iOS 6: Is it time for Apple to renew the system of exchange between Apps?

iOS 6: Is it time for Apple to renew the system of exchange between Apps?

At MacWorld 2007, Apple founder Steve Jobs showed the exchange interface Safari browser windows. This point system is still present only in the browser from Apple, although in 2010 with IOS 4 is implemented the system of exchange between applications currently available.

Is it time for a change? Do we need something else?

Precedents in the desktop

Over the years, various desktop operating systems have seen several systems to take advantage of multitasking and make switching between applications. Without going any further, in the case of OSX, we have seen from the lights under open apps and piles of folders, to Expose and Mission Control, all with the intention of giving the user the use of multitasking.

Mobile operating systems are much more recent and therefore are more green in this area, but if we can find several examples of multitasking systems and interfaces used for switching between applications. Let's review a sample of what we have seen so far:

System to change between pages IOS Safari

The original iPhone had a great multitasking system which could be listening to music and if you entered a call the system automatically stopped playing and threw the interface to take the call. But Apple did not allow third party applications running in the background, so no need to develop a system for switching between applications.

In 2007, however had to be implemented in Safari the ability to have multiple websites open at once. In the desktop browser no problem, because we used the tab system, but Apple did not see this system operating for such a small screen like the iPhone and had to find another way to do it in the browser of mobile devices.

They were inspired by the used Cover Flow on iPod for music, creating the current system of switching between pages using Safari and we all know.

"Cards" or WebOS cards

Apple had not launched a system to switch between applications does not mean that the other companies did not. At CES 2009 was presented the first Palm Pre, which was a revolution because it seemed designed to alleviate all the "defects" that had the iPhone, including multitasking applications.

So an interface is implemented to move between applications based on the interface using Safari, and they called Cards (Cards). To display all open applications just had to slide your finger up and to see all currently open applications like cards, which could even order as we want.

Later Palm introduced a system of "stacks" in WebOS 2.0, a system that allowed you to group applications, which became a visual system faster and, if somewhat uncomfortable being around behind other applications. An example you can see it in images and in this video:

System switching between applications in IOS

Of course we will also talk about the current system of switching between apps using Apple's IOS. The Cupertino began to allow the execution of background tasks from 2010. At first it was a very cumbersome to switch between applications because you had to close one and open another.

Building on the launch of the iPhone in the spring of 2010 and using the larger screen, Apple implemented in iPhone Safari a grid system or grid. This system did not last long, because with the release of iOS 5 in autumn 2011 was replaced by a system of "tabs" similar to that used by the desktop version of Safari.

Apparently iOS 4 had the temptation to experiment on the iPhone with a system like OSX Exposé, but was finally discarded.

Instead the current system was implemented, whereby a double tap the Home button Dock disappears and shows active applications. Effective but unobtrusive.

This system is fast because it uses icons and not a static preview of the application that would be much heavier. On the other hand, if you open many applications can be somewhat "weary" have to be scrolling horizontally to find the applications you want. As you know, with this interface does not have the ability to rearrange applications as we like, but we can close the application from here.

The last change was in IOS 5, where Apple iPad implemented in the ability to switch between applications with multi-touch gestures, that if no preview and no possibility of computer applications, as you can see in the video below:

Android

Google's operating system has multitasking implemented from the beginning to be relatively new. Furthermore, we see many examples Android different, as well as the version of Google can find where the different brands with their corresponding "intermediate layers" such as Sense HTC or Samsung TouchWiz.

In its current version 4.x Ice Cream Sandwich Android, has opted for a system very similar to Palm but with vertical scrolling.

BlackBerry OS Playbook

The BlackBerry Tablet system combines the "Cards" interface of WebOS with Safari, using also the 7-inch Tablet for a spectacular display, as you can see in this video:

Windows Phone 7.5

I must admit that now one of the nicest interfaces I've seen is that of mobile phones with Windows Phone. The first mobile (or rather PDAs) with Windows Phone and have multitasking, but with an interface rather ugly and unfriendly. It was from last year with the launch of Windows Phone 7.5 and the adoption of the interface when Metro began to shine.

However, despite excel in many things over its competitors, for multitasking did not want to risk and have adopted an interface card with horizontal scrolling implemented exactly like Palm WebOS in and we've seen earlier in this article.

BlackBerry 10

In the new version of the BlackBerry operating system which is scheduled for Autumn this year, we will see an interface for multitasking based on a grill or grid with preview with 4 applications with the ability to change for other 4 different, all it by touch.

A very polished and apparently quite simple in order to be able to handle with one hand as you can see in this video:

Options for a fast system iOS 6

The obvious choices would be:

• Maintaining the current interface
• Change style "cards" in WebOS
• Change style "grid" or grid
• Change any other better
• Maintaining the current interface

In fairness we must recognize that currently the system to switch between applications, Apple is fast and efficient. It may be something less flashy and provide less information than the competition, but Apple could choose to keep.

Change style "cards" in WebOS

Jump to a card system would lose the ability to give us immediate recognition that the icons, but also would get as much information given by the "thumbnails" or preview.

The implementation of such an interface would not be anything new compared to its competitors, and may even webOS tacharle to copy (although previously these copied to Apple).

Change style "grid" or grid

The grid interface would be very similar to the above but may see more thumbnails on the same screen without having to scroll horizontally (although if you have to keep shifting in case of many applications open). Having seen more applications at once means that the information we can get the preview of these is less.

This view was implemented in iPad iOS 4 as I said earlier and was ruled out, so why should they return to it in IOS 6?

Change to any other system better

Change to something much better than the system itself or Exposé pages would be a great challenge for Apple. Not the same view on video concepts, prototypes and even movies that apply for use by millions of people.

However we can not rule out this option. We already know that Apple has always been known for revolutionizing the market and has on its staff the best designers in the world. They would have to implement an interface that was fast, recognizable, to provide lots of information and accessible. Can they get it?

Will we see a renewal of multitasking in iPhone OS 6 or we will have to wait for future versions? Soon we'll find out.

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