Dynamic Badges and Flipcons an iOS6 Dream [Video]

So I just got done writing about the mess I think the new iPhone 5 home screen will be with the addition of an extra row of static icons because of the larger screen real estate. I recite too much of that but you can read it here. In short, I state how Apple has done almost nothing but “adopt” a notification system  strikingly similar to Android and make t there own. The problem is the home screen and all the icons that do nothing. Android solves this by using widgets and Windows Phone solves this by a very innovative Live Tiles. Leaks have indicated that a form of Live Apps might be possible but not to expect anything in the way of a widget on the iPhone. I’m personally not a huge fan of widgets, but anything is better than a number on a static icon. So a designer Joost van der Ree has created a video with what he interprets many tech enthusiasts are asking Apple to put into iOS6. This is not a rumor based video, but a perhaps a pipe dream. In any case, the video does show a significant first step for Apple to reclaim an intuitive UI once more but still falls short in my opinion.

Why does it fall short? Largely it is because an action is required to get the information that Android’s widgets and Windows Phones Live Tile’s display right on the home screen. I will say that these are pretty neat improvements and that the Dynamic Badges are pretty cool. I’m not so sure how much I like Flipcons because why not just open the app with the same gesture effort and see what is going on? Where I am pleased with a larger screen, which no doubt will be impressive, I hope Apple takes the opportunity to make better use of it than it does with the 3.5 inch screen it has.

While the UI is a major part of the device and how we use it, don’t forget that Apple dominates the App Market and Developers and is outstanding in the respect. Also, nothing comes close to Apples Video and Camera capabilities. It’s rock solid so I don’t want to be misunderstood as a Apple hater. I actually carry a Titan II and an Apple iPhone 4S for various reasons. The Titan II is a blast with social media and emails. The iPhone is my weekender for taking amazing video and pictures of the kids and our leisure time away from work. But Apple has some work to do because unlike a UI and software development, it won’t take that long for it’s competitors to bring it’s hardware, specifically it’s camera hardware up to speed with Apple.

[MacStories]