# Things you wish your iphone could/would do/allow you to do. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564 "2010-10-18T16:44:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/1 "2010-10-18T16:44:29Z")
Without being jailbroken, of course (still reluctant do to that to mine just yet) I wish I could turn off the 10% and 20% battery warning messages that interrupt whatever you are doing. The battery icon in the corner is visible and seen often enough to make those messages somewhat redundant. And sometimes they perform an ironic inconvenience - in other words, sometimes I want to deliberately drain the battery so that I can give the thing a full charge, and do it before I go home. So i’ll leave a movie running with the sound turned down. But those message come up, and then un-responded to they put the phone to sleep, so my plan of draining the battery with a movie is scuppered. I wish I could turn off multi-tasking. It is more of an inconvenience than a feature - I don’t actually need the things I’ve just used to still be running. So I keep having to manually shut everything off. They should _at least_ implement some sort of **close all running apps** feature. I want a your-phone-is-about-to-switch-off **audible** alarm. If my phone goes off in the night I won’t know it’s happened. Someone tries to call me in the morning - my phone is off. I’m on-call so it could be an important call. If the phone went ‘blingly blingly bop’ JUST before it switched off, I would hear it, and plug it in to charge. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/2 "2010-10-18T17:02:59Z")
I’d like to be able to turn off cover flow. I hate cover flow with the fire of a thousand fire ants in your underwear. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/3 "2010-10-18T17:04:52Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > I’d like to be able to turn off cover flow. I hate cover flow with the fire of a thousand fire ants in your underwear. You can turn that off by turning on the portrait lock. Or rather you can force the phone not to go into that mode. But I agree with you. I don’t see the point of it. To portrait lock your phone, double tap the home key to bring up the running apps, then swipe to the right, then click on the button with a circle with an arrow on the end of it, and a padlock in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/4 "2010-10-18T17:13:04Z")
I’d like to turn off cover flow specifically, without having to totally disable portrait mode! Also, I’d like to be able to shut down an app while it’s still up on the screen - if it **is** possible then please inform me. I hate hitting the home button a couple times to minimize the app, bring up the “taskbar,” then hold down on the icon to get it into closing mode, and finally click the corner to close. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/5 "2010-10-18T17:17:00Z")
On the subject of portrait lock ( **Feret Herder** I think you meant ‘disable landscape’) I’d like the option of _landscape_ lock. But it’s not that much of a bother. The reason I’d like landscape lock is so that I can be watching movies/tv in bed, I’m in landscape mode (in other words I’m lying down) so To watch the movie in landscape mode the phone is physically upright, so it shows the movie in portrait mode. You have to turn the phone around until it’s upside down and the movie stays in landscape mode. ---
**Author:** ![Pitchmeister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pitchmeister/32/3459_2.png) [@Pitchmeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pitchmeister)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/6 "2010-10-18T17:24:49Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > And sometimes they perform an ironic inconvenience - in other words, sometimes I want to deliberately drain the battery so that I can give the thing a full charge, and do it before I go home. So i’ll leave a movie running with the sound turned down. > > But those message come up, and then un-responded to they put the phone to sleep, so my plan of draining the battery with a movie is scuppered. In the days of lithium batteries draining it is actually no longer necessary and you could actually decrease your battery lifespan this way. [Here](http://www.apple.com/batteries/) is what Apple has to say on the subject of batteries. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/7 "2010-10-18T17:32:10Z")
I wish it could turn me invisible. That would be cool. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/8 "2010-10-18T17:34:15Z")
I wish it had a notification system like Android. But I would settle for a sound on/sound off icon in the top bar. I can’t see the physical switch in dark places, like the movie theater. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/9 "2010-10-18T17:36:08Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > In the days of lithium batteries draining it is actually no longer necessary and you could actually decrease your battery lifespan this way. > > [Here](http://www.apple.com/batteries/) is what Apple has to say on the subject of batteries. Yes. There is no need to do this anymore and hasn’t been for several years on most phones. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/10 "2010-10-18T17:37:32Z")
I wish there were infinite levels of Angry Birds, but then again I’d never get anything else done. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/11 "2010-10-18T17:38:44Z")
> [@Pitchmeister](#): > > In the days of lithium batteries draining it is actually no longer necessary and you could actually decrease your battery lifespan this way. > . The other day, it was down to 14 percent. I didn’t want to wait for it to fully drain so I decided this one time I’ll plug it in before it’s all gone. Charged it up to 100%. That 100% charge lasted about 3 hours. (About as long as a 14% charge would _normally_ last!!) Thus reinforcing my suspicion that I should be doing full charges from fully drained. Plus, I’ve read MANY articles that claim no memory effect, and no problem charing when not fully discharged. I’m still not convinced. On all the devices I’ve owned with lithium ion batteries the worst performance has come when I’ve behaved ‘casually’ with the charging - i.e. plugging it in when it’s at 50 percent. ---
**Author:** ![Neptunian\_Slug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce7236/32.png) [@Neptunian\_Slug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neptunian_Slug)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/12 "2010-10-18T17:40:07Z")
I just want email folders on the phone in case I don’t have an IMAP account. And I want to be able to stop the email software from checking in case it turns on. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/13 "2010-10-18T17:47:48Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > They should _at least_ implement some sort of **close all running apps** feature. Totally agree with this. I even wrote to Apple to suggest this. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/14 "2010-10-18T17:51:44Z")
My iPod Touch is jailbroken, and the one thing I really want and have never been able to find is a network browser. I want to be able to look at my network resources and open the files, assuming it is a file my iPod Touch knows how to open. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/15 "2010-10-18T18:16:18Z")
On the subject of Batteries, I can’t believe this only just occured to me. I would like the ability to replace the battery! I hate the tactical way that the battery is built in, so when someone’s ithing battery is performing badly they are more or less forced to replace the entire device. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/16 "2010-10-18T19:07:51Z")
I just want a comprehensive call/text log. Who texted me at 2am? Who did I call when I was drunk last Saturday night? How long was that call to my sister? ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/17 "2010-10-18T20:38:57Z")
I want to be able to click&drag photos, music and files from my computer to an iphone, without having to use iTunes to do it. My idiotically dumb $15 music player will do it. Hell, it’s got a built in USB plug. It’s a thumbdrive with an added music player. So why can’t an iphone/ipod touch do the same? I hate/hate/hate the idea that iTunes has to be involved with everything I do. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/18 "2010-10-19T01:02:36Z")
> [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](#): > > I want to be able to click&drag photos, music and files from my computer to an iphone, without having to use iTunes to do it. > > My idiotically dumb $15 music player will do it. Hell, it’s got a built in USB plug. It’s a thumbdrive with an added music player. > > So why can’t an iphone/ipod touch do the same? I hate/hate/hate the idea that iTunes has to be involved with everything I do. That is fixable by Jailbreaking. I can comprehend Apple’s reasons with the iPhone, but locking down the iPod Touch is just assholishness. It is my damn property! AT&T bought no part of it! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/19 "2010-10-19T01:56:52Z")
It seems Apple _does_ recommend occasionally running the battery down:[ > [@](#): > > For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down). ]([Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple](http://www.apple.com/batteries/iphone.html))I agree there should be a way to close all the “open” applications, but if I understand what they are actually doing with their “multi-tasking,” those apps aren’t really open in the way you might think. That is, they exist in the dock, but they aren’t really running in the same sense that a minimized application in Windows is, for instance. I think. Still bugs me that they’re all still _there_, though. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564/20 "2010-10-19T02:47:44Z")
There is no need to close applications on the iPhone. For normal applications, when you leave the application, even if it is still in the app switcher, it is no longer running - it is suspended, and removing it from the app switcher does nothing more than remove it from the app switcher. The exceptions are applications that are specifically designed to run in the background (e.g Pandora, Skype), but you would know if you were using one of those. Ordinary applications, that only do useful things when you are actively using them - there is no point to removing them from the app switcher (unless you don’t like the clutter). The iPhone is not a computer, you don’t need to do maintenance on it. It can take care of itself. Just use it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-wish-your-iphone-could-would-do-allow-you-to-do/557564.md?page=2)