Comments on: Apple: iPhone “Copy-and-Paste” a low-priority; Turn-by-Turn GPS too Complicated

By: C&P

C&P — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:11:20 +0000

I’m not certain when it began to gather momentum or, for that matter what has caused it, but the level of whining and outrage directed toward Apple has skyrocketed, blown through the stratosphere, and obliterated Cloud 9. What amazes is, on the one hand, the quantity of world-class devices, one after another, that Apple has delivered, one after another, and on the other hand, the lack of patience, not to mention ingratitude, and the childish tantrums about the lack of one feature or another. Apple has never been about offering features but about creating experiences. “It just works” isn’t just a slogan but an expression of the kind of experience one can expect from Apple rather than, say, the frustrations of Windows or the inconvenience of Linux. If your particular feature hasn’t been implemented, yet, then it’s not necessarily because the feature isn’t important to Apple but that something else is more important: the user’s experience.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:51:24 +0000

tell me how, “there are some complicated issues preventing it right now” equals “it’s too complicated”

“too complicated” implies it can’t be done. we all know and apple even hints that it will happen.

By: spinoza

spinoza — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:30:13 +0000

I think Apple has prioritized copy & paste correctly; it would be useful but it’s not a ‘core’ part of the OS, and there are a long list of more important things that they’ve focused on. Personally I am frustrated that I can’t use my iPhone 3G as a modem, and I’m sure dozens of others would have their own pet features that are still absent. A full navigation app making use of GPS is a classic project for a 3rd party developer like TomTom or Garmin, not Apple itself, but I’m sure this is something that takes months of focused development and resources for a company. For me copy & paste is trivial in comparison to using my iPhone as a modem, but as a reasonable person I know that the iPhone is already an incredibly complex and full-featured device, and I think Apple has done a tremendous job setting the priorities for the device. And after a couple of days of using the 3G, I’d have to say that it’s nothing less than phenomenal, it’s truly a paradigm-changing device!

By: R2

R2 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:56:18 +0000

Anybody who disagrees is more than welcome to let Apple know.

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

By: Falkirk

Falkirk — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:55:16 +0000

Copy-and-paste, by definition, is obviously not a “core feature” because the iPhone is working just fine without it. Is a feature than you and many others really, really want? Yes it is. I agree with your assessment that Copy-and-paste doesn’t exist on the iPhone because it would cause Interface Inconsistency Issues. This is no trivial matter to Apple. The purity of their interface is one of their great strengths and product differentiators.

Just because you really want Copy-and-paste doesn’t make it a need and doesn’t mean “that (it) must be implemented by Apple.” Just because it’s a high priority for you doesn’t make it a high priority for Apple. It’s a high priority for you because you want it. It’s a low priority for Apple because the interface is working just fine now without it.

By: Harold

Harold — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:50:26 +0000

Clearly they’re doing something right. It’s called marketing !!! Apple has always taken pride in TELLING you what you want. TELLING you what the next gadget that you lust over will be. Couple their confidence, brand-loyalty and reputation with world-class marketing and you’ve got a money-making machine. Why would they admit any faults? When all else fails… Call up PR.

By: Aviv

Aviv — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:47:47 +0000

I agree with the fact that Apple should listen to the customer base. And generally they have done a tremendous job. However, it just seems as though they can’t figure this one out. I doubt it has anything to do with them NOT being able to develop a copy-and-paste feature. It might have something to do with them not being able to settle on development/design methods.

Either way, this should NOT be considered a feature any longer. Copy-and-paste should be a staple within the iPhone SDK and ALL developers should be able to work with it.

By: Danno Bonano

Danno Bonano — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:45:39 +0000

Microsofts problem is listening to all the wannabe cooks in the kitchen. Apple delivers what most customers need not what they think they want. I have no doubt that the C&P will be added at some point. As evidenced by their sales, they are obviously doing something right.

By: John

John — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:40:34 +0000

I get furious when I hear this, because it clearly demonstrates what we’ve suspected all along — that, even though Apple’s customer’s clamor for certain features, Apple decides for itself what is, and is not, a high priority. For example, we’ve been shouting for iPhone to sync the to-do/tasks with iCal. But, now we know, Apple just thinks it is a low priority, even though everyone else is crying out for this. Doesn’t Apple realise that to-do lists are such a critically important part of this crazy busy lifestyle, and that not syncing the todo list between iPhone and iCal makes that feature totally useless. In some ways, like this, I yearn for the good old days of Microsoft Windows/Outlook/PocketPC.

By: Robnick

Robnick — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:33:14 +0000

No rationalization was given; a reason was given. The issue is that you don’t set the development priorities . They want to sell a great product with a multitude of outstanding features; you want a word-processor feature that saves you a few keystrokes. For now; you lose. Personally, copy and paste has no status in my buying agenda.