Safari is technically a platform on its own , separate from the App Store . Until the day that Gatekeeper comes to iOS , it will retain to be the most receptive way for users to get at information on Apple ’s mobile twist . But besides iCloud Tabs and Reading List , Mobile Safari has rest basically unchanged since its unveiling , in 2007 .
I wanted to conceptualize what Safari on Io could be if it took on the developments that have come about on other web browser app over the last few years , and adjust the user experience to match changes that have occurred elsewhere on the platform .
Your iPhone ’s browser app has been sitting in almost the exact same nation for over five class . Apple ’s tweak and refined the web browser app — which was always solid — but sometimes it still palpate stale . Designer Brent Caswellhas a beautiful vision for Safari ’s time to come .
Unifying the Address and Search Bars
Today , all modernistic browsers have a unified reference and search bar ( including Safari on the Mac ) . What Apple address a “ Smart Search Field ” has also expanded beyond the typical lookup and go , as it see through your chronicle , previous search , and sometimes even the substance of pages that you ’ve visit . merge the two fields also has the potential to speed up the graze experience ; you ca n’t unexpectedly tip on the incorrect bar . I think when I first started to use a incorporated bar on Google Chrome , the experience just felt infinitely more simple and straightforward .
One of the obstacles to this fusion is the unique keyboard that appear when the substance abuser taps on one of the two line of business The hunting keyboard is moderately distinctive , while the address field ’s keyboard is built to type URLs . I had to delude the individuation of the plug-in so as to make them come together . But , in the end , I think there is a last gain to the medium user .
You ’ll notice that the bottom cake is on top of the keyboard , which might look a little strange at first . What it does , though , is allow for the user to immediately get down type on a Modern page just as easily as they can get at their bookmarks . This would , again , save the drug user from an unneeded tap .
I ’ve added ikon to the results to help the exploiter understand what each option is . If you take off to scroll the list , the keyboard plump down and out of the way , like it does in most other apps .
Better Bookmarks
Currently , when you tap the bookmarks clit , you are recognize by a serial of bookmarks , folder , and pseudo booklet for Reading List , iCloud Tabs , and History . While it makes sentiency for Reading List and History to be in this section of the app , iCloud Tabs really belong to under the Pages power structure ( more on that later ) . in person , I do n’t think that pseudo folder make sense , so I instead made them tablet across the bottom of the filmdom . The designers of iPad ’s version of Safari seem to agree with me .
So now we ’re going to get into some deep UI clobber . On the iPhone , there ’s a need for a “ Done ” button because the Bookmarks part take the entire blind ; on the iPad you just have to bug anywhere on the CRT screen to brush off the pop - up , and when you ’re inside of a folder and you press “ Edit , ” the back release is replaced with a “ New Folder ” button ( which I thought was less than graceful ) .
In the end , it was the back release on the top of the filmdom that I need to do away with . But so as to do that I had to all transfer the agency that leaflet calculate and feel . I bring some lessons from folders on the home screen ( which do n’t have back release ) .
In my adaptation of Safari , folders are behind the list . When the folder in the list is tap , the list breaks in half and slides out of the style to reveal the mental object of the folder . Tapping on the title of the folder a 2nd time exit the folder .
Like all other apps , search would be hide under the form of address stripe , and you would have to pull the leaning down to let out it . I ’m just showing it here because it does n’t live in the current app .
Editing Bookmarks
Editing bookmarks could be made much more efficient by using the batch redaction system that exist in the stock Mail app . That , compound with bookmark options appearing when the substance abuser swipes over a bookmarker ( think Twitter ) , makes for a much more full-bodied redaction experience .
Bookmark Stream
After a few month of using iOS 6 ’s Photo Stream feature film , I chance it unsatisfying that Apple did n’t spread the iCloud dear to its other apps . Really , every stock app on iOS could have better integration with iCloud , beyond uncomplicated syncing . There could be collaborative notes , you could institutionalize people admonisher , or you could have public bookmark folders just like you have public photo albums through Photo Stream . So while Bookmark Stream might not be the catchiest name , I think that it ’s an musical theme worth explore .
Reading List
Reading List is essentially left unaltered . I ’ve moved the UI around to save space , and I ’ve added the ability to batch edit . When in the editing mode , a “ + ” button replace the “ Done ” clitoris , which allow the substance abuser to lend an item to their reading list .
Pages
The pages view has changed quite a bit . Instead of only prove one page at a clip , the user can see four . As I said before , iCloud Tabs move from the bookmarks section to the Page consider .
Connecting Apps to Web Content
In iOS , an app can tell the operating organisation that it has the power to handle certain file type , and an app can have support for its files to be opened in other apps . But what about web content in Safari ? I think that apps should be able to get at content on the web through Safari ’s military action sheet . Here ’s a few types of content that apps could treat :
Links ( whether it ’s a link on a page or the pageboy itself)
Articles ( using Safari ’s ability to grab articles from the web)
Webpages ( Actual code of the webpage )
PDF Indian file
mental image
Audio
RSS Subscription Links
Podcast Subscription Links
As is currently the sheath , the action piece of paper is call off by either pressing the action button ( for play on the entire page ) or long - pressing on the content that you want to take action on ( for acting on something within the page ) . Above is an example of what might befall when an paradigm is long - pressed .
Of course the list is only trammel by the character of apps that you have install on your iOS gadget . If you have Photoshop Touch installed , then you could give .psd data file .
But apps should be capable to do more than just open files , there should be a potency for apps to be able to devote unlike actions to content . So you could Tweet a link or you could DM a link , through Twitter . Two actions , one app .
The drug user would have control over which activity would appear in the action mechanism flat solid , in the options of Safari . The action could be rearranged within the shroud by book down one of the icons until they joggle , the same way that icons are rearranged on the homescreen .
Of course , this kind of “ unfastened action rag ” would be great to have on the system level , but because this is only a concept for Safari , I will have to leave it there.
Web Notifications
One of the newest developments in entanglement technologies is web notice . Most modern browsers have support for web apprisal , and I recollect mobile Safari should stick out it too . Controlling which web site can send off you notifications could be handled in apprisal setting in the same way that Mail ’s notification ’s are handled ( on an score level ) . So each website could have its own alert style and sound , and the user could choose whether they desire the telling to be visible in the lock screen and if it would create a badge on Safari ’s ikon .
When you get a telling and open up Safari , a little streamer with the telling textual matter would be pin to the top of the app . You could either dismiss the banner by tap the “ x ” or afford the presentment ’s web pageboy by tapping the banner.
Reader
Reader on Safari is essentially a stripped down version of iBooks . But why does it need to be stripped down ? I think that people are just as likely to pass half an hour reading a farsighted article on a rainy Sunday good afternoon as they are to say an iBook . proofreader on Safari should have musical accompaniment for quote sharing , pagination , exploiter depute radical , user designated case , misdirection - less reading , and independent smartness ascendance .
Safari is just one of Apple ’s many stock apps which I think are in need of an update . And while the updates that I ’m intimate might not be perfect , I retrieve they would keep iOS locomote forward .
Some of the features that I ’m proposing , like Bookmark Stream , could be on all rendering of Safari . I wanted to limit myself to the iPhone ’s variation of Safari , so that the project would n’t get too out of bridge player . I ’ll relieve the iPad and Mac ’s interpretation of Safari for another mean solar day .
Thanks for reading .
Brent Caswell is a designer and political science studentat the University of Alabama – Birmingham . you could read more of his thoughts on UX , design , and engineering in generalhere .
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