iPhone 2.2: Safari Tweaked, Cut and Paste Freaked?
Wired’s blog picked up a story from iPhone Atlas today about a minor MobileSafari browser UI change that sees the (defaults to Google) search box surfaced right on top beside the URL address box (currently it only pops up when the top box is activated to save on vertical real estate). To compensate, the Refresh button gets demoted and tucked inside the refresh box. Not sure about the usability on this change yet…?
The more interesting speculation is about cut and paste, which Wired claims NO specific info on, but offers this as part of the ongoing search for some reason why Apple hasn’t yet implemented this seemingly core functionality:
It’s possible that Apple is taking so long to implement copy and paste not because it is difficult, but because Apple is reinventing it. Imagine a system-wide menu added to all applications which, instead of shuffling items off to a clipboard, lists all the places you can send that file (or text string). This would be like the existing “Open with” option available in the Mac’s right-click menu — each application effectively reports to the OS exactly what kind of files it can handle and the OS remembers this. Thus a picture could be sent to not only the Photo app, but to any other photo program. Text could be sent directly to any open dialog box in, say, Safari.
Sounds good to us. What about it, Joz?
September 27th, 2008 at 10:35 am
i want copy/paste, but not to use all the time, just to shut up all the haters who wont buy just because of it.
September 27th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Sounds interesting to me. Hopefully it is true copy and paste system wide the way mentioned above would be great for the iPhone.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Soon the iPhone will surpass all phones ever created.
September 27th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Omar – man, when did you drink the koolaid!?
September 27th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
I know it’s disappointing but the most likely reason cut/paste hasn’t made it in yet us just because apple is too busy with other things. They are expanding like crazy and for the moment they probably can’t spare their programers for anything short of essential bug fixes. It’s the same dillema every company faces – balancing happy customers with happy investors
September 28th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I am staying away from that koolaid
September 28th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I dunno. I think i’d be happier with a clipboard system.
September 29th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Yeah, yet I do not know whether that is a good reason. While it may indeed be that they prefer to implement something “new” rather than first something that already works for many other devices… Still I think that they are limiting the possibilties for a reason.
Furthermore, a functionality that lets you paste/open in multiple applications only seems to be more interesting when you can actually use multiple applications at the same time… which is yet another feature we are anxiously waiting for.
September 29th, 2008 at 5:29 am
@ P.B.
Dont believe that for a second! If they wanted they could make a phone miles ahead of anything out there at the moment. But they won’t because they can sell a bunch more slightly advanced versions before then.
I bet the programmers are working on iPhones two or three generations away…
September 29th, 2008 at 11:32 am
I’m going to be bummed out if they remove the refresh button in favor of a Google Search bar. No doubt they will get millions from Google for this, and not give a **** about what users want.
September 29th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Why do they need to reinvent it? Copy/paste is simple. Keep it that way.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
damn, can’t they put a decent SMS application that works like iSMS or SMSD. Damn, Apple is a pain. I am becoming pissed off with the iPhone. It can’t do what a basic mobile should do. Cut/copy/Paste, forward SMS, Send business card, MMS. This is damn basic stuff. Shame on you Apple. Nice gadget, useless in reality.
November 7th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I agree with Superman, windows mobile is miles more advanced. I have a Nokia E65 which can tether with basic Bluetooth. The iPhone cannot do that & PdaNet is way too slow to compete. Everything beats the iPhone in comparison to WM phones. The iphone only wins on look & feel! Nothing else!!! The 3g is a battery killer as opposed to any symbian phone!! Bluetooth is so limited & pathetic! Steve jobs go back to the drawing board & jackup these basic features quick cos clients are starting to hand there iPhones back. They are totally pissed!!!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
@supercouple:
Easy to agree, when you share an IP
iPhone is killing in satisfaction levels, so while it’s possible its lack of certain previous gen cell phone features hurts it with old school power users, the user experience is just killing for new users, or for users with different requirements.
January 13th, 2009 at 10:46 am
One word.
BANDWIDTH.
The most obvious reason to me for the continued lack of cut and paste or simple clipboard functions in iPhone 2.2 is that AT&T and Apple have agreed that this will not be included due to the bandwidth demands it would create.
If we can cut anything we please from the web or emails or wherever, and then paste it into emails and SMS messages, this will greatly increase the bandwidth needed by AT&T to keep up with users’ needs. Limiting us to sending only what we can type with that silly screen keyboard will cut the bandwidth demand by orders of magnitude.
Alright, a few dozen words…
May 7th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
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