Apple: Eight iPhone Annoyances

By Greg Kumparak

The iPhone is like the bacon-wrapped scallop of the mobile world. Both are quite visually pleasing relative to their peers, easy to use, and generally liked by the masses. Spend a little too much time with either, however, and you start to see the flaws. With the scallops, the grease and animal fat that was oh-so delicious on the way down begins to clog your arteries and slow your saunter. With the iPhone, the interface that seemed oh-so-polished when it first met your fingertips begins to show signs of oversight and imperfection.

We’ve been using the iPhone for just a few months shy of two years now, and a few things that once seemed trivial have come to drive us up the wall. You’ll find no mention of the glaring faults (The lack of MMS, Copy and Paste, etc) in this list - we’re talking about the stuff that we just can’t believe made it through Apple’s (AAPL) user experience team.

1. Long text messages are auto-split without any indication or character counter

Not too long ago, I sent someone the following text message:

I think you’re already on 802.11n, which is what provides the range they’re claiming. Can you wait till 14th? I’ll fix your network up in As a thanks for taking me to the airport

The response:

king me - wtf?

See, text messages (all phones, not just the iPhone) only support up to 160 characters. In the message I sent above, everything before the “king” in “taking” got sent as one message, with everything after being sent separately. Unfortunately, the seperate parts of these messages often arrive out of order - and occasionally, they just don’t make it at all. The only message my recipient got was “king me to the airport”, which didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Maybe if we were playing some sort of odd location-based game of checkers?

Most phones only allow you to input 160 characters, while others will let you type more than 160 characters but indicate in some way that the message will be split - and nearly all phones have a character countdown of some sort, letting you know when you’re close to the limit. The iPhone doesn’t do any of this. It just lets you type away until your fingers get sore, with no acknowledgement of the limit whatsoever. Not only does this lead to all sorts of confusion when the messages only make it over partially or out of order, but it’s bad for your wallet, too: each block of 160 characters counts as a separate text. If you’re not on an unlimited texting plan, that’s a quick way to gobble up your allotment unknowingly.

2. UI Inconsistencies: The Jumping “New” button

In the Calendar application, the button you press to add a new event is in the upper right. In the SMS application, you press the button in the upper right to start a new text message. In the email app? Bottom right.

Sure, it seems trivial - and it is! But it’s also ultra sloppy on Apple’s part. A consistent UI is a strong UI, and this subtle inconsistency keeps the user from being able to train their thumb to know that new item = upper right. When you have to glance around the screen with each use because you can’t remember where the button is in this particular app, something is wrong.

3. No search in email

On a slow day, my work inbox usually gets nailed every 7 or 8 minutes. On a crazy day, such as during a trade show, this shoots up to once every 3-4 minutes. I don’t mind so much about the rate - it’s easy enough to tell if an email is important or not from the subject line and the first few sentences - but the noise makes it almost impossible to find something I need if its been more than a few hours since it hit my inbox.

Things would be a whole lot easier if the iPhone email client had even the simplest search functionality - but it doesn’t. Want to find that email your boss sent you a few days ago? Nope. Know a keyword or two that’ll filter your mountain of mail down to 2-3 important ones? Thats nice. Have fun hitting the “Load more messages” button and reading every subject line until you find what you want.

4. No attaching pictures from within an email

Wow! You managed to nab a cute, candid picture of your kid in which they don’t have spaghetti sauce, mud, or any other junk on their face. That’s unheard of! You better send this one to Grandma to prove your kids aren’t horribly dirty all of the time. So, you type up the email - just a paragraph or two telling her what’s going on, how things are. You know, the standard stuff. You go to attach the image, just as you’re used to doing on any other email client.

Yeah, you can’t. You can only attach images to emails by hitting the “Email Photo” button within the Photo app. Once you’ve started the email the traditional way and done your typing, you’re out of luck. You either get to retype the whole thing, or send a separate email just for the image. Pft.

5. Inconsistent gestures: Where’s the swipe?

Apple likes to make a big deal about their gestures. They’re simple to use, and simple to explain - it’s a killer thing to pitch in a commercial.

Thing is, Apple doesn’t really use them very often - at least, not as often as they could. If you want to swipe between photos, sure - you can do that, which they’re happy to show you in every iPhone advertisement ever. Want to swipe between days on the Calendar? No. Notes or emails? Nope and nope. The latter are all things that are often viewed back-to-back - why make me click out and then back in if you’re trying to prove to me that swiping works?

6. No way to add home screen shortcuts for Airplane mode, WiFi, Blueooth, or 3G toggling.

Battery life isn’t exactly the iPhone’s strong point - and this is especially true with the iPhone 3G. It improves significantly if you flip the WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G radios off if you’re not using them - but this gets real old, real fast. Toggling WiFi takes 3 clicks, and toggling 3G takes 4.

I know what you’re saying. “What the hell? Is he really complaining about 3 or 4 clicks?”. Yes, yes I am. The 100th time you’ve flipped the switch on 3G to make sure you’re still juiced up and the end of a long day, that 400th click feels like the millionth.

We’re not saying everyone needs (or wants) quick toggles on their home screen - but for the sake of us road/airplane warriors, it’d be a nice option. Apple made it possible to add shortcuts to websites to the home screen - why not do the same for the more commonly accessed local settings?

7. Arranging applications sucks something terrible

As long as we’re only moving one or two applications around the homescreen, we’ve got no qualms with the way Apple’s set up App management. Hold an icon, wait a second, and drag it wherever you want. If you want to organize a bunch of apps by their functionality (or worse yet, alphabetically), that system is a pile of hot garbage. Ten click-hold-drags later, you’ve probably moved on to something more interesting, such as ironing all of your underwear or counting the specks of dust on the nearest TV screen.

While we can’t think of a better solution while staying within the device, YouTube user svdomer09 conjured up the above concept video showing an absolutely awesome alternative within iTunes. It’s the best solution we’ve seen yet, and we’d sing a song from the top of the tallest mountain if it were made real.

8. No custom themes without jailbreaking

Since the App Store launched, the number of reasons to jailbreak your iPhone has dwindled. What’s left:

• Passive-aggressively sticking it to the man
• Running apps that Apple inexplicably won’t allow, such as video recording/streaming stuff.
• Illegal stuff we won’t talk about here
• Customizing your theme.

Apple can’t help you with the sticking it to the man part, their App Store acceptance polices are a whole different (and long winded) topic, and they probably don’t want to help you with the illegal stuff - but the lack of theming support and basic customization is just silly.

We get it, Apple. You’re proud of your UI and your Human Interface Guidelines. You like things to be standard and uniform. (We’ll go ahead and ignore Brushed Metal, for now.)

But I’m tired of staring into the void. Apple provides a means of setting a “Wallpaper” - but it’s only shown for the half second between waking up and unlocking the handset. Then it’s back to the void.

The enthusiast community has already proven that there are a huge number of people who want to customize. Hundreds upon hundreds of themes (of varying quality) exist - why not allow the user to put a bit of fun in their device whenever they grow tired of the same old look? Even if, unlike the jailbreak-only themes, application icons were locked from modification for the sake of a consistent user experience, the user should be able to change the dock and the background. Hell, they could even add themes to the App Store and sell’em for 99 cents a pop.

The iPhone is still one of a handful of devices we’d call favorites - but it’s not perfect. Got any iPhone nitpicks of your own? Voice’em in the comments. Go ahead - it feels good.

Original post

Comments

[Julian Ivan...:]

I'm not sure what this has to do with AAPL.. perhaps a litany of moans (mostly unjustified although I understand where you're coming from) about the iPhone might be better suited to an Engadget comment than an article on SeekingAlpha....?

Mar 01 01:57 PM

[another.ana...:]

Of course, Rimm, Nokia, Palm, The Evil Empire, Motorola, et al have no problems either large or small that would driver users "up the wall." That must be why AAPL & its iPhone are such also-rans in the smart phone business.

Ayuh

Mar 01 02:25 PM

[Bill Youngs:]

I waited for months and months for the first iPhone to come out, then waited hours and hours in the rain to buy it the first evening they were available. It took my breath away then, and every week, some new app takes my breath away again. I think it was worth every penny of the initial $599 purchase price -- and thanks Apple for that early purchases $100 dollar rebate. That said, I like Greg's suggestions for making a fabulous device even more fabulous -- of his suggestions, I'd especially like cut and paste. Additionally I'd like to see the note taking function synch with the same app on my computer, just as calendars do. For my youtube video, admitedly very corny, of my first encounter with my iPhone, check out www.youtube.com/watch?....

Mar 01 03:07 PM

[Oh Blah Dee...:]

Apple probably knows all of these shortcomings. Software, at some point, has to be put on the market. It can't stay in "beta" forever.

However, Apple's first crack at the mobile phone software produced a product that is, overall, superior to all others.

Evolutionary and revolutionary Apple software upgrades and add-ons will show Apple to be the best, as it has shown with its Mac OS.

Mar 01 03:49 PM

[john1940:]

The iPhone is an outstanding consumer product and way ahead of any other smartphones. However. the phone is average, the contact and calendar syncing poor, the apps addition is great, the camera poor, music is outstanding, and many simple steps for better user interface just not right yet. And probably never will be given AAPL's arrogance. But this is not the forum until someone else gets it right. AAPL's bigger problem is the price gap between their products and competition. It's too large to ignore.

Mar 01 04:02 PM

[ChainedtoiP...:]

8 annoyances, and you didn't include (not) being able to highlight, cut, copy and paste text in email and SMS? Or the fact that you can't sync Notes to your MacBook? Those are basic no-brainers.

Mar 01 04:43 PM

[Alan D.:]

Wow... I agree with all of these. I'm not sure I've had that happen before. :-) App Launching would be another I'd add; being able to find apps by name (perhaps in a cover-flow type manner) would be awesome. I hate having to flip through 6-8 screens hoping to quickly recognize an app's icon, and then have to go through again more slowly looking at the names... And btw I found out (the hard way) that the iPhone only allows 148 apps onto the phone - 9 screens of 16 apps + the 4 at the bottom. Is that an unreasonable number? Not really. Is it arbitrary? Seems that way to me... (I need to prune some of the free apps that just seemed nice at the time.)

#s 2,5,8 don't bother me that much but #1 is a huge issue for me - not having a character counter is just broken.

Mar 01 04:46 PM

[Murphy Mac:]

ChainedtoiPhone - you have to admit it's funny you took time to comment without reading the article.

It's a good article with valid points, but I agree with the comment that it doesn't really belong on Seeking Alpha.

Mar 01 05:49 PM

[borotronic:]

Nobody twisted your arm to buy the iphone. You don't like it... chalk it off to a lesson learned and stop your damned complaining. If you really want something to complain about... complain about the people who elected bush for two terms. He really screwed up this country.

Mar 01 06:33 PM

[davesmall:]

I fail to understand why anyone wants SMS text messaging. I've owned a number of cell phones and have yet to feel the urge to send my first text message. I'm on email all the time but text messaging on cell phones seems a rip-off to me. I was delighted that AT&T allowed me to opt out of text messaging when the 3G iPhone was introduced. I think SMS text messaging is basically worthless.

Mar 01 06:47 PM

[Robert Prit...:]

See my comments in "Screwed!" (Letter from the CEO, macCompanion magazine, March 2009 issue) (scroll down to it) on being nailed by Apple for a (non) wet iPhone (not covered by the warranty) that didn't have the "pinkified" wet sensor, yet still cost over $500 to replace. Yes, it did get wet in the clothes washer. No, the wet sensor (inside the earplug hole) was still white on the surface.

Apple iPhones are aquaphobes! Is that annoying or what? Apparently, the Achilles heel of iPhones is moisture. That is just bad design when other cellphones can be operated in hot tubs without a problem.

Mar 01 07:42 PM

[Jaticker:]

FOLDERS would sure be great. I'd love to have all my News Apps in 1 folder etc.

Mar 01 09:21 PM

[C&P:]

I can't believe you didn't mention: NO CUT AND PASTE! NO PHONE NUMBER CAPTURE TO ADD TO CONTACTS.

Mar 01 10:30 PM

[jmmx:]

Sounds like a reasonable list/ I hope they are listening. You can go to the Apple web site to give feedback.

Mar 01 10:54 PM

[topchat:]

Greg, I'd say you need to take a step back and get a perspective on what you see the iPhone as doing for you. It reads as if the iPhone should be the only 'communicator' in your life - voice phone, pager, email, web browser, etc. If that is your pitch then much of what you say is valid.

However, if, like most people, they still have a landline phone, they review/send most emails from a laptop/desktop, life doesn't revolve around just SMS then the iPhone presents for the first(?) time a decent enough mobile companion for all these things. Sure the iPhone can be perfect, and it can only get better as most of your 'annoyances' have software solutions, although possibly some difficult user interaction issues to overcome.

How come it has taken Apple to shake the mobile phone manufacturers out of their complacency? They didn't rush to solve your annoyances either, did they?

Mar 02 03:05 AM

[Ara:]

If after 2 years of using a device this is all you have to complain about, then be happy. The storm and these other devices crash at least 3-4 times a week. Cmon man, ur really stretching here... The I Phone is basically a mini computer, of course it will have occasional issues..

Mar 02 09:44 AM

[Ara:]

the cut and paste thing is annoying, that is true.. but overall the device is amazing and nothing comes close

Mar 02 09:45 AM

[sleepy:]

As regards AAPL, the take away from this is that iPhone is succeeding despite numerous "annoyances" and missing features, and despite muscling in on the carriers' desired revenue streams. Which confirms that competing smartphones haven't yet got the basics right, and Apple can afford to take their time. Don't imagine these topics haven't been under development inside Apple since before iPhone was launched. Updates can be released whenever it is strategically beneficial to do so.

Mar 02 09:59 AM

[greenskyrocket:]

Damn, I thought I was at Seeking Alpha, this reads like I was at Appleinsider, or Endgadget.

That said, I could list 10 things to improve with most things I have bought. Half of these points will be addressed before too long I feel. As I am in Australia, I had the opportunity to buy my iPhone knowing most of its shortcomings, but I bought it anyway. A bit like a friend who has his faults, but you still call him your friend.

Mar 02 10:10 AM

[ScroogeMcduck:]

WAH! cry me a river all the benifits of the iphone tremendously outweight any flaws it has. I have a blackberry and my girlfriend has a iphone shes loves it i cant tell you how many cool features it has that any other phone is years away from. For instance my girlfriend has a Bose speaker that her iphone attaches to, she downloaded a app. called imoods it displays different movie loops of waterfalls, beach scenes and lightning storms etc. with sound related to each, its really cool. What benifits does my Blackberry have that my crappy moto didnt have? a few extra buttons im kicking myself for signing another 2 year contract with sprint again its no wonder there stock prices is falling like a rock.

Mar 02 10:25 AM

[FreeRange:]

Apple blew everyone away with this tremendous hand held computing device, that also has cell phone capabilities, and turned the mobile phone industry upside down in the process. And yes, there is room for improvement, but isn't that what software is always about? Making the next version even greater, as Apple always does (this isn't MSFT we're talking about). Can't wait for the next iteration! They'll keep getting better, and better, and better, while the competitors are playing catchup. Lets remember that Apple just got into this came and is competing very effectively against the companies that invented the business...

Mar 02 10:27 AM

[Justfine:]

On Mar 01 03:07 PM Bill Youngs wrote:

> I waited for months and months for the first iPhone to come out,
> then waited hours and hours in the rain to buy it the first evening
> they were available. It took my breath away then, and every week,
> some new app takes my breath away again. I think it was worth every
> penny of the initial $599 purchase price -- and thanks Apple for
> that early purchases $100 dollar rebate. That said, I like Greg's
> suggestions for making a fabulous device even more fabulous -- of
> his suggestions, I'd especially like cut and paste. Additionally
> I'd like to see the note taking function synch with the same app
> on my computer, just as calendars do. For my youtube video, admitedly
> very corny, of my first encounter with my iPhone, check out www.youtube.com/watch?....


Ahh, the syncing calendars. If only..even last week's update still hasn't fixed syncing subscribed calendars, something we've been promised since last summer. Imagine a husband and wife working in different locations who'd like to be able to cordinate schedules. Get it? Why oh why can't Apple fix this glaring mistake in 6-7 months?

Mar 02 10:31 AM

[mollytjm:]

bottom line... Apple did it first and best. It'll get better. Unlike other companies, Apple tries to fix bugs quickly and innovates, quickly. We'll see fixes for a lot of this stuff in the next release.

Mar 02 10:34 AM

[frs:]

You can make a list of 8 annoyances about any cell phone on the market. For that matter, just about any product. Say what you want - the iPhone still is best in class, it's introduction revolutionized the market, and it's still flying off the shelves.

Mar 02 10:49 AM

[pk de cville:]

Great list.... Hope they fix these soon (copy/paste, too).

Mar 02 11:29 AM

[User 367872:]

There is no search for the Ipod either. Even the old generations of ipod have a built-in search

Mar 02 11:42 AM

[.crazylegs..:]

how about the option for a unified inbox with all types of messages, emails from all accounts, sms, mms (if ever), im chats, etc. this makes using any device so much easier for me. otherwise, you spend lots of annoying time navigating in and out of the various messaging inboxes. terrible, just terrible. and cut/paste would be nice. strange apple is so intent and saying f you to everyone and not listening to customers.

Mar 02 01:04 PM

[cheaperCDs:]

"seperate"?

Mar 02 05:46 PM

[cheaperCDs:]

On Mar 01 04:43 PM ChainedtoiPhone wrote:
> 8 annoyances, and you didn't include (not) being able to highlight,
> cut, copy and paste text in email and SMS? Or the fact that you
> can't sync Notes to your MacBook? Those are basic no-brainers.

He did, in the parenthetical comment.

Mar 02 06:05 PM

[DanielP:]

I've had an Iphone since the first week it came out; first the Iphone and then the 3G. I was all about talking up my iphone, and even after having a bb for three years. At this point however, I cant wait to get a different phone. The phone does some of the most brilliant things, yet never the most basic ones. The 3G is horrendous. Emails are the WORST by far. I never get my emails on time, and even when I press update it doesn't work very well if even at all. It takes, even on the 3G, forever to load a simple text-based email. Copy and Paste is obviously an issue, or the fact that you cant forward a contact/address to another person via text. Although the emails are my biggest problem, the speaker is still terrible, the service has WAYYY too many dropped calls even in Los Angeles, and the other problem is that the phone cant be charged from the bottom like the old iphone was able to when plugged into virtually anything, even while playing music.
Everything the writer of this article wrote was spot on. These issues didnt seem to be a big deal in the beginning, but as time goes by, im loosing all faith in the iphone. All my gung ho friends who have one have been switiching out of it. Apple, listen to these pleas.

Concerned Apple lover.

and when will be able to sync contacts and calendars wirelessly as a standard feature??

Mar 04 04:44 PM