back to article iPhones, iPads to be FULL OF FACEBOOK and NOT GOOGLE

If you're harboring any doubts about bad blood bubbling between Apple and Google, Cupertino's iOS headman Scott Forstall dispelled them on Monday when introducing the next version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 6. "They released a dairy product, 4.0, about the same time that we released iOS 5," Macworld quotes* …

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  1. url
    Trollface

    auto stuff

    "Siri will also enable automotive use in what Apple calls an "Eyes Free" mode, being summond by a steering-wheel button; Apple is working with BMW, General Motors, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler, and Honda to add this capability to their vehicles."

    Is that jagwah??

    1. ThomH

      Re: auto stuff

      Shush! You'll get yourself banned from reading Apple news!

    2. LarsG

      Have just

      Seen the details of iOS 6 while not radical there are some interesting features and minor tweaks. It also appears to be more wall and less reliant on third parties (maps).

      Didn't see NFC? Maybe that will be for the new phone.

      Sadly not a radical change and the Samsung looks the better featured system.

      However it will be how flawless it works, that will be the key.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "Didn't see NFC"

        See "Solution looking for problem"...

        1. Adam Nealis

          NFC = "No F@cking Chance"?

          WTF does NFC stand for?

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: NFC = "No F@cking Chance"?

            Near Field Communications perhaps?

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: auto stuff

      I won't be buying any car that has an Apple specific button.

      I presume it will be an optional-extra and not forced upon us?

      1. It wasnt me
        Meh

        Re: auto stuff

        "I won't be buying any car that has an Apple specific button."

        May I interest you in this Kia C'eed sir? No? Then it'll have to be the Nissan Note, or something from Tata.

        You don't think they might make it available to other handsets do you?

        1. Lallabalalla
          Happy

          Re: auto stuff

          Oh, the Nissans are bound to have them. But I think Lada are relaunching, which satisfies the requirement for massive dickheads to always drive German cars.

          1. Alan 6

            @Lallabalalla

            " But I think Lada are relaunching, which satisfies the requirement for massive dickheads to always drive German cars."

            Lada are Russian, not German. Maybe you were thinking of Trabant? They're long gone thank God, although God's earthly ambassador Bono probably has a few old Zooropa stage props in his shed

            1. Lallabalalla

              Re: @Lallabalalla

              Oh yes - thought it was the other way around. But you get the gist.

        2. JetSetJim

          Re: auto stuff

          They should just fit summat with this stuff in: http://www.terminalmode.org/technology.html

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: auto stuff

      No-no, "jag-wire", please :)

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I thought it was a decent enough show. Thought they'd announce some partial upgrade for the iMacs at least. It was nice to see the 650M added to the MBP as well. The 555M in my current laptop is a great card. I don't game heavily on my laptop, but for the few I do play, like Skyrim, it handles them brilliantly.

    Still a couple of things that bug me about iOS6 though.

    Doesn't seem to be any mention of opening up an API for Notification Centre for third party widgets.

    I'd also like a simple extension of the restriction feature so that I can passcode lock certain apps. I know developers can do this individually for their own app, but it would be useful for the stock apps and the ones that don't.

    And, the new Maps. As a 4 user, I'd rather stick with what I've got now, which works perfectly for me, then end up with a gimped solution with a half feature set because they've decided to throw dildos at each other. Bye bye Street View I guess, which I found incredibly useful from my phone.

    But, I'm at least thankful they're unifying caller ID between phone number and Apple ID when using iMessage/FaceTime.

    1. Kevin Fairhurst

      I may be guessing here...

      ... but I imagine that Google Maps will be an available download from the iOS store not long after iOS6 launches!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I may be guessing here...

        I imagine that Google Maps will be an available download from the iOS store not long after iOS6 launches

        You think the Apple Police will let that through?

        1. Bill B

          Umm .. why do you need an app?

          Type in 'maps.google.co.uk' into the browser ..

          It asks you if you want to install it as a web app on your home screen

          Sorted

  3. MacRat
    WTF?

    Sharp Stick?

    There is some reason that you think Apple is required to use Google Maps?

  4. Quxy
    WTF?

    What a silly argument!

    Of course there are more versions of Android than iOS out there in the market. The Android ecosystem is much more diverse than the iPhone's, with many manufacturers serving many different global markets with very diverse feature requirements and price points. "Fragmentation" isn't a problem for consumers -- only for a company like Apple trying to control the entire "experience".

    I have always bought specific Apple products when they best suited specific needs, but I'm really getting tired of fanbois' continual feigned surprise at discovering that consumers around the world generally seem to be more interested in buying a phone that does what they need at a price they consider reasonable than in buying into Apple's increasingly disturbing view of what mobile computing should look like and who should control it.

    1. Phormic

      Re: What a silly argument!

      Of course fragmentation is a problem for consumers. Any customisation of Android is invariably a degradation (particularly when done by phone carriers) and the prospect of normal people ever upgrading and improving their phone's software is often remote at best.

      When you add in the fact that most developers would be hesitant in using Google's latest API's and new functionality with the vast amount of legacy software still in use, you can only come to the conclusion that the slow upgrade rate is an anchor that holds back the platform's progression and improvement.

      Ice Cream Sandwich was meant to be the grand unifier for Android according to Google at its launch (in itself an admission of a problem). At that it has simply failed.

      1. Quxy
        Thumb Down

        Only us geeks care about OS versions

        Sorry, ordinary consumers buy a phone and use it without any notion of what version of Android it's running, or even notice very much when software upgrades are pushed to their phone. Ordinary users running 2-year-old Droids don't care that they're only on v2.2, they only notice that new apps are a bit slow compared to their mate's new phone, and the phone is getting banged up enough that it's time for an upgrade. Ordinary users simply do not "upgrade and improve their phone's software", even if it's possible and easy.

        1. Jonathan White
          Meh

          Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

          The graph suggests Apple users DO upgrade their phones. Unless you assume the vast majority of iPhones were bought in the last 12 months...

          1. Lallabalalla
            Happy

            Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

            iPhones upgrade themselves pretty much automatically when you plug them in to iTunes - or, actually, just straight over-the-air nowadays, so it takes zero effort to do. The OS upgrade path for Android can be a more laborious process and there's always the worry that half your apps will break.

            The point about your droid not being as fast as your mate's new one, and it's looking decidedly tatty, is a good one. No matter how many apps I install my 4 runs the same now as when it was new (19 months ago) and it still looks like a brand new phone. If you put it next to mate's brand new 4S you wouldn't be able to tell them apart. Native apps (like iCal or the phonebook) fire up at the same speed too.

            Sometimes they go wrong though. at which point, instead of fighting tooth and nail with your operator or insurance company, you just drop in at any Apple reseller and get handed a new one.

            No-brainer for me I'm afraid, despite Apple's other obvious drawbacks.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Lallabalalla

              'you just drop in at any Apple reseller and get handed a new one.'

              No, you get a refurbished one and they charge you £179

          2. g e

            Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

            Don't most iThing owners use IThingTunes ?

            Doesn't that push/enforce updates on the devices as and when?

            I think that means apple upgrades the devices rather than 'most users'. For Android it's the carrier's decision, oftentimes, to deploy an update as they have to rebrand it, e.g. Vodafone needs lots of Red bootscreen crap and voda-specific apps, etc. In the event an update comes available it's still the user's choice to apply it, also.

            1. GotThumbs
              Linux

              Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

              "Don't most iThing owners use IThingTunes ?"

              Ah, there are ZERO other options. Apple has successfully played consumers in to believing that Apples controlled/restricted environment (aka Prison) is the option they need. Who cares if you don't use FB...Apple is telling you that you DO need to join the sheep herd.

              Reality is that most general consumers are dopes and have zero clue about what options are out there. They just follow Apples lead and gleefully accept what Apple thinks they should have and how to hold the phone :->.

              Hey if the "drink the cool-aid" app comes out...then we'll be rid of quite a few blind followers.

              1. CmdrX3
                Coffee/keyboard

                Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

                I don't believe that is necessarily true, although I'm sure there are blind followers of either OS that swears the other is terrible. I'm in the have both camp. I wasn't thrilled by my android phones, so gave up and got an iPhone 4S which I really like, I could jailbreak it but have no intention of doing so generally because I really don't feel I need to. On the other hand I have an Asus Transformer and love it. I have fiddled about with an iPad and am not overly keen on it. The TF is a great little performer, which I rooted and installed a custom rom & kernel on, in order to overclock it to make it really snappy.

                So not everyone who buys into Apple are being played, are dopes, sheep/sheeple, have zero clue or just gleefully accept Apple as their master. Some people just want a decent smartphone that does exactly what they need with the minimum of fuss. While many find Android suits that purpose for them, I and many others don't. While many people find Apples iPad suits their purposes perfectly, I and many others don't and have an android tablet.

          3. TakeTheSkyRoad

            Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

            "The graph suggests Apple users DO upgrade their phones."

            More likely their phones are mostly upgraded for them when they sync to itunes to update their music and photos. itunes will prompt, they'll blindly click through the options and hey preto they are upgraded !

            Also Android users generally do not expect an upgrade... the general man in the street hear that iphones get upgraded but are perfectly accepting that every other phone out there stays with the software it was purchased with.

            That's being the state of play since the early days and hasn't changed much. Especially since new software is something many manufacturers use to to flog us new phones.

            1. Craigness

              Re: Only us geeks care about OS versions

              "perfectly accepting that every other phone out there stays with the software it was purchased with"

              Not true. With a pc, you can run a 10 year old OS and have a week-old browser, email client, calendar, office suite, etc. It's the same with Android - the main apps get updated on top of the OS and you can use non-stock versions of core apps if you like, setting them to be the default app to handle their given tasks. Being on a 2 year old version of the OS means nothing; your apps can still use the ICS themes and activity bar even!

      2. gort

        Re: What a silly argument!

        Amusingly those graphs show that Android is about the same or possibly more homogenous than iOS from a developer's point of view, with a large majority of the userbase on the almost identical (for developers) 2.2-2.3 versions.

        And with Apple about to introduce yet another screen resolution, and the orphaning of the iPad 1 by iOS6, it's only going to get worse for Apple fragmentation.

    2. Richard 116

      Re: What a silly argument!

      "Of course there are more versions of Android than iOS out there in the market. The Android ecosystem is much more diverse than the iPhone's, with many manufacturers serving many different global markets with very diverse feature requirements and price points. "Fragmentation" isn't a problem for consumers -- only for a company like Apple trying to control the entire "experience"."

      But couldn't it also be said that there are many more versions of Android out there because handsets just get 'left behind' by manufacturers/operators? ie 18 month old phone and no more upgrades. This is one of the reasons I've avoided Android sets so far.

    3. JDX Gold badge

      Re: What a silly argument!

      Of course fragmentation is an issue. Hardware fragmentation means as a consumer I can't know for sure if an app will work smoothly on my particular device, and as a freelance developer I cannot realistically test on more than a fraction of the target devices.

      OS fragmentation means I have to either put in a lot more work making per-OS versions, or cater to lowest common denominator.

      It's exactly the same problem which has troubled the PC games industry since the year dot, compared to those making console games. More variability in target systems means more bugs, more work and more support requests.

      1. Annihilator
        Facepalm

        @JDX

        "It's exactly the same problem which has troubled the PC games industry since the year dot, compared to those making console games. More variability in target systems means more bugs, more work and more support requests."

        And yet... There seems to be a rather thriving PC gaming industry the last time I checked.

    4. This post has been deleted by its author

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: What a silly argument!

        iOS may have 650,000 apps versus 270,000 or so for Android. However, a big chunk of iOS apps are pointless fart apps, whereas most Android apps have a real purpose. It really doesn't matter if one OS has half a million + or or not; once there is between 50,000 to 100,000 apps then just about every need is covered in some way or other (excluding games). iOS and Android both have well designed app and their fair share of very badly designed apps. My point is, once there are 100,000+ apps, then there is an established developer support, enough to sustain a platform. Even Windows Phone now has 100,000+ apps and I think that's enough to keep Windows Phone in the game. None of the 3 main contenders provide an exclusive function or feature.

        1. Frank Bough

          Re: What a silly argument!

          absolute horse shit

  5. P. Lee
    Meh

    Seriously?

    My version number is bigger than yours so it must be better?

    Stop being juvenile and do something innovative.

    1. neek
      Meh

      Re: Seriously?

      I got the feeling their point was that they are releasing new major versions more frequently than Android - "They released a dairy product, 4.0, about the same time that we released iOS 5." If one can assume that a major version increase includes significantly improved features (which is debatable, I'll grant you), Apple are saying that since the versions were Android 4 and iOS 5, Apple are now up to iOS 6 and the ball is in Android's court to play catch up. They're bragging about their rate of progress, not the size of their tackle.

      1. Tom 7

        Re: Seriously?

        new major versions more frequently

        is that bug fixes, bad software design or drip feeding. When ms do it they're pilloried when apple do it they're cool?

        1. It wasnt me
          Unhappy

          Re: Seriously?

          Apple don't charge you for it. MS want a metric fuckload of cash every 5 minutes.

          1. Giles Jones Gold badge

            Re: Seriously?

            Which is surely better than buying a handset every 6 months?

        2. Sirius Lee

          Re: Seriously?

          And by Fanbois speaking out of both sides of their mouths at the same time.

      2. Charles 9

        But consider the timing.

        IIRC Android 1.0 came out later than iOS1 or whatever they were called at the time. If Android has always been about a major revision behind from the beginning, then it could be argued that both are still evolving at about the same rate: Apple's only advantage has been a head start. Further, you can't just count the numbers in the major revisions but you have to look at what's underneath.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Seriously?

      They're just pointing out that Apple support is generally better. All users with a phone that is about 0-3 years old get the software updates, unlike Android users who either have to upgrade their phone or use community firmware.

      1. Da Weezil

        Re: Seriously?

        I have an Android because I WANT to use community software rather than the bloatware that came with the phone.

        I realise some Sheeple may fel secure in being in a walled garden but thats not for me.

        1. Frank Bough

          Re: Seriously?

          sheeple - good one

      2. g e

        Re: Seriously?

        Yet my wife's Galaxy2 had ICS made available to it by Vodafone. It's 18 months old.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Seriously?

      What, like vector based mapping? Sorry, I forgot that of Apple do anything, it categorically *not* innovative...

  6. Dan 55 Silver badge
    Joke

    Google have done it again!

    They somehow have this knack of making the competition use ridiculous version numbers.

    1. JDX Gold badge

      Re: Google have done it again!

      yes, 6 is a ridiculous number.

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