I hate watching any of the software that Apple makes creep towards bloatware. Fortunately, it doesn’t happen that often, but it seems to be happening right now with the iTunes music store for iOS.
Thing is, there are those that have been saying something similar has been happening with iTunes software for Mac for years (for the record, I agree). And yet, what’s happening with iTunes for iOS is, to me, far worse. Sure, iTunes for Mac is confusing, does too many things, and no longer does most of them either simply or elegantly. But once you’ve figured out how to do something, it happens fast.
Something different is going on with iTunes for iOS. I guess at some point the designers in Cupertino figured it would be a great idea when I go to download new episodes of some podcast that I subscribe to, to let me know which ones I’ve already downloaded.
Sounds like a great idea, right? It makes complete logical sense and upholds a solid usability guideline: if the computer knows some information that will help with a decision I need to make, don't make me have to remember that information myself. Show me which ones I’ve already downloaded and don’t even let me tap on those. Why make me remember the episodes I already have?
Well, I’ll tell you why. Because this amazing time and memory-saving feature grinds iTunes to a screeching halt every time I use it. Now, when I tap the “Get more episodes” link in any podcast I have in Music, it switches to iTunes and here’s what I see:
For most podcasts, this screen lasts (and I’m not exaggerating here) for a solid minute while the data spinner churns. And during that minute, those incompletely drawn “FREE” buttons don’t work and the entire UI is mostly unresponsive. Very, VERY un-iOS.
The fact is, if I were in any doubt which episodes I already have, I could switch back and forth between iTunes and Music and check for myself in a tenth of the time it takes for these two apps to get their ducks in a row and figure out what I’ve got and what I want.
This leaves us iOS users with a decidedly worse user experience than before Apple implemented this “enhancement.”
I do hope that this is not a sign of things to come in the Post Jobs Era.