

 iOS 6 unveiled with Siri enhancements and Facebook integration - sciurus
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/06/ios-6-features-from-wwd/

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breckinloggins
My thoughts:

\- Passport looks really cool. I also can't help but think this app is a
further hint to an iPhone 5 "NFC" feature

\- Really impressed by maps. I hope it works as good as it looks. I'm
currently using MotionX GPS Drive for turn by turn directions and I can't wait
to get rid of it

\- Do Not Disturb: THANK YOU. Turning on Airplane mode at night was a bad
substitute for this much-needed feature

\- Siri enhancements are nice, but would have loved to see API integration. I
understand why they aren't doing this (yet), though. iOS would need, at the
very least, some kind of Andriod-like "intents" system to make it work. Even
better would be a standardized way to "teach" Siri about things (think RDF).
This seems like one of those things they won't release until they really make
sure it's done correctly, as otherwise the disparity between how Siri works
natively and what it understands via API integration would be laughable.

\- Also with respect to Siri, I'd like to see Apple improve the voice
synthesis. Don't get me wrong, it's pretty good, but it also isn't state of
the art. The voice could be made smoother and better able to communicate
Siri's "mood" (if and when Siri is synthesized to have one). Even without a
"mood", her voice could stand to be less monotone. I would also like to be
able to purchase different voices.

\- Guided Access (specifically the "one app mode") is going to be huge for
enterprise as well as education. I've been on more than a few iPhone
"enterprise feasibility" projects where the fatal bullet was lack of the
company's ability to lock out the home screen

\- Facebook integration is nice (and predictable). I really look forward to
the contacts and calendar integration more than anything

\- I thought they might announce third party apps for Apple TV, but I bet
they're going to wait until the new TV product announcement for that

And if anyone at Apple is reading, here's my obligatory wish-list:

\- Siri API integration and expandability (duh)

\- A "guest code" if you have a password lock. I shouldn't be worried about
prying eyes if someone borrows my phone. I should just tell them to enter
"1234" on the lock screen and it should open up to some kind of "guest
account" with none of my personal data, push notifications, browser history,
emails, etc.

\- Better support for external displays in the iTunes and Maps apps. If I am
driving, I'd like my car's display to show me the artist and song information
at minimum. I won't switch to Map's turn by turn unless it integrates with my
external display. If it does, I'd like it to overlay new artist and song
information briefly when I change tracks

~~~
diminish
"Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will be available only on iPhone 4S and
iPad 2 or later"

Welcome to iOS fragmentation.

~~~
gks
Fragmentation at the API level is the real problem. Not at lack of "built-in
features."

An app written for iOS 6 can run on the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and iPhone 3GS
(not to mention the iPad 2 and 3, and the newest iPod Touches).

An app written for ICS can only run on those 7% of devices running ICS.

This is how fragmentation works. The only fragmentation happening on iOS is
for the original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPad 1, and the old iPod Touches.

The only one that I don't quite grasp is the original iPad. Running on the
same processor as the iPhone 4 and is much faster than the iPhone 3GS. Color
me somewhat confused by this one.

~~~
diminish
First, APIs are simply features exposed for developers' use. A map function
not supported on a device, means the API isn't supported neither, and if your
3rd party development needs this API, it needs this function, namely access to
this feature.

Second, you are confining yourself to fragmentation from a developer
perspective, and fragmentation matters for other purposes too.

Third, your Android example is flawed; to just shuffler your argument; a
function developed for Android 2.3 can run on 2.3 and later versions. And you
only need ICS, in case you need a new "built-in feature" available in ICS.
Alas, an ios6 app benefiting from new maps, won't work in a substantial
proportion of ios devices.

Fourth, the other side of fragmentation is diversity; and you may write a
corporate app, for a pen based samsung galaxy note, with a giant screen and
give it to your sales users.

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vibrunazo
This all seem to be catching up, step by step with features that android just
added in the last few months. But the timing is so close that they've probably
been in development at ~about the same time. I wonder if these happen because
both apple and google have a little bit of inside intel on each other. Or
because these features are just obvious iterations that both came up with
separately.

~~~
betterth
Welcome to the new reality. The speed at which Google can release Android and
the speed at which manufactorer's can implement/upgrade Android are two very,
very different things. And unlike Android, Apple does not have this
release/implement gap.

Because less than 8% of Android users use 4.0 and Google is already about to
unveil 5.0, we have to compare differently.

Google may have released these features into the wild faster than Apple, but
when iOS6 launches this summer and then passes the Android 4.0 install base in
what, 2 weeks, there will then be more Apple users using these features than
Android users.

I think that will be the future going forward: Apple will take longer to
release a feature, but will reach critical mass for the feature much, much
faster than Google.

And like Windows and it's hardware partners, I think that there is jack-
diddly-squat that Google can do about it. They can whine but they have no say,
as their in-house devices sell like crap compared to Samsung's flagships or
Apple's phones.

I think hardware will move similarly: Android manufacturer, eager for ANY
advantage, will implement brand new technology on their product lines. They
can also pull this off because they don't push iPhone-like quantities (minus
the rare Samsung flagship launch). It's easier to put brand new tech in a
device that is only selling 50,000/mo and will hit maybe 1 million total,
because you don't have to have a source for 5,000,000 of that part by launch
day...

~~~
vibrunazo
> Google may have released these features into the wild faster than Apple, but
> when iOS6 launches this summer and then passes the Android 4.0 install base
> in what, 2 weeks, there will then be more Apple users using these features
> than Android users

That's incorrect. All of the features announced in ios 6 (and ios 5) are
catching up with features available to android 2.3 users. Pointing out that
ICS only runs on 7% of devices while ios 5 runs on 80% is fun marketing games.
But technically, that's like comparing apples to robots.

Google has updated their apps slowly over time, as they're being developed,
for devices with old OS version. While apple waits for these big announcements
for the big marketing show. So android users will always be getting the fresh
new features before ios users. Some of those android users with newer features
will be running android 2.3. Why are we even bringing up the OS version when
comparing features available to older OS versions?

(For example, you don't need to upgrade to android 4.0 to upgrade the Google
Play Store app to the latest version. Which has all these social integration
such "your friend has liked this app". Which is a brand new feature on ios,
that android 2.3 users have already been enjoying for quite a while.)

~~~
taligent
> Pointing out that ICS only runs on 7% of devices while ios 5 runs on 80% is
> fun marketing games.

How is this fun, marketing games ? It is a fact.

~~~
myko
It's fun marketing games as it is irrelevant, these features have been on
Android since 2.3 so that's where the comparison should be.

~~~
clarky07
Certainly all the features consumers want aren't on 2.3. The latest and
greatest android is 4.x and it has lots of nice features. 5.0 will be out soon
with more good features.

Even if 2.3 was amazingly awesome and way better than anything else available,
20% of Android is still on 2.2.

~~~
myko
We're talking about features recently introduced by iOS, not features
introduced by ICS.

~~~
betterth
If there is anything as good as Siri in 2.3, I can't say I've ever seen an
Android wielding friend use it.

Maps was a unique case: They were paying the price of having partnered with
Google in the beginning. A steep price to pay, but ultimately their solution
is quite elegant. The combination of 3d+yelp+inhouse traffic is almost an all-
in-one replacement of what Google provides. I guess we saw the beginning of
that with Siri + Yelp already.

But you're right, Apple has some catch up to do.

But more so than I ever I feel that owning an Apple device isn't just a
device, but it's buying into entire ecosystem. I'm digging their conservative,
metered approach to rolling out features. I like the consistent, timely
updates that the userbase is adopting in mass, reliably.

No one can deny that this is a good groove they've got: yearly updates with
occasional feature updates that 70%+ of their userbase is adopting. It reminds
me of the update model that Chrome and now Firefox use.

~~~
myko
Voice commands have been in Android for a long time (2.2?). They're not quite
as smart as Siri (natural language processing, witty responses), though in my
personal experience far more accurate (maybe that's because my phone has been
trained to my voice over time and when I've seen Siri in action it's usually
someone who just got the 4S).

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kennywinker
The new maps app means the end of native street view, and probably transit
route finding... bummer on that front, pretty awesome otherwise.

~~~
hinathan
I noticed that too. I hope Google will release their own native apps for iOS
before too long, unless Apple dings them for 'duplicating existing
functionality'. I love having the transit directions in SF, it's pretty well
done across Muni, BART, and CalTrain.

~~~
runako
I won't hold my breath given Google's track record shipping a useful GMail app
for iOS.

------
suninwinter
Wild speculation: PassBook heralds NFC in the new iPhone, but since Apple
doesn't want to reveal anything about new hardware at WWDC, they left out
anything that would give that away.

------
spiralpolitik
Most interesting part that iOS 6 will support the iPhone 3GS which is now
almost 3 years old. How many Android Phones from July 2009 will support
Android 4.0 ?

I think that says a lot.

~~~
ConstantineXVI
Also worth noting that the identically-spec'd (sans phone bits) 3rd gen iPod
touch will not be supported. Unless every single iOS 6 feature was phone and
camera related, I can't see any good reason that one should get it and the
other won't.

~~~
pooriaazimi
Apple is currently selling iPhone 3GS (free in the states if I'm not
mistaken), but thy ceased selling 3rd gen. iPod touches 2 years ago.

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lawdawg
Just saw this:

"Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will be available only on iPhone 4S and
iPad 2 or later"

Pretty disappointing.

<http://www.apple.com/ios/ios6/maps/>

~~~
ceejayoz
I'd imagine the 3D stuff involved in those two features is pretty hefty on the
system.

~~~
eco
Flyby I can see limiting to the devices with the nicer GPU but the lack of
turn-by-turn on older devices seems odd. My Droid had 3D turn-by-turn
navigation when it was released and that was in October of 2009.

I suspect Apple just didn't want to compromise on how detailed the 3D was so
they left older devices out.

~~~
bethling
The turn by turn could heavily integrated with the Siri functionality, which
is only on the 4S. Total guess but it seems to make some sense.

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joejohnson
I hope airlines start using PassBook. This feature has a lot of potential.

~~~
admiralwaddles
Airlines (you can see United as one of them in the demo) already accept
digital passes. The TSA, however, requires a piece of paper so that they can
mark it up and send you on your way. You still cannot get around printing a
boarding pass quite yet, sadly.

~~~
joejohnson
You do not need a paper boarding pass to go through security with TSA. They
accept the QR codes via smartphone screens. There are scanners at the point
where they mark paper boarding passes.

~~~
admiralwaddles
Needed them in BOS when I flew a few weeks ago. At least there was a sign that
said you did--I didn't tempt it by going through with just my phone.

------
timjahn
I hope the maps don't change for the user. Frankly, I don't care about Apple
and Google's map bickering.

If the new Apple Maps app is now a crippled maps app for my iPhone compared to
the existing Google Maps iPhone app, that's a big problem.

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jcoder
I didn't see any per-feature limitations for device support, only "iPhone 3GS
and above." Does this mean that Siri is coming to the 3GS and 4 models?

~~~
smackfu
Oh, you didn't see the fine print.

* Some features may not be available in all countries or all areas. Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad 2 or later. Cellular data charges may apply.

* Siri will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad (3rd generation) and requires Internet access. Siri may not be available in all languages or all areas, and features may vary by area. Cellular data charges may apply.

* Shared Photo Streams requires iOS 6 on iPhone 4 or later or iPad 2 or later, or a Mac computer with OS X Mountain Lion. An up-to-date browser is required for accessing shared photo streams on the web.

* FaceTime over a cellular network requires iPhone 4 or later, or iPad 2 or later with cellular data capability. Carrier data charges may apply. FaceTime is not available in all countries.

* VIP list and VIP and Flagged smart mailboxes will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.

* Offline Reading List will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.

