10 Jun 2024
The iPhone incoming call problem
I can't explain why, but one morning I woke up thinking about the problem of accepting or declining calls that @adamsilverhq discussed in his newsletter.
I've never received a call while on another, but if I did, this UI would confuse me. I'd likely miss the incoming call because it would take too long to decide what to tap, or I might tap the wrong option.
I started thinking about the landline phones I used in previous jobs. They had the usual controls for making and receiving calls, along with multiple lines. You could easily switch between these lines, but the controls remained consistent.
I wondered if this interaction would work on mobile, so I did a quick sketch, and created a prototype using Apple’s design kits.
Interactions
When a second call comes in, the calls turn to radio cards, like a line.
The controls don’t change so users don’t have to quickly understand a UI they might not have seen before.
Users can easily switch between lines.
The selected call moves to the top for emphasis.
The “on hold” call moves below to make it easier to select with one hand.


Nuances
If the user taps "End" on the current call, does the incoming/on-hold call become active immediately?
What happens to the incoming call if "FaceTime" is selected?
What happens if "Keypad" is selected?
How can the user dismiss an incoming call while on another? Swiping left works but isn't intuitive for everyone and may conflict with radio card selection.
Tackling this challenge was a refreshing change. It's been ages since I focused on mobile design problems, and it felt great to flex those creative muscles again. How did I do? Looking forward to your thoughts!