How Google and Microsoft Should Respond to Apple’s iOS 7.0

Apple launched the iOS 7.0 on September 18 and millions have downloaded it. As expected, the iOS 7.0 turns out to be a significant enhancement of the iOS 6.0. From average consumers to the corporate professionals, users typically agree that the iOS 7.0 is the best version Apple has launched. It also comes with various enhancements that make it a true winner for new adopters.
We are expecting Google and Microsoft to roll out the Android 4.4 Kit Kat and GDR3 updates. Considering how significant iOS 7.0 is, both companies may need to perform major software revisions of their own. These are things Google and Microsoft should learn from iOS 7.0:

1. Improve the voice assistant feature: Siri is enhanced in iOS 7.0, with noteworthy new features, such as the ability to change voices. The voice assistant feature is also smarter than ever before. It provides more accurate answers and can respond more adeptly to queries. Comprehensive and straightforward integration between mobile devices and cars is something users have been expecting for quite a while. The iOS 7.0 includes the Siri Eyes Free and Apple has established strategic partnership with major car manufacturers. Before long, Apple’s popular voice assistant will pump through speakers in the cars. Users will be asking for directions, responding to text messages and more through their iOS 7.0 devices. Google and Microsoft seriously need to provide a similar solution.


2. Improve the built-in web browser: The iOS 7.0 includes major revamp of the Safari web browser. Not only it includes support for unlimited tabs, the Safari is now equipped with streamlined designs. It also offers full-screen mode and faster loading times. Google and Microsoft have introduced most of these browser features, but the iOS 7.0’s Safari has been sufficiently enhanced to negate much of its drawbacks. Both companies need to continue improving built-in browsers in Android and Windows Phone operating systems, to keep themselves one step ahead of Apple.


3. Improve notification and control centers: Android’s unified notification and control centers have been around for sometime. On the other hand, notification center used by the iOS is typically considered as being more simplistic and less capable. However, with the iOS 7.0, Apple has improved the feature in dramatic fashion. iPhone users can now see information that they have missed. The Today option also informs them about what will happen in a specific day, such as special events on calendars, whether the weather is favorable and things users need to do. Another thing that Apple borrows from Android is the unified control center that puts together all essential functions in an easy-to-access interface. This is a great addition to Apple’s new mobile platform. Again, Google and Microsoft need to respond by vastly improving their notification and control centers.


4. Improve multimedia center: The iTunes Radio feature on the iOS 7.0 allows users to get Pandora-like capability from iPad or iPhones. It allows improved music discovery and users can get much more from their multimedia experience in iOS-based devices. Both Google and Microsoft have the financial and technical capability to establish unified multimedia experience.


5. Improve NFC-based capability: With AirDrop, users can quickly transfer large-sized files between iOS 7.0 devices. Upcoming Android and Windows Phone versions should make it easier for NFC-capable devices to perform similar task.


6. Improve security features: The iOS adds a few significant security enhancements, such as support for biometric scanning. Although there were reports about newly discovered methods to bypass the lockscreen and fingerprint scanner of the iPhone 5S, the iOS 7.0 still improves the security standard and makes it more difficult for hackers to break into the system. Software platforms of Google and Microsoft are typically viewed as less secure than Apple’s solutions; so it is necessary for both companies to perform similar improvements.


7. Perform a major redesign: The redesign for iOS 7.0 is significant and some cases, stellar. Led by the UI design legend, Jonathan Ive, the new version offers a refreshed look and feel to the otherwise outdated interface. The iOS 7.0 has breathed a new life to Apple’s mobile software platform and everything just works better. It could be the right time for Google and Microsoft to rethink about their UI design and perform major redesign on the future software versions.

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