged to buy new ammo, new skateboards, etc. They are just using it as an example to show what could be done in an app. Do you really think people are going to buy a game, then everytime the need more ammo they have to pay a dollar? Nobody would support the app, and the devs would have wasted their time even creating it.
What that API does do is allow for programs like ebooks, so that you don't have to download 100 different apps for 100 different books. You can buy one app, then pay for the books you want. This API is going to be used for things like the city guide, magazines, and ebook readers. You might see it in a game like breakout, and then instead of charging you seperatly for breakout 2, you might be able to buy the breakout 2 map pack for a discounted price, etc.
Devs aren't stupid, they know that if they try to rip customers off, customers aren't going to support their products.
willie said 11:33PM on 3-17-2009
That's funny, I seem to remember Notes sync as one of the features they announced, but now I'm not so sure. I guess we'll have to wait until the summer to find out, because I'm not watching that video again!
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Daniel Potter said 10:20PM on 3-17-2009
Am I the only one confused here!? I've read 3 bloggs/reports on all the new features of the SDK 3.0 and the fact that Devs can now connect with hardware accessories over in their apps and can connect through the dock connector OR over Bluetooth is the LEAST talked about feature . . or not talked about at all!? This is huge! We think there's an accessory market for iPhone/iPod Touch now!? Ha. Just wait!
So how the hell did " . . blogger Steve (see) his wish for (a wireless keyboard) fall flat"!?? . . just wait!
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Nick K. said 11:19PM on 3-17-2009
Except that it would only work in certain applications that implement the new API, not across the entire phone.
Steve Thomas said 9:26AM on 3-18-2009
The new expanded capabilities of bluetooth guarantee this!
Dave said 10:33PM on 3-17-2009
I think that we are forgetting what things were like when OSX first came out and how things have improved since version 10.0. Apple started with a solid foundation and added many of the bells and whistles in the updates. I think that everyone can feel pretty good about the state of things with this latest version, and know that better things will be coming. Sure push for the improvements that you would like, but how much better is the iPhone compared to the next device in the category?
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Juaquin said 10:36PM on 3-17-2009
Just because they support syncing doesn't mean it will ever be enabled by AT&T, guys (at least not without a nice monthly fee).
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Nick K. said 11:19PM on 3-17-2009
You mean tethering?
Juaquin said 5:07PM on 3-18-2009
Yes
dagamer34 said 11:36PM on 3-17-2009
58% is failing. Try again at WWDC!
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