New iOS 6 UI - it is coming... (speculation)

Don't you think developers might like to know about this ?

It probably wouldn't affect apps. Hopefully it adds widget options

So you're saying a larger screen is necessary for a new theme?

I don't think Apple would announce a new UI because if they want apps to take advantage of it, it would be too late since all the betas were already tested without it.

What you said in #2 about Siri is right, but Siri didn't tap into 3rd party apps so it didn't require additional testing by developers.

I really believe this clamoring for a new UI is change for the sake of change. The UI has actually changed significantly to support new input methods (e.g. Siri) and services (e.g. Notifications). The UI for multitouch input is about as simple and straightforward as you can get. Why complicate things just because some people are "bored with the home screen"? As input methods evolve, by all means, update the UI to support the new capabilities.

BaldiMac said:

I really believe this clamoring for a new UI is change for the sake of change. The UI has actually changed significantly to support new input methods (e.g. Siri) and services (e.g. Notifications). The UI for multitouch input is about as simple and straightforward as you can get. Why complicate things just because some people are "bored with the home screen"? As input methods evolve, by all means, update the UI to support the new capabilities.

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well said and i couldn't' agree more. there are minor cosmetic things that apple could change, and that would be nice, but a total UI overhaul isn't necessary and wouldn't necessarily make things any better. i have yet to see any designs that i would truly find more usable than the current one. they might be pretty to look at sure, but from a usage standpoint nada.

I doubt it. Apple is just going to move the notification banners up because of the new taller screen. Same with the "now playing" song preview in itunes. No new UI

I don't see any drastic UI changes this close to release. What we saw at WWDC will be it. There may be a couple secret things being held off for the next iPhone event. Perhaps because NFC will be in the next iPhone it will let you connect your credit cards to passbook. There was also a rumor that stated Apple will show off a podcasting app to create podcasts. Also they will probably have something to show off alongside the new screen size.

Apple will do more updates to the UI in the future revisions.

Before you say "Duh Nuk" hear me out. Retina displays are very important and Apple is likely going to revamp every single Apple product that has a display with hirez abilities.

iOS 6 is not going to offer a drastic UI change. Why? Because iOS 6 just added Auto Layout. What is Auto Layout?

History Lesson:

Apple has tried to deliver Resolution Independence for a while. The ideal is that you can create graphics and text that maintain proper proportion and spacing while the display scales to different resolutions. The use of vector graphics was theorized because of its clean scaling but the world is dominated by bitmapped graphics.

This has proven to be far more complex than can be easily imagined

Now it appears that Apple has changed course.

What if we just make the UI clever about managing the widgets that compromise an app's user interface? Instead of "ripping and replacing" graphics and trying to vectorize everything a developer can just accurately describe the relationship that widgets should have with each other regardless of overall resolution. Smart

Auto Layout was enabled first in Lion and now it's in iOS 6 (this isn't under NDA as it's right on the slides in the public WWDC keynote fyi)

What Auto Layout is going to allow is devs to establish these relationships so that future changes to iOS resolutions and/or UI features will allow an app to update gracefully (the hope)

So in short don't expect big updates for iOS 6 but iOS 7 and 8 have the potential to offer more sweeping changes without upsetting the cart too much.

Laai said:

I think that Apple will let developers wait, but in turn get more spotlight from the media when they launch the new iPhone, yes. I am not talking about a revolution in the UI overhaul, but an update is needed.



I do not think that Apple will change the UI because people are bored with the old one. The fact is that many customers now own a smartphone rather than a old Nokia phone. Many can now use different UIs without many issues, since they learned how to use iOS/Android over the years. That is why I see this UI change as a possibility.

The UI Apple currently uses is scalable to a point - I do believe they need to present new options to the new UI so that it remains competitive in the future.

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You are being very vague. It comes across as "they need to change... something." What do they need to "update"? The UI is "updated" with every iOS release.

Do you want to change the color of the title bar? Or the default background? Or the texture of the dock? That all seems kinda meaningless.

In due time we'll find out...

apple is all about iteration.

i agree that they need an update to the UI

However my specific want would be all towards customization. With Windows Phone 8 just announced being able to basically 'design' your start up page however you want, and Android with widgets.

I think Apple needs a bit of customization. The fact is that right now, you get a grid of icons, and those automatically slide to the upper left corner as much as possible on each page.

That's it, that's the only customization, besides folders, which are helpful but i don't feel that they fall under user "customization"

I just feel that some effort put towards that wouldn't be change for the sake of change. it would be change for what people want to do with their phone, they want to make it theirs and stand out and make it look cool.

A grid of icons is no longer cool. Just my 2 cents

AlphaVictor87 said:

i agree that they need an update to the UI

However my specific want would be all towards customization. With Windows Phone 8 just announced being able to basically 'design' your start up page however you want, and Android with widgets.

I think Apple needs a bit of customization. The fact is that right now, you get a grid of icons, and those automatically slide to the upper left corner as much as possible on each page.

That's it, that's the only customization, besides folders, which are helpful but i don't feel that they fall under user "customization"

I just feel that some effort put towards that wouldn't be change for the sake of change. it would be change for what people want to do with their phone, they want to make it theirs and stand out and make it look cool.

A grid of icons is no longer cool. Just my 2 cents

Click to expand...

Haven't you heard? Being able to change your wallpaper is all the customization you need!

Laai said:

iOS 6 was shown off at WWDC and it is a mild update to the current iOS. Many wanted an overdue UI overhaul but apple remained by the same "Slide to unlock" we saw 5 years ago.

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All other companies have wanted to use the 5 year old "Slide to unlock" patented by Apple.

I think the most we might see is a refreshed UI in the likes of the new store apps or the music app. The black / grey / chrome theme throughout.

AlphaVictor87 said:

i agree that they need an update to the UI

However my specific want would be all towards customization. With Windows Phone 8 just announced being able to basically 'design' your start up page however you want, and Android with widgets.

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Maybe I am in the minority, but I absolutely hate the look of the Windows 8 phone home screen.

Laai said:

Launching apps to get certain information is becoming annoying over time. Accessing calendar "on the fly" has to be faster (ex. widget). Changing some basic settings like bluetooth, dimming screen, airplane mode etc. Apple already "started" to optimize this by including "Post to FB/twitter" in the notification center in iOS 6. This is what I would like to see expand! Android has multiple home screens that can be useful (and sometimes annoying if not done right).

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So... you want widgets, not a UI overhaul.

FWIW, calendar info is available with one swipe from anywhere through notification center. Not sure how you get much faster than that! Bluetooth joins Airplane mode on the top of the main screen in the settings app in iOS 6.

Laai said:

Launching apps to get certain information is becoming annoying over time. Accessing calendar "on the fly" has to be faster (ex. widget). Changing some basic settings like bluetooth, dimming screen, airplane mode etc. Apple already "started" to optimize this by including "Post to FB/twitter" in the notification center in iOS 6. This is what I would like to see expand! Android has multiple home screens that can be useful (and sometimes annoying if not done right).

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in iOS 6

"Siri launch Instapaper" Instapaper launches.
"Siri what does my calendar look like this week/day?"

Dimming screens and toggling Bluetooth aren't that important. What's important is making software more battery efficient and improving the performance of the battery.

Apple isn't going to plant seeds into consumers minds that they have to keep turning things off.

If you look at the ARM roadmap...the Cortex A7 processor is coming and it's going to deliver great power savings and improved performance.

http://images.anandtech.com/doci/4991/Screen Shot 2011-10-19 at 12.30.25 PM.png

Toggles are probably not going to be needed due to larger batteries and improved SoC architecture.

nuckinfutz said:

in iOS 6

"Siri launch Instapaper" Instapaper launches.
"Siri what does my calendar look like this week/day?"

Dimming screens and toggling Bluetooth aren't that important. What's important is making software more battery efficient and improving the performance of the battery.

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Launching apps via voice has been on the other platforms for awhile. Siri is late on this.

Dimming screens and toggling bluetooth "aren't important" but every OS includes these options...

TennisandMusic said:

Launching apps via voice has been on the other platforms for awhile. Siri is late on this.

Dimming screens and toggling bluetooth "aren't important" but every OS includes these options...

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I'm hopeful that Siri will get to access basic settings (Airplane Mode/Wifi/Bluetooth) seeing as how it now can launch apps.

In the end I think Apple has a clear vision of what they want in their UI and they're just not going to deliver something like Sbsettings or load up on widgets. Sure that takes control from us but I think that in a few years people will laugh about how they had to turn off their broadband and baseband radios in fear of eating up too much battery.

the user interface is basically the same between a 3.5" phone and a 9.7" tablet. not sure why they would give us a new user interface because they bump the phone up to 3.8" or 4"

BaldiMac said:

I really believe this clamoring for a new UI is change for the sake of change. The UI has actually changed significantly to support new input methods (e.g. Siri) and services (e.g. Notifications). The UI for multitouch input is about as simple and straightforward as you can get. Why complicate things just because some people are "bored with the home screen"? As input methods evolve, by all means, update the UI to support the new capabilities.

Click to expand...

I'll TELL you that's what it is (for me, at least). I'm not bitching about it staying the same but I really would like to see something different. Sure, it's most definitely functional, I love my iPhone but it'd be nice to have a visual overhaul or update.