Apple’s annual developer’s conference gets underway tomorrow, with another keynote address that will likely have a substantial impact on the app ecosystem. Developers, the press, and tech enthusiasts will all be watching what CEO Tim Cook unveils from the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
While there has been plenty reported about what may or may not happen, here is our wish list for what iOS 6 will bring:
Last call for Google Maps?
- Maps integration with the Mac: The worst-kept secret is that Apple will show off its new maps app. It will be an in-house solution that will dispense with reliance on Google Maps. But will it have the same functionality that Google Maps users have on Android? For a long while now they have had the option to integrate their saved directions, maps, and other data from their Google account. Being able to perform a map search on the desktop and have it on mobile is incredibly powerful. Apple needs this kind of flexibility to compete.
- Easier access to settings: Being able to swipe down, tap the settings icon and instantly have access to turning off Wi-Fi is incredibly useful on Android. Instead, iOS users must tap settings, Wi-Fi, then click off. While this may seem petty, extra steps can get frustrating when trying to quickly perform a task that is essential to saving battery life when away from home.
- More sharing options: Indications are pretty strong that Facebook sharing will get the same integration as Twitter currently holds with iOS 5. But this pales in comparison to the sharing options that users have with Android. For example, one can share an image to Facebook, Google+, Evernote, Google Drive, Bluetooth, or several others once the corresponding apps are installed. iOS could take a large step forward with making it easier to send files to a larger variety of services.
- More widgets: The notification center is very well done in iOS. Swiping down to get the weather and stock information essentially makes their counterpart apps moot. However, extending that functionality further would make one’s iPhone feel more alive. Imagine being able to swipe down and then launch an new note with Evernote or add an Any.DO task. Don’t expect Android-style widgets on the home screen (it would be too jarring with the way iOS is designed), but some real-time flexibility here would be a huge improvement.
- E-mail improvements: Only one thing really – the ability to add an attachment from an e-mail. Seriously, having to go into the Photos app or elsewhere to send an image is really lame. And while some may argue that most people probably just use MMS or Facebook to share images, e-mail still rules among those in a corporate environment.
We will be updating TheAppPlanet throughout the day tomorrow with impressions about how iOS 6 will impact the iPhone and developer community.
