ptg 28 CHAPTER 2 ● IPHONE DEVICE OVERVIEW FIGURE 2.16 Google Search activates voice search using the proximity sensor. MOTION SENSOR One of the most widely used sensors is the accelerometer, also known as a “ motion” sensor. e accelerometer can detect the iPhone’s orientation and adjust the display accordingly. Perhaps the most practical accelerometer feature is the ability to change the display from portrait to landscape when the iPhone is rotated. Other accelerometer-based features can be found in games, musi- cal instruments, contact management tools, photography tools, e-readers, and pedometers (see FIGURES 2.17–2.19 for a few examples). FIGURE 2.17 Marble Maze uses the motion sensor to move the silver ball through the maze. FIGURE 2.18 Bump uses the accelerometer to detect when the user shakes the device as a way to exchange contact information. FIGURE 2.19 ProCamera uses the motion sensor to improve image capture. NOTE iPhone 4 has a three-axis gyroscope. Paired with the accelerometer, it makes the iPhone capable of advanced motion sensing, such as user acceleration, angular velocity, and rota- tion rate. Download from www.wowebook.com ptg LOCATION AND COMPASS INFORMATION 29 Location and Compass Information e iPhone provides location and compass information (at the time of this writ- ing, the compass is available only on the iPhone 3GS and later). Combined, the two features can oer powerful navigation systems. LOCATION INFORMATION e iPhone communicates with Earth-orbiting satellites to determine its location. If the phone cannot access any satellites (for example, inside buildings), it uses available WiFi spots or cell towers to help triangulate the iPhone’s position. With this location information, users can pinpoint themselves on a map and look up directions to a point of interest (FIGURE 2.20). Although this information is most commonly used for navigation, many social applications (such as Gowalla and Foursquare, FIGURES 2.21–2.22, respectively) also take advantage of this feature. FIGURE 2.20 TomTom FIGURE 2.21 Gowalla FIGURE 2.22 Foursquare COMPASS e iPhone’s compass (technically a magnetometer) can determine the phone’s absolute position regardless of its orientation. ree common compass use cases include turn-by-turn navigation, gaming, and augmented reality (AR). Turn-by-Turn Navigation Combined with location information, the compass can orient maps correctly and provide turn-by-turn navigation. Apps that leverage these technologies can have features and functionality that rival some in-car navigation systems. Download from www.wowebook.com ptg 30 CHAPTER 2 ● IPHONE DEVICE OVERVIEW Gaming With the compass, gaming apps can identify the phone’s absolute position and provide more accurate controls. Instead of simply tilting the screen, as is done with the accelerometer, users can physically turn their bodies le and right to control their movements within virtual spaces, as shown in the AirCoaster app in FIGURE 2.23. Augmented Reality Augmented reality (AR) combines real-world and computer-generated data, tak- ing information retrieval to another level. AR takes full advantage of the iPhone’s hardware, including the compass, accelerometer, and GPS location, to show rel- evant information, typically superimposed on the display, as shown in the Yelp and Starmap apps (see FIGURES 2.24–2.25, respectively). FIGURE 2.23 AirCoaster adapts the coaster ride based on the user’s orientation. FIGURE 2.24 Yelp’s Monocle uses augmented reality to overlay business information in the camera viewfinder. FIGURE 2.25 Starmap lets users get information by pointing at constellations in the night sky. Bluetooth Bluetooth enables users to pair their iPhone with compatible headphones or speakers and access audio wirelessly. Additionally, many apps use Bluetooth to transfer data between two iPhone devices when WiFi is slow or not available. Common use cases include exchanging contact information (such as with Bump or LinkedIn) and multiplayer games that leverage GameKit. FIGURES 2.26–2.28 show a variety of apps that use Bluetooth. NOTE Bluetooth data transfer is not available on the original iPhone or iPod Touch because of hardware limitations. Download from www.wowebook.com ptg STILL AND VIDEO CAMERAS 31 FIGURE 2.26 LinkedIn lets users connect with other LinkedIn members via Bluetooth. FIGURE 2.27 Bluetooth Photo Share lets users share photos via Bluetooth. FIGURE 2.28 Air Hockey can be played with a partner over Bluetooth. Still and Video Cameras e iPhone enables users to capture and view photos and videos (starting in iOS 3.0, apps can record video on supported devices). e still camera has been inte- grated into a wide range of photo-related apps that fall into three major groupings: • Image capture • Image enhancement • Image recognition IMAGE CAPTURE Apps can use the iPhone’s camera API to seamlessly incorporate image capture without leaving the application. For example, a Postman app user may want to capture a photo for a postcard, or a Yelp user may want to capture a photo for a review (FIGURES 2.29–2.30). Of Cameras and iPhones In addition to offering two separate cameras (front- and rear- facing), the iPhone 4 offers significantly new features over the iPhone 3GS’s camera, as noted in this table: Model Camera Video Graphics Card iPhone 3GS 3 megapixel with tap-to-focus 30 fps PowerVR SGX 535 iPhone 4 5 megapixel with tap-to-focus Rear Camera: 720p HD @ 30 fps Front Camera: Standard VGA @ 30 fps Apple A4, incorporating the PowerVR SGX 535 Download from www.wowebook.com ptg 32 CHAPTER 2 ● IPHONE DEVICE OVERVIEW FIGURE 2.29 Postman users can use the camera to add a photo to a postcard. FIGURE 2.30 Yelp users can add photos to reviews. IMAGE ENHANCEMENT Image enhancement apps typically combine the iPhone camera with editing tools. For example, Adobe Photoshop’s app lets users capture photos and provides sev- eral editing options: cropping, exposure, eects (FIGURE 2.31). ere are also many apps that specialize in specic types of image enhancements. CameraBag lets users choose a photo and apply eects like “Instant,” which looks like a Polaroid, and “1962,” which looks like a grainy black-and-white photograph (FIGURE 2.32). ColorSplash, another popular app, converts images to black and white and lets users selectively “paint” colors back into the image (FIGURE 2.33). FIGURE 2.31 Photoshop FIGURE 2.32 CameraBag FIGURE 2.33 ColorSplash Download from www.wowebook.com ptg MICROPHONE AND SPEAKER 33 IMAGE RECOGNITION Image recognition apps use the camera to capture images for analysis. For exam- ple, the SnapTell app uses the camera to identify products and look up purchase information (FIGURE 2.34), and the USAA app uses the camera to scan checks and deposit them (FIGURE 2.35). Future applications may combine the compass and camera, enabling users to point and learn about almost any object in their environment. FIGURE 2.3 SnapTell FIGURE 2.35 USAA Microphone and Speaker Microphone- and speaker-related apps (or app features) generally fall into one of ve categories: • Voice and music recorders • Streaming music services • Sound recognition and reference tools (e.g., birdcall app) • Accessibility tools (e.g., voice controls) • Alerts (e.g., new messages) • Feedback (e.g., scoring points in games, moving items) Download from www.wowebook.com ptg 34 CHAPTER 2 ● IPHONE DEVICE OVERVIEW One of the biggest challenges for audio-related apps is how to seamlessly interact with other applications that may already be using the microphone or speaker. For example, what happens if a user is playing music on the iPod while launching a music app? What happens if a user receives a call while using a voice-recording app? ese and other design issues will be discussed further in Chapter 9, “User Interface Design.” FIGURES 2.36–2.40 show a variety of audio-related apps. FIGURE 2.36 QuickVoice (voice recorder) FIGURE 2.37 Pandora (streaming music) FIGURE 2.38 Shazam (sound recognition) FIGURE 2.39 iBird Explorer Backyard (sound reference) FIGURE 2.40 Google Search (Accessibility is one of the defining aspects of voice search.) Download from www.wowebook.com ptg SUMMARY 35 Audio Specifications Frequency response: 20Hz to 20,000Hz Audio formats supported: AAC (8 to 320 Kbps), Protected AAC (from iTunes Store), HE-AAC, MP3 (8 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, 4, Audible Enhanced Audio, AAX, and AAX+), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV Summary e iPhone contains a variety of technologies that enable you to develop compel- ling user experiences. Some of these, such as the multi-touch display, are rela- tively new to the mobile space, while others, like the camera, have been built into phones for more than a decade. e iPhone platform has inspired app designers and developers to use these technologies in innovative ways. When designing your own iPhone app, look for ways you can take advantage of the iPhone’s unique hardware and soware to build new and exciting features. Here are some other things to keep in mind: • If you run into a user experience challenge, consider ways the hardware combined with soware can address the problem; for example, using the camera and image recognition to identify products can reduce text entry errors. • Before creating custom controls or gestures, make sure the iOS does not have one that meets your needs. • Remember that certain features are not supported in older versions of the iPhone and iPod Touch. Be sure to communicate this information to users and leverage the Device Capabilities Framework as needed. In the next part of the book, Part Two, “Dening Your iPhone App,” we’ll discuss a variety of activities that will help formulate your app vision. ■ Download from www.wowebook.com ptg Foodspotting Shadowing session; see page 41 Street interview; see page 46 User interview; see page 77 Persona photo; see page 81 Two-by-two diagram; see page 97 Heuristic analysis; see page 102 Download from www.wowebook.com ptg 37 Defining Your iPhone App All iPhone app ideas start somewhere—an entrepreneur starts scrib- bling on some napkins at the local coffee shop, a visionary sketches on a whiteboard, a team has a brainstorm. Regardless of how your app begins, most app ideas are relatively vague at first, perhaps a basic drawing or a few bullet points of things you would like the app to do. Given the comprehensive suite of tools provided by Apple (Xcode, Inter- face Builder, and the iPhone Simulator), you may feel compelled to just start coding and then later refine your app’s design. While this approach may work for simple apps, most apps can benefit from some level of up-front research and analysis. Part Two focuses on user research and competitive research since they can lead to qualitative insights and are valuable for both new and exist- ing apps. These are the chapters in Part Two: • Chapter 3, “Introduction to User Research,” will review a variety of user research methods such as shadowing, field interviews, and diary studies. • Chapter 4, “Analyzing User Research,” will then explain how to translate your research findings into valuable design tools. • Chapter 5, “Evaluating the Competition,” will switch gears and focus on competitive analysis. By the end of Part Two, you should have a solid foundation to begin brainstorming and sketching your app designs. PART TWO Download from www.wowebook.com . 3 megapixel with tap-to-focus 30 fps PowerVR SGX 535 iPhone 4 5 megapixel with tap-to-focus Rear Camera: 72 0p HD @ 30 fps Front Camera: Standard VGA @ 30 fps Apple A4, incorporating the PowerVR. enhancement apps typically combine the iPhone camera with editing tools. For example, Adobe Photoshop’s app lets users capture photos and provides sev- eral editing options: cropping, exposure, eects. page 41 Street interview; see page 46 User interview; see page 77 Persona photo; see page 81 Two-by-two diagram; see page 97 Heuristic analysis; see page 102 Download from www.wowebook.com ptg 37 Defining