iOS notifications might be getting a jailbreak boost (Updated)
When Steve Jobs takes the stage next Monday to introduce the world to iOS 5, one of the things we're most hoping to see is an update to the notifications system -- it's a little old at this point, and we've seen some really innovative suggestions on how to spice it up. Like, for example, this design scheme, put together by a designer named Peter Hajas. In fact, wouldn't it be great if Apple saw this design, and actually hired Hajas to work on an official iOS release?
In point of fact, that might be exactly what happened. Last week, the iPhone Download Blog noticed that Hajas posted on his blog about "taking a break" from the public eye and his jailbreak work (his notifications were created as a jailbreak app called MobileNotifier), and Redmond Pie points out that he later tweeted about he's going to work for a "fruit company" in California. It's not too big a jump to guess that he doesn't mean one of California's many citrus-based farms, right?
No, we're joking, he very likely has gone to work actually designing notifications for Apple. In fact, the RP post now features an official-looking screenshot of Hajas' internal directory entry, listing him as an employee in iOS apps and frameworks.
Hajas posted on May 9 that he was heading out to Cupertino, so it's unlikely we'll see his work right away in any iOS 5 preview on Monday. Still, his story shows that Apple is watching the jailbreak community closely and hopefully bringing some of the best features over into the official OS.
This isn't the first talent grab by Apple that might impact notifications. A year ago, former Palm developer Rich Dellinger was bodysnatched to Cupertino, which drove speculation around Apple's plans for revamping the notifications.
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When Steve Jobs takes the stage next Monday to introduce the world to iOS 5, one of the things we're most hoping to see is an update...
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Does anybody know what the M-cell means in the screenshot?
June 04 2011 at 5:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyGo get a WWDC bingo board from http://theapplebingo.com/ before the keynote begins!
June 04 2011 at 1:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI wish Apple would add swype or shapewriter to their keyboard option in all their native apps. In addition, it would be great if they had voice t text in all the native apps as does android.
June 04 2011 at 11:33 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Leonick
Everyone seem to have forgot how Apple also have the designer of the WebOS notification system, used to be such noise made about that :p mentioned in this article though.
Also, there have been rumours all year that apple would redo notifications for iOS 5 if they are that means they have been working on that for quite a while, in that case having Hajas working for Apple now won't make much difference for iOS 5 at least :p
@People who complains about MobileNotifier
Go over to our github project https://github.com/peterhajas/MobileNotifier and read some of the updates and post an issue. We are fixing issues and making improvements every day, but they don't get pushed to Cydia before another major release.
WOW!! Im amazed. I just downloaded and used beta 5. Apple would have been retarded to not hire him!
June 03 2011 at 7:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI wish we (iPhone Download Blog) were given a little more credit for this. We reported about the news a week ago to the day. I titled my post "Jailbreak Killer: Apple Claims Its First Victim". Of course, at the time, what we wrote sounded silly: why would Apple hire a jailbreak dev? Well, not so silly after all. And now redmond pie is getting all the credit. When you're a smaller blog trying to get some recognition, this can be a super frustrating experience. Anyways. I tried my best to not sound like a retarded troll. If I did, please feel free to throw rocks at me ;)
June 03 2011 at 5:40 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyWell, I'm guessing that it was the "fruit company" revelation that was the key here, as opposed to more general speculation.
June 03 2011 at 7:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply[rock]
JK, Sebastien. As discussed, we have linked your post. It's not always possible to get back to first causes in the Internet echo chamber, but despite what folks may say we really do believe in crediting people.
Any chance they already stole the idea, put it in iOS5 and then hired him to avoid a lawsuit and for future improvements. I really hope that is the case.
June 03 2011 at 4:59 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyThis is a horrible solution. It's exactly the same problem as we have now, only this time it'll cover the top of the screen and NOT pause whatever you're doing. And it takes two taps to get rid of it? It's not even seamless. It's absolutely intrusive.
June 03 2011 at 4:54 PM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down ReplyI agree and that is why i don't use mobile notifier. I do use lock info for notifications when i'm not using the phone but there is no solid notification system for in-app use, especially if you are in the middle of a game or streaming a live video.
There is only one app on the iphone with a proper notification system for in-app use. Mail. Ding! that's all. no pop up. just a subtle ding.
Yeah, MobileNotifier was a bit of a pain in the ass that way. Even if I cleared the separate app, it never reflected that and the apps themselves still showed their notifications. Not to mention it was broken like the back of a 120-year-old bungee jumper.
June 03 2011 at 7:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI really like that design. Would love to see it on iOS 5.
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