If You Can’t Remember It, It’s Not For You
In the business world all processes and routines are geared towards maximum efficiency. If the people involved can’t master those routines, the people are replaced, not the routines. Corporations have little choice because the business world is a competition where the least efficient teams are eliminated. But the real world isn’t always like that.
In the real world there is a whole segment of people who have a hard time remembering to shut off their headlights or where they laid their keys. They have no corporate oversight chastising them for their inefficiencies and setting up action plans to prevent these kind of oversights from happening again. Instead, capitalism comes to their rescue. Corporations see a way to make more money by adding features that automatically shut off your lights or help you track your keys.
But these two segments of the population have very different needs. Both valid. One group seeks power level features that propel them to new heights of efficiency and the other group needs help remembering to drink 8 glasses of water per day. But when you have a single device like the iPhone that seeks to be all things to all people, a balance needs to be met.
One criticism that the Android world has often made about iOS is that power users were ham strung. Android has always had menu options for everything. But in order to benefit from these options you had to be willing to study them and memorize the various paths necessary. If you weren’t willing to do that, you didn’t benefit. And woe unto you if you want to accomplish a simple customization and decide to enter the great menu labyrinth without knowing where to look or what the options mean.
With the rise of Force Touch and 3D Touch in Apple devices we are finally seeing a new language arise that benefits the power users. Apple has leap frogged Android again and not only given us power user level options, but did it in a way that is superior to navigating the menu maze. I love using 3D Touch to clear all my notifications or get directly to my Wifi networks. I want more of these lightning quick shortcuts. And I don’t want to give up the long-press that is useful for other things.
It’s hilarious to hear the pundits complain about how they can never remember to use 3D Touch or they get it confused with the long-press. Here’s a tip, if you are complaining about 3D Touch, it’s not for you. Some people hate complicated video games because they don’t want to memorize various button combinations. Fine, but don’t expect software companies to eliminate them for everybody just because you don’t like them.
As I’ve written before, 3D Touch is to touch screens what function keys are to keyboards. It’s for the power user segment. Apple is finally beating Android at their own game and catering to power users in a novel new way that you can’t get anywhere else. The people who can't grasp using it, never will. They will also never learn to put their keys in the same designated spot or remember to charge things before they need them. So I hope Apple doesn’t ruin it for everyone else by tilting the balance too far towards this group.
Watering down the touch language isn’t going to expand their market. However, doubling down on it and expanding the touch language might. It could help pull in the power users who’ve gravitated towards Android. It gives Apple the best of both worlds. It allows the equivalent of programmable function keys without cluttering up their interface with confusing menus. It is completely invisible to anyone who simply wants a simple interface.
I learned a long time ago that when it comes to mastering new processes or shortcuts that the world is divided into two camps. Those who quickly adopt them and those who will never remember them. Apple has given plenty of love to the latter. It’s nice to finally see the former get a little attention.
But these two segments of the population have very different needs. Both valid. One group seeks power level features that propel them to new heights of efficiency and the other group needs help remembering to drink 8 glasses of water per day. But when you have a single device like the iPhone that seeks to be all things to all people, a balance needs to be met.
One criticism that the Android world has often made about iOS is that power users were ham strung. Android has always had menu options for everything. But in order to benefit from these options you had to be willing to study them and memorize the various paths necessary. If you weren’t willing to do that, you didn’t benefit. And woe unto you if you want to accomplish a simple customization and decide to enter the great menu labyrinth without knowing where to look or what the options mean.
With the rise of Force Touch and 3D Touch in Apple devices we are finally seeing a new language arise that benefits the power users. Apple has leap frogged Android again and not only given us power user level options, but did it in a way that is superior to navigating the menu maze. I love using 3D Touch to clear all my notifications or get directly to my Wifi networks. I want more of these lightning quick shortcuts. And I don’t want to give up the long-press that is useful for other things.
It’s hilarious to hear the pundits complain about how they can never remember to use 3D Touch or they get it confused with the long-press. Here’s a tip, if you are complaining about 3D Touch, it’s not for you. Some people hate complicated video games because they don’t want to memorize various button combinations. Fine, but don’t expect software companies to eliminate them for everybody just because you don’t like them.
As I’ve written before, 3D Touch is to touch screens what function keys are to keyboards. It’s for the power user segment. Apple is finally beating Android at their own game and catering to power users in a novel new way that you can’t get anywhere else. The people who can't grasp using it, never will. They will also never learn to put their keys in the same designated spot or remember to charge things before they need them. So I hope Apple doesn’t ruin it for everyone else by tilting the balance too far towards this group.
Watering down the touch language isn’t going to expand their market. However, doubling down on it and expanding the touch language might. It could help pull in the power users who’ve gravitated towards Android. It gives Apple the best of both worlds. It allows the equivalent of programmable function keys without cluttering up their interface with confusing menus. It is completely invisible to anyone who simply wants a simple interface.
I learned a long time ago that when it comes to mastering new processes or shortcuts that the world is divided into two camps. Those who quickly adopt them and those who will never remember them. Apple has given plenty of love to the latter. It’s nice to finally see the former get a little attention.
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