An Apples’ policy of implementing user-friendly features that are sometimes borrowed from their competitors has been recognized. However, it lacks logic in one respect – the absence of a volume mixer in iOS. And so, while Apple’s iPhones and iPads use contextual volume controls to enable users to adjust hearing levels based on various circumstances, the situation gets confusing with some notifications going unnoticed.
The User Experience Suffers from Oversimplification
This is true as far as the minimalist design sense of Apple is concerned, but sometimes it can limit functionality. This should be easy enough: individually adjusting different audio streams—ringer, media, and notifications. But no—iOS buries these settings deep down. For example on iPhones you can set separate volumes for ringer and other audios but cannot quickly do this without going through other applications.
For instance Control Center provides quick access to one slider for controlling overall volume. Would it not make more sense to let users handle individual streams like ringer or notification sounds from there too?
Contextual Volume Controls Can Be Frustrating
Currently, iPhones adjust volume contextually meaning that the physical buttons alter the loudness level of whatever sound source is currently on display. This seems logical at first glance but may lead to some problems. For example during a notification event if you bring down your phone’s volume by accident all your calls and messages will be silenced because your ringer has also been muted inadvertently which might result into missed calls and messages.
The issue is rooted in the fact that the ringer and notification volumes are linked. You need to go into Settings, click on Sound & Haptics, and slide a slider to adjust – an unnecessarily complicated process.
While solving this problem partially, “Change with Buttons” toggle brings another one—you lose instant access to adjusting the ringer volume as soon as you want.
Apple Should Integrate It
It is most frustrating because Apple could easily do something about it. For instance, by tapping long on the volume slider in Control Center, it could show separate sliders for different audio streams. These individual controls already exist in iOS settings; they have just not been brought out into the open by Apple yet.
iPhone Owners Demand this Now
In addition, some people may argue that adding a volume mixer would make iOS less simple for average users. Yet today’s smartphone users are much more knowledgeable when it comes to technology than ever before. Millions of Android customers have no problem with finding volume mixers, and iPhone users should be able to do so effortlessly.
Particularly for creative professionals such an oversight becomes annoying. In music production or sound design they often rely on third-party apps like Audiobus for managing audio outputs which ought to come as a built-in feature.
Not Just the Mute Button
Although it is only a physical button that turns off notifications by itself, it does not replace the real volume mixer. Sure enough, one can mute ringtones and notification sounds while keeping media audios on but this is an analogue way to solve a digital problem.
Apple, Let’s Do This Once and for All
Although no volume mixer is no big deal, it affects how useful iPhones and iPads are. Even if the current system generally works fine, such sometimes occurring annoyances can take away from the experience of using them.
Apple, you have always been known for presenting seamless solutions—why not focus on this? There are millions of users who would highly value this development, and it has been long overdue.
