Re: Network Information API

On Mon, Dec 9, 2013, at 0:21, Marcos Caceres wrote:
> From the data we collected, the main cases appear to be:
> 
> * warn the user that this could cost them money (bbc website, only works
> on Safari in iOS)
> * give the user control as to whether large uploads/downloads should
> happen over cellular.  
> * Prevent accident data transfer over cellular, which could use up of the
> user's download quota and/or cost them money.  

As I see it, UC does not mean "what people do" but "what people could do
if they have that tool". For the moment, it is fairly hard to guess the
connection quality of your users so websites/apps will use the best tool
they have: cellular vs wifi. But as said multiple times, there is fast
and uncapped cellular and slow and capped wifi. Why the iTunes store
prevent users to do large downloads over their cellular connections?
Likely because users might end up paying without knowing it and complain
to Apple and also because the download might be so slow that it could
affect the user experience.

I see UC for bandwidth. Basically, anything related to content quality
negotiation:
- default image quality: you visit Google+, Facebook or Flickr and
depending on your device, you will see an image that will be fast enough
to be downloaded (yes, this is intended to be solved by responsive
images too);
 - default video quality: Netflix currently shows a low quality video
 and improve it until they reach a quality that match what the user can
 download. It would be better for the user perspective if the first
 video quality was closer to what they would expect;
- default texture in a game: a game might want to show LD quality
because your system can't handle HD quality but also because downloading
the assets would be too slow;
- downloading the email bodies without monopolizing the bandwidth.

For what its worth, we are having this discussion every 6 months. Some
UC are listed in the specification I believe and could definitely be
found in the list archives.

Cheers,
--
Mounir

Received on Sunday, 8 December 2013 13:44:19 UTC