iOS, MacOS, etc. 26 is making me seriously consider switching

[ncted]

I've been using Apple Products since the ][+. I have lost track of how many Apple computers, iPods, iPads, iPhones, AppleTVs, etc. I have owned over the years. This is mostly because I give them to family members when I want to upgrade. I never "loved" Apple like many seem to, but their products just usually worked better for me than others in general, even during the 90s when things were so bad. I have also owned PCs that run Windows and Linux and still do.

Right now, I own an iPhone 14, a MacBook Air M1, an iPad 10, AppleTV 4Ks of various vintages (as well as a Ryzen Linux desktop), and I use a MacBook Air M2 at work (along with my Lenovo P620 Linux workstation). I am telling you all this because I am heavily invested in time, money, and muscle memory using Apple products, and I am seriously considering replacing some or all of them because their new OSes are so friggin' awful.

In addition to the glassy look which causes no end of readability issues, the UI changes are non-sensical, and the bugginess of the user experience is the worst I've seen since Mac OS X 10.1. I don't mind learning new interfaces. It is a part of my work on a daily basis, but the way Apple has changed how so many things work, especially on iOS, in ways that obfuscate functionality, move regularly-used features to hard to reach places, and apparently eliminate functionality altogether this time around has really gotten to me.

I always expect some annoying changes with a new software release, like when they removed the ability to priotitize Wi-Fi networks, but the sheer number of really bad choices this time around feels like too much. I was really just wanting to vent, and I was wondering if anyone else was experiencing the same frustrations.

 

[Foxbat]

The biggest bugaboo I've been experiencing is how my iDevices no longer seem to be in-sync. If I get an iMessage, instead of reading it on my iPhone which renders it read everywhere, now I have to read it on my watch and iPad and Mac as well. Same thing with Notifications, I'm dismissing these in three or four places instead of acknowledging it on my watch which removed it from my phone and tablet.

 

[KAB]

The biggest bugaboo I've been experiencing is how my iDevices no longer seem to be in-sync. If I get an iMessage, instead of reading it on my iPhone which renders it read everywhere, now I have to read it on my watch and iPad and Mac as well. Same thing with Notifications, I'm dismissing these in three or four places instead of acknowledging it on my watch which removed it from my phone and tablet.

Not happening on my three devices. As is not uncommon of "anypne's" updates, settings sometimes get changed which I suspect may be your problem. Overall, I quite like the new IOS and it certainly has not given me any thought of defecting.

 

[klang]

The biggest bugaboo I've been experiencing is how my iDevices no longer seem to be in-sync. If I get an iMessage, instead of reading it on my iPhone which renders it read everywhere, now I have to read it on my watch and iPad and Mac as well. Same thing with Notifications, I'm dismissing these in three or four places instead of acknowledging it on my watch which removed it from my phone and tablet.

I see something similar with iMessage occasionally. iPhone and iPad are usually in sync, Mac sometimes is behind.

 

[Foxbat]

Not happening on my three devices.

I was afraid of that. I am probably experiencing some other account issue. I expect the solution will be to sign out of all my iDevices and sign back in.

 

[rvvaquero]

glassy look which causes no end of readability issues

I'm on 26.2 on my iPhone and iPad and not seeing that at all. I PC over Mac for computer.

The way Apple has changed how so many things work, especially on iOS

Just not seeing that on iPad or iPhone.

The biggest bugaboo I've been experiencing is how my iDevices no longer seem to be in-sync. If I get an iMessage, instead of reading it on my iPhone which renders it read everywhere, now I have to read it on my watch and iPad and Mac as well. Same thing with Notifications, I'm dismissing these in three or four places instead of acknowledging it on my watch which removed it from my phone and tablet.

This is not my experience at all. I usually just clear it off my AW and everything is marked read on all devices.

 

[ncted]

I'm at the Grand Canyon for Christmas. The apps I've been using are primarily Photos, Maps, Mail, and iMessage, and I've been having issues with all of them. Weird transparency bugs in Mail keep happening. The updates to the Photos app they promised after the previous version screwed up so much functionality aren't evident, and I keep ending up on a screen that has weird icons on it that don't do anything. Maps keeps refusing to play audio directions, especially in CarPlay. iMessage notifications are being very inconsistent, and they changed the behavior when you download a photo from iMessage to your photo library where it is really not clear that the action has taken place.

 

[dfergie]

Happy with iOS...

 

[ncted]

I'm on 26.2 on my iPhone and iPad and not seeing that at all. I PC over Mac for computer.

Just not seeing that on iPad or iPhone.

This is not my experience at all. I usually just clear it off my AW and everything is marked read on all devices.

In order to make text visible most of time in UI elements, I had to turn off dark mode and reduce transparency. Prior to doing those things, it was much more common to not be able to read what a text label was in the UI.

If you've been in the Photos, Mail, and Message apps, function buttons have moved from the previous versions. They also changed the behavior of many of the functions. Some of these changes I really like, such as the different filters in Messages app, but many of them, I'm confused as to why they put the button there and why doesn't do what the same button did in the last version did?

 

[ncted]

Also, I am really struggling with the new UI on my Apple Watch 10. To activate the UI buttons for the exercise functions, I have to click above the icon compared to the previous versions. I usually takes me at least a couple of tries to actually accomplish it. I am probably not going to change anything with 26, but if they don't make things better with 27, I'll probably get a lot more serious about it, and I am unlikely to buy any new Apple products in the meantime.

 

[b4pjoe]

The biggest bugaboo I've been experiencing is how my iDevices no longer seem to be in-sync. If I get an iMessage, instead of reading it on my iPhone which renders it read everywhere, now I have to read it on my watch and iPad and Mac as well. Same thing with Notifications, I'm dismissing these in three or four places instead of acknowledging it on my watch which removed it from my phone and tablet.

I've been seeing the same thing in 26.2 and it is really a PITA.

 

[Foxbat]

I've been seeing the same thing in 26.2 and it is really a PITA.

I had it in 26.1.1 and I had hoped it got fixed in 26.2, but while it seemed like it got fixed, it's back.

I'm just surprised that I haven't seen more wide-spread reporting of this issue.

 

[KAB]

IMaps keeps refusing to play audio directions, especially in CarPlay. i

That has happened to me a lot long before 26. It happens because your entertainment system/radio, mistakenly identifies the map audio start as a phone call. I always have to hit the hang up button on the steering wheel.

 

[b4pjoe]

I had it in 26.1.1 and I had hoped it got fixed in 26.2, but while it seemed like it got fixed, it's back.

I'm just surprised that I haven't seen more wide-spread reporting of this issue.

What is weird is the thing with iMessage sometimes marks them all read on all devices when you read them on one device but at other times you have to go read them on all devices to mark them all as read.