This is one of the most frustrating new features of iOS 16.
The operating system of iphone It is, in my opinion, the best operating system in the smartphone industry. Offers a great intuitiveness, its user interface has a beautiful design and its features are very advanced and versatile. However, as can happen in the case of any other platform, it is not the perfect operating system.
In fact, perfection in the field of software is practically unattainable. Its functionality will always be linked to hardware, which is advancing by leaps and bounds, and it is very difficult to adapt an operating system to the taste and needs of all users. Therefore, there will always be aspects to improve.
The big flaw of iOS 16 according to my experience
Personally I use the application very often Messages from Apple, but I understand that many users prefer to opt for other alternatives such as WhatsApp – either because they feel more comfortable with the application or because of its popularity. I have always been more than satisfied with all the Messages news that Apple has been implementing in its software. Up to iOS 16.
The arrival of iOS 16 brought about the introduction of multiple improvements to Apple’s native messaging application, such as message modification, undo sending, marking messages as unread, or real-time collaboration.
But one of the most recent additions to the Messages app always makes me wonder what it would be like if I hadn’t updated the iPhone’s operating system. Perhaps regretting updating to iOS 16 is a bit of an exaggeration, since there are other functions scattered throughout the system that are more than valid. But It doesn’t stop bothering me every time I use the function.
In my opinion this is one of the biggest flaws in the iPhone operating system which should have been fixed with iOS 16. I’m talking about the Messages app’s audio note recording system.
Voice dictation replaced recording audio notes and has not been fixed in iOS 16
Previously, the button to start voice recording in Messages was located to the right of the text field and morphed into the “Send” button every time you started typing a message.
This has changed and now instead of a record voice memo button, there is an icon in the shape of a microphone that activates voice dictation to write text messages through speech.
What I hate the most about iOS 16: pic.twitter.com/26zLp15XOv
— Sergio (@sergitario87) March 27, 2023
For some reason, Apple’s software engineers have decided that iOS 16 users still prefer to use voice dictation when sending audio messages. Well, maybe they have data on their servers – hello, privacy! – that clearly indicates that the voice dictation feature is more widely used, though I’d doubt it. But in that case why not put an optional configuration system in Settings so that each user can decide what they prefer to use?
Also, dear Apple, why integrate a voice dictation button into text input when there is already another default voice dictation button in iOS virtual keyboard?
Click on the image to enlarge the view
Be that as it may, apart from the fact that many users confuse the voice dictation microphone icon for the recording of audio notes, the button to send audio messages has been relegated to the background. Now is among the App Store apps for Messages and requires two taps on the screen (three taps if you don’t have apps from the App Store activated) to start recording, whereas previously it simply just press and hold the icon next to the text input to do so.
Audio recording button in Messages
It’s frustrating and not functional at all. Yes, the user interface of the new audio message recording panel has a fantastic design. But it is not productive. A lot of time is wasted activating the recording and this means that you don’t send as many audios as you would in normal conditions. I think Apple should change it with iOS 17 and offer a more viable alternative. What do you think about this?