[Mr. Marco]

Well folks iOS 5 looks like it's packing lots of the goods iPhone users have been asking for. Probably #1 on that list is the redesigned notification system. Now I haven't seen too much of it but it looks like a direct copy job from what Android has had for years now. I know Apple over the years has openly blasted its competition citing "copying", so I'm sure there has to be something to differentiate the iOS 5 notifications system with that of Android.

So lets get a nice discussion going here with your thoughts and any info on whether it really is the same as Android.

(I'm also going to leave a link to this thread in the Android forum as I would very much like to have their input)

[scorpiodsu]

I do agree that it's a little copying from Android but similar notification styles were already available via jailbreaking. So what did Apple do? Hire the developer than developed the jailbreaking app. So did he get is "inspiration" from Android? Probably. But right now, there are only a certain number of ways to do things and as the functionality gap between platforms closes, many of the methods will be similar. In reality, I think we all wished we can take the best things about each platform and mesh them into a super platform that will appease us. I definitely won't disagree that they copied some of Android style but at the end of the that's what all these companies are really doing...... copying each other but making theirs appear to be better.

Did Google copy Apple's lockscreen by having it swipe to unlock and answer calls?
In fact just have your homescreen set up like a bunch of icons?
What about chat style texting? Who did they get that idea from?
Google books?
The app market? Who else had a mobile app store? Did they steal that from Apple or Nokia?

These things were out before Android. We can go on for days about this but at the end of the day, all these companies get ideas and improve upon them. Funny thing is Apple didn't say they were doing anything new, just doing something new for iOS.

[tedzone]

I got the same feeling watching that broadcast. "Hey, haven't I seen this somewhere? Oh yeah.... on that Galaxy S we messed with a while back!".

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[GolfnCPA]

If Android's notification system is that good, then I applaud Apple for swallowing their pride and duplicating it, and focusing their attention on other areas of iOS to be innovative.

[MrObvious]

I guess I haven't seen it but I think if they did end up revamping it, it would make it worthwhile.

[Accidental Post]

HA the whole IOS5 is nothing more then taking the Jailbreak Devs work and using it. They hired the developer of mobile notifier (jailbreak) for that tweak. They are gonna let you sync over wifi (jailbreak app) and the list goes on and on. It was actually quite comical to watch the WWDC about IOS5

[jd914]

The general consensus by tech blogs and reviewers is that it is very similar to Androids notification system.

I saw the WWDC last night and I also agree that it's a carbon copy of Androids notification system. Whatever it may be it's better than the horrendous and intrusive notification system that iOS currently has.

[scorpiodsu]

The general consensus by tech blogs and reviewers is that it is very similar to Androids notification system.

I saw the WWDC last night and I also agree that it's a carbon copy of Androids notification system. Whatever it may be it's better than the horrendous and intrusive notification system that iOS currently has.

Agreed. But after reading a couple reviews of iOS 5 from developers it appears the only thing Apple really used was the drop down style. The notifications are much more customizable and supposedly better than Android. Not sure how true the last part is but I'm pretty sure Apple is making the experience more Apple-like.

[Roo Zilla]

Who cares if it was copied from Android. If it's a good idea, it's a good idea wherever it's from. I wish iOS would copy everything that works better than their version of a any particular function.

[jd914]

Agreed. But after reading a couple reviews of iOS 5 from developers it appears the only thing Apple really used was the drop down style. The notifications are much more customizable and supposedly better than Android. Not sure how true the last part is but I'm pretty sure Apple is making the experience more Apple-like.

Every thing that Apple copies or invents is not necessarily better. Being an all platform person, I don't subscribe to Apples dogma. I'll make a judgement call when I have hands on with iOS 5.

[howarmat]

i had heard that there was more customization also. Havent seen it in action to much though

[scorpiodsu]

Every thing that Apple copies or invents is not necessarily better. Being an all platform person, I don't subscribe to Apples dogma. I'll make a judgement call when I have hands on with iOS 5.

I agree and didn't say this is what I thought. Just reported what some other sites are saying. Which is why my next sentence is "not sure how true the last part is". Because I won't know until I use it myself. But in fairness, many of the things Apple comes with after a competitor turns out to be more usable. Google still can't get video chat right. Remember copying and pasting on a Storm? That was before iOS got it. But didn't stop them from making it better. And it appear iMessage will be more integrated and easier than BBM. So I'm not saying everything they do is better, but it's hard to argue it.

[scorpiodsu]

i had heard that there was more customization also. Havent seen it in action to much though

I only read that you can change the number of notifications of an apps you want, which apps you get them from (can do the same in Android), sort the notifications and put them on the lock screen if you want. That's all I read.

[scorpiodsu]

Who cares if it was copied from Android. If it's a good idea, it's a good idea wherever it's from. I wish iOS would copy everything that works better than their version of a any particular function.

Exactly. How many people would love for RIM to copy some of what Apple and Google are doing. Shoot, most of the complaints is that RIM isn't using comparable hardware and not media rich. That could be considered copying but who cares if it makes for a better device.

[howarmat]

I only read that you can change the number of notifications of an apps you want, which apps you get them from (can do the same in Android), sort the notifications and put them on the lock screen if you want. That's all I read.

apparently apple controls all the APIs for the notifications so none of the apps that utilize the notification system already will have to be modified. It sounded like a little freedom than android since that depends on the dev to come up in most cases

[stuaw11]

Exactly. How many people would love for RIM to copy some of what Apple and Google are doing. Shoot, most of the complaints is that RIM isn't using comparable hardware and not media rich. That could be considered copying but who cares if it makes for a better device.

Exactly. People glaze over the fact the Android lockscreen "slide to unlock" was obviously swiped from the iphone which was out before.

Companies borrow each other's ideas and change them a little bit; nothing wrong with that. People should be happy iOS is that much better now, unless they're just obvious fanboys and too concerned about who stole who's lollypop .

[Tre Lawrence]

Who cares if it was copied from Android. If it's a good idea, it's a good idea wherever it's from. I wish iOS would copy everything that works better than their version of a any particular function.

Agreed... ditto for Android.

[Accidental Post]

The comments here amaze me. The notification is written by Peter Hajas he has been working on this for sometime now and is constantly updating the software. Apple has officially hired him from the Jailbreak DEV community. It works well and is better than Droid notifications.

[stuaw11]

Agreed, who cares what the person next to you has or doesnt on their OS. Things only get better when people share ideas and improve on them.

Use what you are happy with and grow up people!

[anon(19759)]

The comments here amaze me. The notification is written by Peter Hajas he has been working on this for sometime now and is constantly updating the software. Apple has officially hired him from the Jailbreak DEV community. It works well and is better than Droid notifications.

Then he copied it from Android. I don't care at all who copies who, but what I can't stand is how every dedicated Apple sheep will say Apple is so innovative for all of these things, ignoring that pretty much all of it is already on other platforms. I just see this blind loyalty with Apple users I don't see on other platforms. So many people will just buy it because it's Apple and have no idea what other devices are out there.

[Accidental Post]

Then he copied it from Android. I don't care at all who copies who, but what I can't stand is how every dedicated Apple sheep will say Apple is so innovative for all of these things, ignoring that pretty much all of it is already on other platforms. I just see this blind loyalty with Apple users I don't see on other platforms. So many people will just buy it because it's Apple and have no idea what other devices are out there.

Yep and Android took the slide to unlock. PIN Unlock, Pinch to Zoom, Shall I go on......I mean **** Samsung went as far as to copy the look (Galaxy). So what's your point?

I never said Apple was innovative in my post. I meant he Android App store is a DIRECT copy of the Apple App store. Look at the APPS available in the store. Those developers were smart they took their iPhone app and ported it to the DROID. Smart business if you ask me.

What I will say is that Apple has pushed smart phones in the right direction. If Apple did not invent the iPhone we all would be walking around like a bunch of RIM zombies with our daily battery pulls and BIS outages and sucky web browsing.

P.S. I had 3 Android Devices before switching...so don't start with the Fanboy crap....

[reeneebob]

The general consensus by tech blogs and reviewers is that it is very similar to Androids notification system.

I saw the WWDC last night and I also agree that it's a carbon copy of Androids notification system. Whatever it may be it's better than the horrendous and intrusive notification system that iOS currently has.

Honestly that iOS5 announcement is the sole reason I dropped my SGS and picked up my iPhone 4 - I love love love the drop down notification window in Android and as soon as I saw it in the presentation I was sold.

EDIT

I think from looking at my sig you can also take the fanboy crap out of it as well.

[scorpiodsu]

I don't care at all who copies who, but what I can't stand is how every dedicated Apple sheep will say Apple is so innovative for all of these things, ignoring that pretty much all of it is already on other platforms.

Here's the thing, when have you seen anyone say that Apple has been innovative in adding something that was already existent? I think that's more paranoia. Because anyone who's been knowing about what's been going on in the tech industry knows that for the most part Apple isn't the creator of all things. But what people acknowledge is that Apple makes these things easy to use and implements them better than most. I just think people are happy to have it on their Apple products. I must be missing something because I haven't seen 1 person, apple-love or not proclaim Apple as the innovator of all things.

Here's the one thing that Apple did create: the environment for platforms like Android, WebOS and QNX coming. If there was no iPhone there more than likely would be none of these other platforms right now and we'd all be stuck with 2008 hardware and capability in 2011. So I definitely don't give credit for inventing everything but they were the catalyst for the current smartphone environment and anyone who doesn't acknowledge that is just disagreeing just to disagree.

[pri79269]

I do agree that it's a little copying from Android but similar notification styles were already available via jailbreaking. So what did Apple do? Hire the developer than developed the jailbreaking app. So did he get is "inspiration" from Android? Probably. But right now, there are only a certain number of ways to do things and as the functionality gap between platforms closes, many of the methods will be similar. In reality, I think we all wished we can take the best things about each platform and mesh them into a super platform that will appease us. I definitely won't disagree that they copied some of Android style but at the end of the that's what all these companies are really doing...... copying each other but making theirs appear to be better.

Did Google copy Apple's lockscreen by having it swipe to unlock and answer calls?
In fact just have your homescreen set up like a bunch of icons?
What about chat style texting? Who did they get that idea from?
Google books?
The app market? Who else had a mobile app store? Did they steal that from Apple or Nokia?

These things were out before Android. We can go on for days about this but at the end of the day, all these companies get ideas and improve upon them. Funny thing is Apple didn't say they were doing anything new, just doing something new for iOS.

This was very well stated!

[Mr. Marco]

Here's the thing, when have you seen anyone say that Apple has been innovative in adding something that was already existent? I think that's more paranoia. Because anyone who's been knowing about what's been going on in the tech industry knows that for the most part Apple isn't the creator of all things. But what people acknowledge is that Apple makes these things easy to use and implements them better than most. I just think people are happy to have it on their Apple products. I must be missing something because I haven't seen 1 person, apple-love or not proclaim Apple as the innovator of all things.

Here's the one thing that Apple did create: the environment for platforms like Android, WebOS and QNX coming. If there was no iPhone there more than likely would be none of these other platforms right now and we'd all be stuck with 2008 hardware and capability in 2011. So I definitely don't give credit for inventing everything but they were the catalyst for the current smartphone environment and anyone who doesn't acknowledge that is just disagreeing just to disagree.

Without a doubt Apple and its iPhone changed the smartphone landscape. There is no way for us to really calculate, but the iPhone accelerated the demand for the latest and greatest technologies, software, and media experience from a smartphone. It isn't far fetched to believe that if the iPhone was never created, the world of smartphones we know to this day would be the Motorola Q and Samsung Blackjack.

The Blackberry Storm would have never existed, neither would have Android and the entire army of touchscreen phones out there. Blackberry QNX would have never existed. Apple and its iPhone have created this vortex that really forces and pulls all their competition into trying to keep up and being competitive with features and devices. There have been business articles and countless interviews by analysts given that simply state that if you aren't somehow, someway competing with the iPhone in today's market, you can pretty much know you won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

Simply put, without the iPhone having ever existed we would still all be using regular little flip phones. And smartphones would still be some variant (with pretty much the same features as 4 years ago) Palm Treo, Motorola Q, Samsung Blackjack, Blackberry 8700, Blackberry Curve 8300.

In repeating myself, there just seems no way to quantify how quickly the iPhone changed the mobile landscape. And how quickly it continues to keep change coming. If I think back to the world of mobile devices before the advent of the iPhone, and compare it to today's world. There is no denying companies were happy with their simple little rinky-dinky proprietary OS's, and that change and innovation in the pre-iPhone world came at a much much slower and spread out pace. You all can remember those times. We didn't have an iPhone or Android device to compare with back then so we were content and happy with those devices.

Maybe even more significant than the iPhone and the technology itself, is that the iPhone created this world where consumers demand a certain user experience that ties mobile devices so seamlessly into their lives.

I could sit here and type a book about how the iPhone changed the world from a consumer and technology aspect, mobile banking, Facebook in the palm of your hand whenever and where ever!, etc. etc. etc. etc.