Actually it is totally iOS like. Because under Forstall, iOS was riddled with useless nonutility animation exactly like this one. Some animations can be useful, but not all of them. And Jony was against having them for the sake of having them. Forstall was all about doing it because you can, putting in flashy trash etc. same with all the non animated skeuromorphic stuff. Some has utility, some doesn't. Jony was pretty openly against the latter.
His open disdain for such things may be part of why Forstall is gone. It is possible have the massive issues with iOS 6 that Cook felt Forstall needed to be reigned in and have an overseer. He may have been planning Sir Jony's new position to be that person with Forstall in charge of engineering the designs given to him much like Mansfield did with the hardware designs. But Forstall is rumored to have been such a total ass that he refused for years to take feedback or instruction from anyone but Steve Jobs. And that his disdain and disrespect continued after Steve was gone despite Tim Cook being Steve's choice. F this was even half true then it is plausible Forstall cried foul at the plan and was told he had a choice to either get over himself, walk away now or he would be allowed to stay as a non voting advisor until iOS 7 comes out and he received his big stock award due next spring/summer. And he picked the last.
