Apple has released a new iPhone Firmware version (2.2), which includes some substantial enhancements to certain usability scenarios and applications. While a lot of the added eye candy is a welcome addition, still missing from the iPhone, is one little feature called copy-and-paste.
In the new firmware, Apple has enabled full Google Street View, public transit and walking directions. But still core features like MMS and copy-and-paste are absent. Surely Google is excited to enhance the mapping experience on the iPhone, and Apple is definitely not going to complain when it comes to feature-stacking the T-Mobile G1. But what about the much anticipated and heavily debated copy-and-paste? As new iPhone firmware versions are released, there is perhaps a momentary lapse in time when developers pray to discover the added functionality, only to be let down.
Speculation has quickly become frustration for many iPhone users and developers alike. Applications are suffering, and dare if I say it, so is the entire user experience. Aside from the few moments when a new firmware is released and they find themselves praying, a handful of the most experienced developers I know have nearly written it off from showing up at all. “I thought I understood why they hadn’t addressed copy-and-paste yet, but so many new features are being released… I fear they [Apple] have become comfortable with its absence,” a colleague of mine
I went on to ask 12 developers to rate the importance of copy-and-paste functionality, on a scale from 1-10. One being very little importance, and ten being absolute insanity that it’s still missing. Here are some of the results:
“I give it an 8 — not only should it be developed into the SDK for everyone to use, it’s just as important as a keyboard for the iPhone OS.”
“A ten doesn’t seem out of line here. Either there is something massive holding this up, or I am living in the twilight zone.”
“The only reason I give this a 9 and not a 10 is because background push notifications are huge. Without those, my ideas are near useless.”
“No ’saving-to-clipboard’ or cloud-storing workaround is going to work. This needs to come from Apple, be built directly into the SDK and developers need to be able to use it, just like everything else. It should be as ubiquitous as an input field, or any other interface/OS element we can use.”
“I give it a 10, and I give the necessity of landscape keyboards an 8.”
Every response I got was higher than an eight. Granted these aren’t official results from a metrics company, and neither was the scale used to determine the results. These are direct responses from the community, and iPhone developers, unfiltered. While there are various reasons, and rather understandable issues pointing to the absence of copy-and-paste, developers and users alike are frustrated about the missing functionality. It is still heavily demanded.
Comparing the iPhone’s missing functionality to other phones with that same functionality, doesn’t lend itself well to a good argument. There is simply no way to compare the iPhone’s UI and OS consistency to that of a Blackberry with a full tactile keyboard and entirely different operational work-flow.
Perhaps as many hopefuls (like myself) believe, Apple hasn’t released this yet because they haven’t perfected it, not because they believe it’s a low priority. Whether it be in the form of a quiet update, new firmware release, or video on Apple.com explaining how they reinvented ‘copy-and-paste’ — the functionality needs to come soon, and it needs to come straight from Apple.
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6 Comments to “iPhone Copy-and-Paste, Maybe Next Time”
I’m an iPhone developer. The sick thing is how many people have asked me when it’s coming. And I’m left with nothing to say.
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Wait, why can’t you compare the iPhone to the Blackberry? It’s done all the time. That’s the core comparison between smartphones.
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It just doesn’t make for the best argument when comparing interface consistency between devices. iPhone is completely touch input while the blackberry isn’t. When you zoom out on both products, it’s an easy comparison, however the intricate nuances with UI design/input, can’t really be compared. Apple’s is far too unique.
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ASK ME !!! IMHO, on a scale of 1-10 it’s a 100,000,000,000 !!!
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Apple really needs to fix the terrible user experience using MMS on the iPhone. I make the case here: http://blog.mcmanus-family.com/2008/09/the-case-for-mms-on-the-iphone.html
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My new iPhone 3g is my first endevor with a Mac and I must say that I am both impressed with much and astounded with the absence of certain fundinental necessities such as Copy and Paste. I would say a 10 is in order for me to consider recomending an iphone as an alternative for the serious mobile user.
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