Roadtesting iOS 14

[MacInWin]

I'm in the "love" category. And the new alphabetic listing of apps, with search, is brilliant. I, too, have my most used apps on the first page, then a few on the second and then the Library after that. I've not really found too many choices that I would move. I have "Fing" which is a network utility in the "Productivity and Finance" folder, which I would have expected to see in Utilities. I have a sound level app called "SPL Meter" in Entertainment, and an app that shows raw sensor data, "Sensor Kinetics" in Education. The rest seem pretty reasonable. What's interesting to me is that all three "misplaced" apps are, to me, utilities. Wonder if that definition is too narrow?

 

[chscag]

I suspect that later on as Apple further "tunes" iOS 14, we will see changes to the App Library. I can't believe that Apple has chosen to lock the App Library forever and apply their own decisions to what goes where.

But then again, with Apple.....

 

[ferrarr]

When apps are placed in the AppStore, does the app developer tell Apple, if it is an Educational or Utility app? The folders seem to mimic the AppStore categories.

 

[Rod]

Yes, as far as I can see it is set up entirely on the App Store classifications. Something I have not really paid much attention to in the past.

Most of the classifications are logical and self explanatory; Entertainment has media apps like TV channels, music apps like Spotify and TuneIn Radio no problem there. Social is self explanatory. Productivity and Finance is a big folder but I have no problem with my bank apps being grouped with MS Word and Acrobat Reader but I would have expected Contacts to be in Social. The alphabetic order makes it easy to find what I want should I need to scroll and often I don't need to scroll. Creativity has all my photographic apps as well as the Photos App but I don't understand why VLC is there while VLC Remote is in Entertainment. Lastly I have a folder (classification) called Test Flight, in it is the only beta version I'm currently testing, ExpressVPN. I would have expected the Test Flight App to be there as well but no, it's in utilities. Fair enough I suppose, that's what it is it, just takes a little getting used to.

All up I like it, I used to have 7 home screens and was constantly shuffling the apps around now I have 3 (including the Library). This was partly because I trial a lot of apps, both for myself and others. I recently downloaded and trialled 5 "medication" apps. They drop into the next vacant space when downloaded which is not always convenient so I found myself reorganising my screens a lot. Now they will all end up in one classification so I don't need to worry about moving them around or what screen they ended up on and I can delete them directly from the Library.

 

[Rod]

Goshdarn it! Just downloaded the iOS 14.0.1 update which has already been covered in our RSS feed but after updating my Apple Watch informed me to update it (this is for the iPad too) I need 2Gb of space which I do not have. Looks like I will have to go through the whole process of unpairing, erasing, repairing and updating WatchOS 7 all over again. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[chscag]

Don't forget....

There is also an update to Catalina waiting for you. 10.15.7

 

[Rod]

Woah, didn't notice that. No Badge but it was there when I checked. Guess I'll do that next. I think I'm going to have to accept that my old Apple Watch 3 due to storage restrictions is going to have ongoing issues updating. I did think updates (as opposed to Upgrades) would be okay but so long as it keeps ticking I'll persevere.

 

[Rod]

Nope, I have "rethinked' it. While the Australian Dollar is still up and with an estimated AU$130.00 trade in for my current watch I have placed an order for an Apple Watch SE. Call it my Christmas present come early. As my wife said, "You use it all the time." Bless her. So with approval from SWMBO the order is in and should arrive in about two weeks.

 

[Rod]

Today on opening iOS Brave Browser I was presented with a dialogue box to say "Brave can now be set as your default browser."
I suspect others eg Firefox will be the same. Chrome and Edge already had this option and it no longer reverts to the Apple defaults after restarting since iOS 14.0.1

 

[chscag]

I might try Brave on my phone. I've already tried Chrome and don't like the way it opens and syncs with the macOS version. Safari is still a lot better on iOS.

 

[chscag]

I just got thru trying Edge on my iPad. It was worse than Chrome. And with that... I have no intention of trying Brave which will likely be just as bad.

I'm beginning to believe that only Safari integrates well with iOS and iPadOS.

 

[Rod]

This is very cool. Access shortcuts or features in iOS 14 by tapping the back of your phone.https://osxdaily.com/2020/09/29/how-use-back-tap-iphone/
For users of later model iPhones being able to access the App Launcher by tapping twice on the back of the phone is a feature my wife really likes.

 

[Rod]

And just when I was getting on terms with iOS 14.1 Apple releases beta versions of iOS and iPad OS 14.2. Phew, it's hard to keep up!