More features iOS should take from Android? Ars readers weigh in

Earlier this week, we outlined five Android features that we think would do some good on the iOS side of the mobile spectrum (we also have a companion post that examines the question in reverse). Google Now-style services, quick settings in the Notification Center, improvements to autocorrect and spelling suggestions, and the ability to set default apps and set home screen buttons to links within apps all made our list.

But as always, Ars readers were eager to tell us what they think Apple could borrow from Android in order to make iOS a more compelling experience. In the 200+ comments on that piece, readers offered ideas and debated over which features were truly worth the Apple stamp of approval. Though not everyone was in agreement (since when has that ever happened in the iOS and Android world?), we identified three main topics that came up over and over again in the comments: how apps are handled on iOS devices, how keyboards are handled, and— drum roll, please—widgets.

Apps could use some tweaking

It should come as no surprise that one of the main things Ars readers want iOS to adopt from Android is the ability to sideload apps without having to go through the App Store or jailbreak. Kethinov was the first to point this out in our comments and many others agreed—though we don't think Apple will change its stance on this anytime soon. It's fun to dream, though, right?

More realistically, tommertron pointed out two major app-related features that iOS could seriously benefit from: the auto-updating of apps and the ability for apps to download info in the background.

"It's such a dumb process on iOS to see that little App Store number keep incrementing up then have to review and update the apps. If you've got apps that you wanted to use, you have to wait for all the updates to finish. I love that Android just updates them while you're not using the device and gives you a little notification to see it's been done. Plus, you can turn off auto updating on a per app level if you really want to," tommertron wrote. "The other one is great for apps like Pocket. I can't count how many times I've gotten on the subway, fired up Pocket in my phone, then realized I didn't update before I left. It's been awesome having Pocket on my Nexus update as soon as I save an article without ever having to take it out of my bag."

dantesan also wants to be able to share data between apps: "I just want iOS to be able to share data with other apps standard rather than having to be specifically designed to do so. For instance, many apps let me send data to maps, but I can't send map data FROM maps to other apps. Sometimes I end up having to e-mail myself information to be entered into another app because the app I'm using doesn't let me copy all text fields."

Finally, Clint pointed out that Android users have the ability to push whole apps to their devices from Google Play. "I can push an app from play.google to my Android device across the network. I don't believe iTunes has similar functionality," he wrote.

Keyboards, text selection, and more keyboards

Some readers had simple requests when it comes to the iOS keyboard, like Larkster. "In Android, the keys are displayed with either upper or lower case letters depending on what will show up when the key is pressed," he wrote. "I was using an iPad recently and was very off-put by the fact that the keyboard perpetually shows upper case letters. I can understand that the designers may have wanted to better simulate a physical keyboard, but why limit yourself to a silly physical constraint when making a virtual keyboard? Heck, I wish my physical keyboard could have this feature."

But more than upper- and lower-case letters, Ars readers wanted the ability to use third-party keyboards in place of the standard iOS keyboard that comes on their iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. "They must take the ability to have any kind of keyboard you want like Android has. Apple iOS has the worst keyboard on any tablet or phone. The best keyboard for Android, in my opinion, is SwiftKey. Not only does it have arrow keys, but it can do Swype keyboarding as well," Chadarius wrote.

A reader going by cnerd2025 agreed: "I know other people have said it, but the ability to use a third-party keyboard layout and/or text entry system. I am kind of jealous of my Android-using friends who have Swype type goodies. If I am ever going to be able to use my iPad (or even iPhone) for anything professional, I'm going to need an efficient way to enter text while using the ctrl, alt, super/command, and escape keys."

And, of course, there's always gotta be at least one person to request the D-word. "Dvorak keyboard layout," wrote woodelf. "I might like a Swype-style keyboard, too, once I got used to it, but I've never used one."

Ars readers had a couple of suggestions for text selection as well based on past experience with both platforms.

"I am currently using both Android and iOS, I can say that the thing that frustrates the hell out of me the most is the iOS keyboard, in combination with trying to select a specific point within text," wrote mcn31l. "When I go to make a correction to something I have typed, iOS seem to mostly select the end of the word instead of where I want the "cursor". With Android it mostly gets the right place and if not, there are the arrow keys to make life easier; iOS requires me to hold down and find the correct spot."

giantbee was in total agreement. "The biggest one for me, bigger even than widgets is a proper draggable text caret. Editing text on the iPad with the on-screen keyboard is a horribly imprecise chore, but if I am away from home, I don't always have a [Bluetooth] keyboard with cursor keys handy," he wrote.

"For now, I have installed an app from Cydia called "SwipeShiftCaret" (or similar) which allows me to at least move things backwards and forwards with swipe gestures. It's a little clumsy, but orders of magnitude faster and more precise than base iOS. Obviously, you need a jailbroken device to run it, but then that sort of free and useful tweak not being available via the official routes is another thing that I dislike about iOS—you're stuck with a very vanilla experience."

Widgets galore

"iOS doesn't have widgets yet, does it?" asked Postulator. "These should probably be near the top of the wish list."

Indeed, iOS does not have Android-style widgets, and some would argue that iOS is cleaner and easier-to-use as a result. (If you're a Mac user who's not familiar with what Android widgets are, think OS X Dashboard widgets, but on your phone.) But just because there are users who would never want such a thing doesn't mean there aren't handfuls of users who would appreciate widgets on their iOS devices in order to get easy access to certain information on one screen.

"I'd also say widgets," said another reader going by maximum_carnage. "Being able to get from my calendar to my news reader to my Facebook to my shortcuts, weather, and music with single swipes is so convenient."

Ars reader pitmonster even offered up an idea for how the widgets could be visually laid out on an iOS device: "Maybe widgets made from double-width icons, in a Windows Phone 7/8 style."

Let's be honest here: Apple isn't likely to hop on the widget train anytime soon (and if it does, the Ars staff will figure out a way to eat a hat). Still, it's pretty clear that some Ars readers would love to see them make an appearance. "I think widgets would go a long way to giving iOS an updated feel, and I find them quite useful," MonkeyPaw wrote before throwing a bone to the alternate keyboard lovers. "I also love the Swype keyboard."