iOS 5 Wishlist

Apple is going to release iOS 5 at WWDC in a couple of weeks and I like to come up with some things that I’m hoping we’ll see in iOS 5.

  1. Notifications. A much needed overhaul of the notification interface and system.
  2. New Lock Screen. Show basic information on the lock screen. Maybe even widgets or some sort of Dashboard.
  3. Scheduled background tasks. Another background API that allows apps to have a scheduled time perform a function. Examples would include download mail, news, weather, sync music, photos, etc.
  4. Improved app switching. Perhaps a full screen of thumbnails where we can choose what app to switch to and see it in context.
  5. Improved Safari Browser. Tabs and speed improvements.
  6. Additional Voice Commands. “Text [my wife]”, “I Love you honey!”, “Send text”. Stuff like that.
  7. Data Syncing. For Macs, iOS, and maybe even PCs. Files, Games, Music, Photos, Contacts, Settings, Mail, Bookmarks, Calendars, Widgets, Notes, Third party data. Not easy, I know but this is a wish-list.
  8. Subscribe to Podcasts. And only keep x number of them at a time. Also download automatically (see scheduled download API)
  9. Independence. No more required ties to a Mac or PC for syncing, activation, etc.
  10. Services. An API where an app can register itself as being able to handle file formats (already in iOS 4.x), tweets, status updates, web pages (instapaper), notifications, etc. There are some interesting work done in this regard between developers but something formal and supported would be awesome.
  11. Location specific interfaces. I actually use my phone quite a bit in the car. Changing songs, mapping, etc. It would be nice to have a built-in interface (larger, easier to hit buttons) when you are driving. Perhaps a “driving mode”.
  12. App Store Que. Download more than one app from the store without getting automatically kicked back to the homescreen.
  13. App Store Wishlist. I want these apps… someone buy them for me. Gift an app.
  14. Delta updates. Only the changes of apps and OS updates would download. Some apps are over a GB each incremental update!

These are all just wishes. WWDC can’t come soon enough!