Another example, which has existed for as long as I have known, is the spinning number selectors on iOS, used in apps such as Clock for setting alarms or selecting times/dates. The new value doesn't register until the animation completes, so if I set my alarm too fast, it doesn't save: Let's say the alarm is set to 09:00 and I change it to 09:30. So I spin the minute field up to 30 and hit Save. If I do it too quickly, the spin animation isn't completely done (even though we're talking just a few pixels), and the alarm reverts back to 09:00. Interestingly enough, the bug doesn't cause the saved value to be 09:29, which is what one might expect it to be, given that that's the last value passed before Save was clicked.
However IMHO it's a big usability regression from the old time picker widget, which was a number pad to enter the four digits a time is made of. I know the time I want to set and instead of typing it straight away I have to look for numbers on a dial. It takes longer.
Design teams are losing their way. Too much eye candy is making them blind to efficiency, pun intended.
I still find a number pad to be the fastest. Why am I spinning something around and trying to position it right when I just just press three buttons 9-3-0?
For alarms and clock times, my guess is data validation. The app could correct or block invalid time entries (e.g., accidentally hitting 2500), or it could restrict the entry set.
It also means the number will be in the correct format. your example, 930, could mean many things (930 seconds? 9:30am or 9:30 pm?)
But an alarm clock sets a relative point in time that happens every day. Putting "3 days" into a calendar is fine, but for an alarm clock it makes no sense.
This is where the alarm would be a grey colour instead of green? I missed alarms this way too in iOS 10. It’s worked so far in iOS 11. A shocking bug. I reported it to apple on twitter. Instead of saying yes we’re incompetent, they wanted to set me up a call with a ‘Senior Advisor’. I just gave up. I don’t want to waste time talking to someone who will tell me I have to set my alarm slower and double check it’s set correctly. It’s not like I paid nearly 1000 USD for the phone or anything...
I missed an alarm yesterday because of this. I can't be believe they still haven't fixed it! If the spinner is still moving AT ALL, nope, it silently fails.
