Q&A

Q. Can sounds be used in conjunction with alert views?

A. Yes. Because alerts are frequently displayed without warning, there is no guarantee that the user is looking at the screen. Using an alert sound provides the best chance for getting the user’s attention, either through an audible noise or an automatic vibration if the user’s sound is muted.

Q. Why aren’t action sheets and alert views interchangeable?

A. Technically, unless you’re providing a large number of options to the user, you could use them interchangeably, but you’d be giving the user the wrong cues. Unlike alerts, action sheets animate and appear as part of the current view. The idea that the interface is trying to convey is that the actions that can be performed relate to what appears onscreen. An alert is not necessarily related to anything else on the display.