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iOS 14: Here's what Apple needs to focus on
Later this month at WWDC 2020, we will see Apple give us the first official view of iOS 14, the platform that will take the iPhone in 2021. There's are no shortages of things that Apple should fix and improve in the platform for iOS 14.
So, what does this platform need to hold its own against Android?
Must read: iOS 14: Will it run on your iPhone and iPad?
#1: Improved reliability
iOS 12 had its flakey periods, as iOS 13 has had. This is a trend that Apple needs to break, especially as iOS updates are pushed installed on hundreds of millions of devices within days of release.
I know that people love new features - I do too - but I'd much rather Apple focus on reliability of iOS than add new features to the platform. Without good levels of reliability, using iPhones and iPads becomes a miserable, wretched experience.
#2: Speed
After reliability, speed is important, especially on older devices. While IOS 13 is super-fast on the iPhone 11, it feels kludgy on older devices, and users shouldn't have to it pay big bucks in order to get good performance.
As users hold onto older hardware for longer, and iOS 14 is expected to be compatible with devices going back to 2015, Apple needs to put performance high up on the list, because bad performance makes for a miserable experience.
Doogee X95, the $60 Android 10 smartphone in pictures
#3: Dump default apps
This one might actually be happening, and it couldn't come soon enough. Sure, Apple's default iOS apps are good, but if users choose to use Google Chrome or GMail over Safari and Mail, then there's the user's choice.
This would please me, because I find the clutter of unnecessary Apple apps to be annoying, and reminiscent of Android bloatware.
#4: A better Siri
Compared to the competition, Siri is as dumb as a bag of sand. Given the fact that the voice assistant has center stage on all of Apple's platforms, it really should be a lot more reliable and usable than it currently is.
It's not like Apple doesn't have the know-how to make Siri better and smarter, so increasingly it feels like Apple isn't interested in voice assistants anymore, and is happy to give ground to Google and Amazon.
Zendure SuperPort 4 in pictures
#5: New Home Screen and Dock
The Home screen and Dock really haven't changed much since the iPhone was first released.
I find it hard to believe that a static grid of icons is the best that Apple can come up with for app icons, and the Dock at the bottom of the screen needs to be more than a spot for icons to appear on all pages. That's so basic and dumb.
The whole Home screen is so downright basic, and reminiscent of Windows 3.1.
Wake up Apple, it's 2020!
#6: Proper multitasking
The iPhone 11 Pro Max has a display that's big enough for two apps to run side by side, similar to split-screen on the iPad.
And, after all, even cheap Android devices with smaller displays can do this. Why can't Apple's flagship handset?
Blackview BV9800 Pro - in pictures
#8: Always-on OLED display
For some reason Apple has failed to offer this for its OLED iPhones.
Having an always-on display show information such as time, reminders, and important notifications on the iPhone would put it on par with OLED-equipped Android smartphones.