Apple iOS 7 Features: New Concept Videos Showcase Enhancements We’d Like To See

While iOS 6 may still seem new for some Apple users, other are already brainstorming what we might see in iOS 7. Two concept videos outlining some wish list features for Apple’s next mobile operating system have surfaced online in recent weeks, sparking curiosity among the Web-based Apple community.

One such video appeared online last week and illustrates some potential enhancements to the iPhone’s lock screen. The footage displays Apple’s lock screen as a multipurpose part of the iPhone, rather than just a means of gaining access to the device. For example, the video suggests the idea of a pull-down tray that rolls down from underneath the clock to reveal some handy widgets such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Airplane mode and Hotspot connections.

It would be interesting to see if users would be able to customize these widgets, or if Apple would place them based on frequent use. While these ideas were not implied in the concept video created by Jean-Marc Denis, they would make a worthwhile addition.

As of now, Apple’s iOS 6 lock screen for the iPhone simply displays the date and time, allows users to unlock the phone and acts as a shortcut to the camera widget. It’s possible that Apple would use this easy-access camera feature as a launching point to add other crucial functions to the lock screen as well.

The second video, which comes to us from YouTube channel ALManimation, depicts some additional features that integrate the music player with the iPhone’s various menus. In the footage, a user can access the settings menu while the music player is still displayed in a horizontal bar on top of the screen. This bar displays the name of the song as well as the pause/play, fast forward, rewind and repeat buttons. The music player icon is also on this bar, which we’re assuming would lead viewers back to a full-screen view of the music player.

Before users get down to the Settings menu, there are two more horizontal bars: one which controls the volume and another which adjusts the screen’s brightness. Below that, the standard menu options are available such as Airplane Mode, LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and so on. This same idea has also been translated to the locks screen, where a miniature version of the music player sits comfortably below the “Slide to Unlock” switch.

We’re also seeing a feature that would make it easier to scroll through open applications. Rather than double tapping the home button to see a scrollable side menu of currently open apps, users would be able to swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal this same menu. Upon flipping through these apps, the rest of the screen would be used to display a preview of the application. This is similar to Android’s approach, which displays a side panel of open applications with a tiny preview, but with Apple’s own self-branded twist.

These are only a few of the many enhancements mentioned in the three-minute- long video, but you can view both concept compilations below. As for iOS 7, check out our features wish list here.