Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released its best smart phone last Autumn, but demand for the device isn’t as investors hoped. The company’s engineers are no doubt working on upgrades right now, and there are certain features missing from the iPhone5 that consumers really want.
In order to meet the demand of its consumers, Apple needs to add features to its operating system. The company’s main competitor, Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) already offers several features on its Android smart phones that users have responded to. Here’s a list of some of the features that Apple should add in order to increase the reach of its smartphone.
Notifications: Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) added notifications to its mobile operating system several versions back, but the feature isn’t as usable or as intuitive as the Android version. Users are crying out for the ability to access wireless settings on the notifications bar. Many Android models allow users to turn on and off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and updates via the notifications bar. Apple users are sadly unable to access the same options and this may be having negative effect on iPhone 5 demand.
Custom Keyboards: Android systems allow users to select any keyboard and make it their default. This means custom inputs like Swype and Swiftkey are available to users, and each can select their favorite keyboard. The iPhone 5 doesn’t allow users to change their input method, meaning users are stuck with the Apple default.
Muti-tasking: Switching between Applications is not an easy task on the iPhone5. Users have to leave their current application and select another in order to multitask. There is a counteractive home button double tap that allows users to look at their open applications, but it’s nowhere near as accessible as options available on several Android models. In order to increase demand, Apple should improve the ability of iPhone 5 users to switch quickly between open applications.
Sharing: Third party applications are where the iPhone5 really shines. There are problems however. Despite quality testing each and every application submitted to its store, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) still doesn’t seem to trust them fully. URL sharing is still a hassle on Apple smart phones because Apple doesn’t allow third party applications, bar a chosen few, to do it intuitively. This means that sharing, which is the bread and butter of mobile devices, is difficult on Apple smart phones. That has almost certainly turned a few users off the devices.
