“Apple is aware of the desire for [Cut, Copy, Paste on iPhone] and it is working on it in the labs as we speak,” Sven Rafferty reports for SvenOnTech.
“The trouble it is having is implementation. How to easily call up a copy or cut option and then the paste action. It’s probable that the zoom bubble (the one that brings up the edit cursor) is the issue as it has removed the obvious tap and hold position from Apple to use for a pop-up menu of some sort. Text selection is another difficulty to sort out,” Rafferty reports.
“Certainly, the cursor could be added to the menu selection; however, Apple wants to keep this as simple as possible and that added step would not lend itself to simple,” Rafferty reports. “My source would not give me any details other than to say that it has been working on the solution for some time and that there was no immediate release for it. So at best, we can hope that the interface hurdle will be leaped over very soon.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dirty Pierre le Punk” for the heads up.]
In a recent email to Chris Pirillo, Brendan Sheehan suggests:
You know the magnifying loupe on the iPhone? Well to bring that up (as you know) you hold your finger down for about 1/2 a second at any point in a text box. Here’s the clever part… when you find the position where you want to start your Copy & Paste at you simply freeze, you hold that position (with loupe present) for about 1.5 seconds and the “navy” text selector within the loupe changes color to “green” (or any other color) right before your eyes. A subtle yet obvious clue that something is happening (i.e. hint hint iPhone user, you are now in select mode).
At this point all you have done is positioned the loupe and held it still for 1.5 seconds. So far so good.
Now, while your finger remains on the screen with the loupe present (as you would do with your mouse) you drag the text selector to the end of the piece of text you want, and you leave go.. and up pops all the clipboard options you’ll ever need; Copy, Cut, Paste, Delete etc. You choose an option and you’re done.
And when you want to Paste some copied text or a URL or something, you bring up the loupe and position it where you like, hold it for 1.5 seconds until the text selector turns green, and instead of dragging you just leave go and choose Paste for the pop up options.
Full article here.
LonelySandwich.com offered this possibility way back in August:
iPhone Copy and Paste from lonelysandwich on Vimeo.
Now … that’s an obvious way of doing things. Guess you need to be highly conversant in both iPhoneOSX and Mac OSX in order to catch that little detail.
Hello, Apple? If this is a “full OSX”, maybe it ought to be a bit more compatible with the previous and alternate versions of OSX?
Sorry, while Sven is technically “wrong” about this, I can easily understand how well over 90% of iPhone users could be similarly “wrong”. Heck, I just read the ‘tip’ and I’m not sure I could manage this the first (or second, or even third) try.
Dave
I love you too
Are we converging towards a PDA?
. . . cough cough
I think I have the solution to this problem…
How about when you press down on the screen and the magnifying glass appears, hold it down for one more second longer and then it turns into a cursor which you can then highlight the text to copy and paste?
To then copy the selected text you tap once and to paste you tap twice.
Apple – if you use this idea you can pay me in Apple Hardware
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Nice job. But can’t we make a scissor motion with our fingers to cut and then a paste motion (like a paint brush) to insert?
Scew the loupe, screw the pinching, screw the addition of copy/paste to the iPhone.
Just redesign the whole thing and get it right this time.
iPhone II *hurray!!*
And for christsake, ditch the assine glossy displays on the Mac’s. Or at least give seasoned pros the option of matte finish on all product lines.
I’m tired of not being able to see parts of the computer screen and crappy film glare filters totally suck on such nice equipment.
Of course we are converging toward a PDA. Considering what the SDK will open up, I don’t see any other way.
What the hell is wrong w/ the dude in the video? He’s lips are trembling and then he speaks but nothing comes out of his mouth..did he try to eat an iphone or something?
Until this method is officialy implemented, I’ll stick with the post-its.
Clutch Cargo lives! Spinner and Paddlefoot were probably running the camera.
What about this:
Put 2 fingers down on the screen and hold it. This causes 2 loupes to come up, as well as a small menu to appear at the bottom of the screen that gives you the option of ‘cut’ ‘copy’ or paste. These loupes do not go away when you lift your fingers off the screen. You can then position the first loop at the start of text you want to select and the second loop at the end of the text. Once you have made your text selection, you choose an action on the menu at the bottom of the screen. Tap anywhere else on the screen to cancel the mode.
hahaha!! that video is hilarious! and I think that might be a great way to do copy/paste… i’m really ready for it that’s for sure.
jbella,
i’ve actually thought of it being done in a similar way to the way you described also. something like simply tapping with 2 fingers, then spreading them over the text to highlight what you want to copy. only problem with my way is the whole zooming aspect of the iphone os. ah well, i’m sure apple will figure it out sooner or later.
how about some iScissors?
@Old Mac Man
Macwin’s Law:
“As an online discussion on MDN grows longer, the probability of a complaint involving glossy screens approaches one.”
What about search function? If I want to find out when I scheduled something, I have to go hunting through the Calendar or go back to my Mac. Hopefully search functionality will accompany cut and paste.
Why does everyone assume that the only thing anyone will want to copy and paste is text?
On the Zune, you just put your hand through the glass and move things around. All you need are plenty of bandages and a hit of acid.
Exactly. That’s only one reason why I’ve been calling on all you Monday morning software engineers out there to come up with a proposal rather than bitch, whine and kvetch. At least someone is trying.
Old Mac Man
Anyone calling themselves a “Pro”, ought to be using Pro equipment and not entry level consumer boxes.
Every flippin’ one of Apple’s “Pro” machines has the option for the dullard matte screens, so either buy Pro equipment for your professional needs, or learn how to click the correct option when you’re ordering a computer.
See? Matte dulls the brain.
The suggested method in the article is too complicated. Remember how the iPhone came without a big, thick manual? Apple wants to keep it simple. You want to be able to turn on the iPhone and copy/paste with little or no instruction.
@shreddrick
Isn’t it obviuos that the the guy who does the talking has added a layer from iPhone videos. He just added a hole to get his mouth through. Faster than finding lip sync spots from the video.
Simple — hold down two fingers for half a second to begin the highlight cursor.
MDN MW = “faith” as in, I have faith that the iPhone will have simple features such as copy/paste and search.
Lol – that guys mouth has been pasted on in post production.
rofl!
Petey –
I was just about to say/type the same thing but you beat me to it.
Only difference is when text is selected, the Cut-Copy-Paste buttons appear at the bottom of the screen. Maybe even add a “Select All” button when the text curser is present.
Simple, intuitive, and your still only use one finger.
(I think it goes without saying that anything posted here is free for Apple to use)
Anyone calling themselves a “Pro”, ought to be using Pro equipment and not entry level consumer boxes.
Duh, I have a PowerMac G5 with 30″ glorious matte and a MacBook Pro matte.
It’s all the idiots I have to take care of who foolishly bought a glossy screen computer and complaining of headaches and eyestrain.