‘Related People’ Part of iOS 5 Update
Just surfacing with the influx of feedback related to the iOS 5 update is the interesting ‘Related People’ field. Even though this feature has been integrated in the Mac OS for quite some time now, it will now be available to iPhone users with iOS 5.
A user can activate this field as an option when adding or editing a contact card. The ‘Related People’ field is disabled by default, so to add it, just tap the Add Field option within the edit contact interface. Apple has provided pre-loaded relationship categories such as spouse, assistant, manager, mother, father, parent, brother, sister, child. The relationship can be customized as well, for let’s say an ‘ex-boyfriend’, or ‘Mom’s second cousin’s husband Jerry’.
Apple users are already chiming in with mixed feedback regarding this new field. Enthusiasts are excited to see more contact options. Professionals working in the PR business where it is crucial to know how people are related are thrilled. However, skeptics are wary of the field, speculating this could be the gateway of something bigger down the road for Apple.
Now that you are also able to load your contact’s Social Network profiles (i.e. Twitter or Facebook), there is the slight potential to allow Apple the ability to see how closely their users are connected. The important thing is the field is optional leaving it completely up to each individual user to decide.
