However there are a few major problems I have with Apple's approach to personalization of these devices and making them as flexible as they can be for a user. I want to focus on the ring tones and notification tones. I originally was going to write this post and use the term SMS or Text tones, but as I was going through my iPad and iPhone, in the past few months the iOS itself has started to move away from SMS and more into a blanket notification approach to things. With the iOS 5 coming out in a few short days most likely, the latest rumor is Sept. 23rd (the fall solstice), the full integration with Twitter and going SMS-less notifications are only going to be expanded. This is where I am frustrated by Apple's lack of options around how I can customize those notifications.
On Apple devices since iOS 4, the notification system has been in place to allow apps to basically notify you, like a text message, to updates, alerts and other app specific messages. In some cases this is very handy, like for news apps, most of the time I disable it for games and small economy apps that are not that critical. As I add more and more apps that I do care about notifications, like my contacts, I want to get more diverse with the tones that I can use for each of those individual apps. Most of the time there is no option to even add the built in text tones to the app, it's whatever the app uses.
Why is it this way?
Apple has a multi-million dollar business with allowing users to purchase and make ring tones. However, the user's are using these devices less and less for phone calls and more and more for notification style communications. I myself have a 700 minute plan shared between two phones and together we barely break 300 minutes, our data and text messages if where the bulk of the communication is done through.
If Apple want's to get with the program they really need to make the notification system, text messages included, to be as flexible as ring tones. If I am sitting at my desk and my phone is across the room, I know who is calling me just from the ring tone. I can get that somewhat from text tones, but the built in text tones are corny, limited, and annoying. Notifications I have no control.
This gripe is very small in the grand scheme of things when it comes to the Apple devices. However, if I were Apple I would be concerned about shifting the OS to expanding the notification reliance and not be giving more options around how notifications are notifying to the users. This is a cash cow for Apple and a user necessity for the device owners.
My two cents.
End of Line.
@binaryblogger
Posted in: Apple Inc
0 comments:
Post a Comment