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Apple still encourages developers to have UIs that are specifically tailored to the iPhone or iPad experience. You mean exactly like Android. Pretty remarkabl

by personZ 12y ago

Apple still encourages developers to have UIs that are specifically tailored to the iPhone or iPad experience. You mean exactly like Android. Pretty remarkable having clueless people telling me that I don't know what I'm talking about: I develop in both Android and iOS. But please, inform me.

threeseed 12y ago
No. Android doesn't have controls that behave very differently on tablets versus phones (regardless of screen sizes) e.g. UIActionSheet or only exist on tablets e.g. UIPopoverController. Apple baked into the SDK what it tells developers: iPhones and iPads are different devices that need different UIs. Android doesn't have this clear delineation.
- smsm42 12y ago
  What would be the point of behaving differently regardless of screen size? The screen size is the difference that causes different behavior between tablet and phone, or at least it should be so. If the screen size is the same, why have different UI?
  - threeseed 12y ago
    I can't speak to Apple's intentions but it is what makes iOS fundamentally different to Android. It could be related to product marketing. People buy iPads for fundamentally different use cases than buying a phone (even a large one). Edit: Because I am being downvoted so heavily for this let me be clear. I don't agree with what Apple did only trying to explain it. I would imagine that Apple never expected to be releasing phones and tablets that are so close in physical size to each other.
    - aetherson 12y ago
      Okay, can you give me an example of a ui element that would be usefully different on a 6" phone vs a 6" tablet?
      - n09n 12y ago
        Unlock screen. Inactivity timer. Lockscreen alert message. Wifi configuration. Notification center.
        pmontra 12y ago
        Maybe I'm blind to evidence but why should they be different?
        n09n 12y ago
        Phones are single-user, tablets can support multiple. Tablets are more often out when unused, phones are typically in your pocket. Phones are always with you, tablets are more likely to be left at home.
        pmontra 12y ago
        Ok for the multiple user support. I didn't think about that. However http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/06/android-smartphones-are-about-to-get-multi-user-support/ http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/06/android-smartphones-are-a... Furthermore if the phone is as large as the tablet maybe your tablet is your phone or viceversa. There are tablets that can make phone calls with regular phone SIM cards. Example: the Galaxy Tab 3 which starts at 7". I've seen people doing that without a earpiece. An odd sight.
        smsm42 12y ago
        This looks like putting the cart before the horse to me. One can say "we have one-user UI and multi-user UI", etc. - that's good. But saying "this is a tablet so you always get multi user UI and this is a phone so you always get single user UI" looks wrong for me - the purpose of the user should be driving the UI, not the other way around. Of course, maybe the whole point of Apple is to drive user's choice and thus make them comfortable by not confusing them with too much variety and options. I see how this can appeal to some people though I am definitely not one of them. That's why the only Apple device I've ever owned - an iPad - has been collecting dust in a desk drawer since the minute I've got an Android tablet. I guess these are just two different models of user interaction that appeal to different kinds of people.

by personZ 12y ago

threeseed 12y ago

No. Android doesn't have controls that behave very differently on tablets versus phones (regardless of screen sizes) e.g. UIActionSheet or only exist on tablets e.g. UIPopoverController. Apple baked into the SDK what it tells developers: iPhones and iPads are different devices that need different UIs. Android doesn't have this clear delineation.

smsm42 12y ago
What would be the point of behaving differently regardless of screen size? The screen size is the difference that causes different behavior between tablet and phone, or at least it should be so. If the screen size is the same, why have different UI?
- threeseed 12y ago
  I can't speak to Apple's intentions but it is what makes iOS fundamentally different to Android. It could be related to product marketing. People buy iPads for fundamentally different use cases than buying a phone (even a large one). Edit: Because I am being downvoted so heavily for this let me be clear. I don't agree with what Apple did only trying to explain it. I would imagine that Apple never expected to be releasing phones and tablets that are so close in physical size to each other.
  - aetherson 12y ago
    Okay, can you give me an example of a ui element that would be usefully different on a 6" phone vs a 6" tablet?
    - n09n 12y ago
      Unlock screen. Inactivity timer. Lockscreen alert message. Wifi configuration. Notification center.
      - pmontra 12y ago
        Maybe I'm blind to evidence but why should they be different?
        n09n 12y ago
        Phones are single-user, tablets can support multiple. Tablets are more often out when unused, phones are typically in your pocket. Phones are always with you, tablets are more likely to be left at home.
        pmontra 12y ago
        Ok for the multiple user support. I didn't think about that. However http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/06/android-smartphones-are-about-to-get-multi-user-support/ http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/06/android-smartphones-are-a... Furthermore if the phone is as large as the tablet maybe your tablet is your phone or viceversa. There are tablets that can make phone calls with regular phone SIM cards. Example: the Galaxy Tab 3 which starts at 7". I've seen people doing that without a earpiece. An odd sight.
        smsm42 12y ago
        This looks like putting the cart before the horse to me. One can say "we have one-user UI and multi-user UI", etc. - that's good. But saying "this is a tablet so you always get multi user UI and this is a phone so you always get single user UI" looks wrong for me - the purpose of the user should be driving the UI, not the other way around. Of course, maybe the whole point of Apple is to drive user's choice and thus make them comfortable by not confusing them with too much variety and options. I see how this can appeal to some people though I am definitely not one of them. That's why the only Apple device I've ever owned - an iPad - has been collecting dust in a desk drawer since the minute I've got an Android tablet. I guess these are just two different models of user interaction that appeal to different kinds of people.