This is how Apple can improve text editing in iOS [Video]

Update: looks like it is happening in the Jailbreak community.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGQTaHGQ04Q&feature=player_embedded]

Editing text on an iOS device can often be cumbersome. Currently, it requires you to tap twice to select text, and then drag small blue cursors to highlight a portion, or try to tap in between letters to set the cursor. To demonstrate a more efficient method of navigating text on an iPad, YouTube user danielchasehooper posted the video above showing a concept of moving the cursor and editing text with gestures.

When performing lots of edits in larger documents the direct interaction metaphor falls apart for cursor control. Even short portions of text can be painful to edit when you need to move the cursor to a precise location. Would you ever want to write a document on your computer without using the arrow keys? This is the reality iPad users face because they do not have the equivalent of arrow keys. There is a better way.

In the video, we see a dragging gesture on top of the keyboard being used to control the cursor. We also see a two-finger drag to move it faster and the ability to select a portion of text by holding a button while dragging. The video certainly makes a good case that Apple’s current implementation could be improved. The video’s creator urges iOS users to contact Apple and request the feature with the following provided instructions:

1. Go to bugreport.apple.com, sign in and click “New Problem”.
2. Set the Title to “Editing Text on iPad (duplicate of rdar://11365152)”.
3. Set the Product to “iPad”, Version Number to “N/A”, Classification to “Feature (New)” and Is It Reproducible to “Not Applicable”.
4. Copy the letter below and paste it in the Problem Details section then click submit.