Apple will unveil its next generation iOS – iOS 5 at next week’s WorldWide Developer Conference 2011.
As we’re getting closer to the event, rumors about the new features in iOS 5 have started trickling in and some folks have even created cool concept videos and presentations to show us how Apple should implement the features.
We also got the hint that it’s high time we came out with our iOS 5 wish list.
So here’s our iOS 5 wish list:
1. Customizations:
Ability to customize the look and feel of the iOS device, such as change themes, change fonts etc. like jailbreak users can do with jailbreak apps like Winterboard.
2. Wireless Syncing:
This has been one of the features that we like in the Android based smartphones. Unlike the iPhones, Android based smartphones do not require the user to plug their handsets to a computer to perform syncing operations. We hope that Apple finally cuts the cord in iOS 5 and ushers in the Post-PC era.
3. Improved Push Notifications:
One of the areas that needs an overhaul desperately following the surge in the number of apps being downloaded and installed is the Push notification system. The prevailing notification system may be seen as modal and disruptive while the user is working at something important. Also, with only the most recent notification displayed at any moment, there are high chances of the user missing out on some important older notifications. We expect Apple to completely revamp the push notification system in iOS 5.
4. Enhanced Lock screen:
Users should be able to customize the lock screen so that they can see the number of new emails, SMS, upcoming appointments, weather etc. on the lock screen itself, without needing to unlock the screen.
5. Widgets:
Widgets have also been one of the most requested features in iOS, which could provide quick access to information such as weather without the need to launch apps.
6. Ability to Sync App data across iOS devices:
It is widely speculated that Apple is getting ready to launch its new cloud-based service, which will allow users to upload their music to Apple’s servers so that they can access them from various devices. We hope that Apple takes it a step further and also gives users the ability to sync application data across iOS devices using the new cloud-based service (required to cut the cord). For example: Photos taken on the iPhone are automatically synced to the another iOS device’s camera roll via the cloud.
7. Siri’s Artificial Intelligence and Assistance Technology:
We hope that rumors claiming that Siri’s artificial intelligence and assistance technology has been “deeply integrated” into iOS 5 turns out to be true. It would also mean that Nuance speech recognition technology is also integrated into iOS 5 as Siri relies on it.
We hope that after upgrading to iOS 5, we can tell our iPhone to give us directions to an empty parking spot in the vicinity, which can be achieved with a combination of iOS 5’s speech recognition technology, Siri’s technology, turn-by-turn navigation apps like Navigon’s MobileNavigator, TomTom and apps like SFpark that allow iPhone users in San Francisco to find an empty parking spot. Voice recognition technology deeply integrated in iOS 5 will also make it a lot safer to use the iPhone while driving for such use cases.
8. Improved Maps App:
Apple hasn’t updated the Maps app for quite sometime. We hope that Apple releases a revamped Maps app for iPhone with features such as 3D views, turn-by-turn voice guidance, automatic rerouting, traffic, satellite and street views etc. to compete with Google Maps Navigation that is available on Android-based smartphones.
9. Quick Access to Settings:
We need a faster way to enable or disable settings without the need to leave an application like SBSettings as using the Settings app is painfully slow.
10. Improved Performance:
It goes without saying that we expect everything to be a lot faster in iOS 5.
11. Call Management:
iPhone desperately needs call management features like a blacklist, call forwarding, etc.
12. Better Photos App:
Ability to create photo albums on the iOS device itself.
13. Better Bluetooth Support:
Ability to transfer files with other Bluetooth devices.
14. Adobe Flash Support:
We know this will not happen, but a wish list for the next generation iOS without this would be incomplete.
15. Editable Dictionary:
Predictive text while using iPhone’s virtual keyboard is very helpful but we need the ability to add words to the iPhone dictionary so that we can teach the iPhone to swear and stop it from trying to auto correct them.
16. FM Radio:
Since the Broadcom chips in iPhone 4, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS support FM radio, it would be a nice surprise to see Apple enabling native support for FM Radio. Though there’re excellent radio apps available in the App Store, but native support would mean that we will be able to tune in to a local radio station without the need of a data connection, which would be a money saver while travelling abroad.
These are just some of the features that we would like to see in iOS 5. We would like to know which ones were on your wish list and if you want us to add any other feature to our iOS 5 wish list then let us know in the comments.
