When it comes to adding new features to its mobile devices and handheld operating system, Apple usually sticks with incremental progress.
But with its new iPhones and the latest version of its operating system, Apple is taking a big leap forward in adding long-requested features. In the process, Apple is catching up to its Android rivals in many of the areas that it trailed behind.
The most obvious leap is in size. With the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Apple is finally bringing to its phone lineup screen sizes larger than 4-inches. That at last brings them up to par with Android and Windows Phone devices, both of which for years have sported screens larger than the 4-inch one found on Apple s iPhone 5s.
But bigger screens is just one of many advances Apple is making.
Another is in including a near-field communications (NFC) chip, something else that has long been found on Android devices. Just as its Android rivals have done in the past, Apple is using the NFC chip as the centerpiece of its new mobile payments service, dubbed Apple Pay.
Something else that will be new to iPhones with the iPhone 6 is a pressure sensor, which is useful for helping track elevation, such as when someone goes on a hike, or offering directions in three dimensions, such as when a person enters an office building. After seeing similar sensors being bundled into Android phones two years ago, I called on Apple to include one in the iPhone. It took Apple a while — and two generations of iPhones — but it finally granted my wish.
I ve also long been calling for Apple to bump up the default storage it includes in its iPhone models without charging more for it. With the iPhone 6 models — outside of the entry-level versions — Apple is finally doing just that. The mid-range and top-of-the-line models will now come with 64 gigabytes and 128 gigabytes of space, respectively, instead of 32 and 64 gigabytes.
The new phones — particularly the gargantuan iPhone 6 Plus — will also feature longer-lived batteries than their predecessors. That s been a complaint about the iPhone since day one, that its battery just didn t last long enough. We ll see how the new phones fare in real-world tests, but Apple promises they will each offer significantly more use per charge.
But it s not just on the hardware side that Apple is addressing long-standing complaints and requests. It s also made lots of improvements on the software side.
For example, the new version of its operating system, dubbed iOS 8, will finally support widgets, small programs that offer quick access to particular information or features. Android has long supported widgets, as has OS X, the operating system that runs on Apple s Mac computers.
Previous versions of iOS only supported a handful of widgets from Apple for things like stocks and weather, and didn t allow any from outside developers. Now outside developers will be able to create iOS widgets also.
In iOS 8, widgets will run in the notification area on iPhones and iPads. That s a little bit different than in Android, where such programs run on devices homescreens. But including widgets of any kind addresses a long-standing customer request.
Apple addressed another long-standing complaint of mine by making it much easier for apps to interact with one another and share data and information. Previously, if I wanted to share a photo in my library from Apple s photo gallery, I was limited to the options Apple gave me. With iOS 8, I will have access to other options as well. So, if I want to share a photo on Google Plus or share a video on Tout I can do that from the gallery, without having to launch either app.
Again, that kind of app integration is something that has long been present on Android.
Apple is also finally allowing consumers to install third-party virtual keyboards. In iOS 8, consumers will be able to install keyboards such as Nuance s popular Swype, which allows users to type letters without having to pick up their fingers. That too addresses a long-hoped-for request.
To be sure, Apple hasn t addressed all my requests or those from other users.
One big and longtime bugaboo for me: Even in iOS 8, users still won t be able to choose their own default apps for many features. So, if you want Chrome to be your default browser instead of Safari, you re out of luck. So too if you want a third-party mail program to be your default email client rather than Apple s Mail.
For my part, I d love to be able to designate Google Voice as my default phone app, but iOS won t allow it.
Another complaint: Apple still doesn t allow multiple user accounts on iOS devices. So, if you share your device with your kids or your friends, they get access to all your emails or browsing history or texts, unless you customize and manually turn on the restrictions setting every single time.
Multiple accounts is more of an issue for the iPad than the iPhone. It s possible that Apple, when it introduces the next-generation iPads as soon as next month, will include that feature with them.
I hope with those new devices will also allow users to view and use more than one application at once. Rumors have been swirling that feature — dubbed split-screen multi-tasking is in the works.
I d also like to see Apple follow the path that many of the Android makers are now treading and make the iPhone and iPad water and dust-proof.
Photo: Apple CEO Tim Cook introduces the new iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus during at the Flint Center on Tuesday in Cupertino (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group).
