I’ve had an iPhone since the original was launched in 2007. I’ve been through every update, including the latest, iPhone OS 3.0. Throughout this time, Apple has added more and more features, provided APIs for developers, and added much needed functionality like Cut, Copy and Paste to its iPhone OS. Despite all of the progress since version 1.0, there are still a slew of things that are missing which other Smart Phones already seem to have included.
Our own Josh Schnell and Grant Brunner did a podcast and had three things that they wanted to discuss. You can listen to that here. I fully agree with what they suggest, yet I have more things that I think should be added to the iPhone OS.
Application management works better with iPhone OS 3.0 particularly since Spotlight has been added. Yet, I would like to see a list view instead of the current view. I’m not saying that I do not like the current view, because I do enjoy it, yet having a list view could be more beneficial for some users. Additionally with the list view, the ability to sort the applications by ‘Name’ as well as ‘Used Most Often’. That way a user can quickly find an application; or possibly more tragically, see which application is their biggest time sink.
The next feature that I wish for is more granularity in relation to controlling Podcasts. By this I mean I would like to be able to sync the three most recent podcasts of Buzz Out Loud, while only syncing one of the Daily GizWiz and Mac OS Ken (since I listen to them on my drive to work each day) or even 6 of Love Line, since they may have 2 podcasts each day. The first being the actual show, and the second being the most interesting caller from that day. I realize that this could probably most easily be done in iTunes, and it cannot be that difficult to create separate sync settings.
The next feature is Wireless syncing. I know many people have asked for this, and I would definitely like to see this implemented; even if it is only available via WiFi. The ability to not have to plug in my iPhone in order to synchronize my media would be great, particularly if you could schedule this to occur at a specific time every day; or even several times throughout the day.
One reason that Apple may not like this idea is because then their process for syncing and their protocols and actual transferred data may be vulnerable. But, hey guess what Apple? There is this little thing called encryption that can be used to protect the data. Such a novel concept. So there is no real reason, other than Apple’s own refusal in implementing this feature as to why we do not have this yet.
The final feature I would like to see is an iTunes remote management tool built into the iPhone OS. You may think ‘We already have one with the iTunes Remote Application.’ Well, yes, but that’s not what I am talking about. I would like to see an application that would allow a user to actually remotely manage their iTunes Library. They should be able to do anything, from adding a song or application, updating applications, purchasing content and anything that they could do via iTunes and being right in front of their computer, except from the iPhone OS device.
I do not know if we will ever see all or any of these items yet the addition of any of these features would push the iPhone OS even that much further ahead of other smartphones devices. C’mon Apple, get programming to get these features to work.
