iPhone + Multiple choice option

Question

While creating any iPhone application, which is the best way in terms of UI design (considering the end user view perspective), to provide multiple choice options to user, from which he/she can choose one option. The UIPickerView controller is available but not efficient enough in terms of UI display.

Also the controls available in Library (inside Interface Builder) are only the controls which we can use while designing iPhone applications, or there other controls available which we can use.

Answer 1

I would use a grouped style UITableView. Put each option in a row, and allow the user to apply the "selected" style (checkmark accessory and blue cell text) to one row at a time.

Answer 2

I would say UISegmentedControl

Answer 3

Checkboxes have worked out pretty well historically, and you can write pretty much any kind of control you want.

Answer 4

Can you explain what you mean by "efficient enough"?

Some other ways I've seen--or can imagine--choices between mutually-exclusive options done:

• A control (like a table cell) that pushes another view with a table of the available options. This is used in a few places in the Settings app.
• A UISegmentedControl.
• Desktop-style radio buttons, though they aren't a standard control, or used much in native apps.
• A kind of horizontal picker, where you spin the options through (kind of like the screenshots in the App Store, or even a coverflow kind of look).

You definitely aren't limited to only controls that are found in the UIKit. Consider, for example, WeightBot and ConvertBot. But, in general, it's probably best to hew closely to the UIKit controls and the standard Human Interface Guidelines unless you have a really compelling reason not to.