The user interface incorporated on modern mobile phones is perhaps the most important aspect of any model. This interface is what the consumer uses to perform every task that they require on the handset. We explore the UI featured on the iPhone 4S, arguably the most user friendly software currently available.
Apple have opted to keep the interface simple on the iPhone 4S unlike many of their rivals who chose to add unnecessary elements such as active wallpapers and 3D views. The iPhone interface has remained relatively unchanged sine the introduction of the very first Apple phone in 2007. The main home screen on this model boasts a familiar layout of four rows each comprising of four icons. Each of these icons represents an application or service that is installed on the phone. Many users will end up with more than 16 apps so when it is required another page is automatically produced. Typically users of the 16GB phone will end up with four or five home screens and scrolling between them is very simple with just a simple horizontal swipe on the screen required. The 4S features a dual core processor and therefore the model is superb for running more than one app at the same time. A double tap on the Home button reveals a bar at the bottom of the screen which displays the apps currently running. This is handy is you need to navigate between two items, for example composing a text message and referring to the Safari web browser for information you want to include in the message.
Along the bottom of every home screen on the iPhone 4S is a set of four icons that remain the same on every page. This is designed for the user to include the features that they use most often so that they are easy to access at all times. At the top of the screen a very small information bar is always visible showing details of network, connectivity, time and battery capacity. Users of this model can enjoy improved functionality from the lock screen with a shortcut to the camera feature now present and also the ability to control the music player without needing to unlock the phone. Another new addition on this model is a very useful notifications centre which enables the users to view all of their incoming notifications in one place. A range of items can be displayed here ranging from e mails to social networking updates and the user can easily select the items they want to be displayed from the notifications area of the Settings menu.
The user interface featured on the iPhone 4S really is a joy to use. It is without doubt the most simple of all the interfaces currently available and new additions such as the notifications centre add to the appeal of what was already a near faultless system.
