Famed Mac Icon Designer Says iOS 7 Icons Are a 'Good Direction'

Idk some are ok but some are pretty ugly in my eyes. I know I'm not the best icon creator and I know what they were going for but they missed a few times here's hoping they change a few before release.

The general concept/artistic direction isn't bad per se, I think it's the execution that's lacking.

I'm all for clean-looking, simple icons, as I think most of us are, the problem is more with the weird color palette, exaggerated gradients with an inconsistent direction and general lack of consistency between the complexity of shapes, the level of flatness and use (or not) of metaphors.

I think it's a good thing Apple has reacted and justified the current icons, it means they are "fixing" things as we speak. In fact, the internal build Apple had when they released the first beta was more advanced than what developers are using today.

The new icons on Apple's website are defenitely better exectuted while keeping the same original design language. I want to see more of that:



It's still far from perfect but changes are made on the right path.

I think it's definitely the right direction. Kare seemed like she does still have some reservations, but definitely likes the direction they've begun. And that's definitely how I feel too.

I think we're going to see much better updates to iOS from now on. I don't know why, just a feeling. But I mean, they seemed so much more happier up there than with any other presentation since Jobs last took the stage. It's like they were no longer confined to something. They seemed to now have a real sense of where they want to take it, more of a vision for the future.

I really like how much more "alive" the OS seems now. One of the biggest things I felt with iOS was that it felt very static and stiff. While using it every day, and especially where there was heavy skeumorphism, I found myself wanting to use it in a way that seemed like it would/should work in that way, but did not. It felt very confined. For example, you HAVE to press the "back" button to go back. But a swipe makes so much sense, and after some apps started to have that kind of gesturing, I really started to want it in the OS as well and wondered why they never did that.

So even if there's a few crappy icons, I'm really excited about the future that iOS 7 is ushering in.

Time will tell of course, but under Forstal, things seemed to be going very slowly. Now I feel like things will be going faster, a focus on more important features, more gestures, and slowly perhaps even more openness.

Probably a result of Forstall's sudden departure

TouchMint.com said:

Idk some are ok but some are pretty ugly in my eyes. I know I'm not the best icon creator and I know what they were going for but they missed a few times here's hoping they change a few before release.

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I wouldn't actually mind if these icons were the final draft and we had new and improved icons in iOS 8

Forstall was kicked out in October of 2012 and since then they were scrambling to get iOS 7 out at WWDC. I believe that's why Jony placed the icon development in the hands of the marketing team while he worked on the other things such as app look and function. This was a last ditch effort to eradicate any trace of Forstall and I think it shows to those of us who pay close attention to these matters.

I don't think the general public will be too concerned. Shaken and put off initially? Sure. I think they'll get used to it over time and Jony has mind to tweak certain icons in future updates.

Back to the Future?

Personally, I quite like the new semi-stripped down look of the icons. I think it reflects exactly what makes Apple work - simplicity. While the more detailed, or illustrative, look of today's icon designs is generally pleasing, there is nothing particularly holy about it, or the look. Agreed, good direction.

I have a feeling that there will many more comments in this thread praising the direction whilst questioning the execution of some of what we've seen so far… that's certainly how I feel about it too.

Change always hurts.

People hated the original shift from OS 9 to OS X, but in hindsight the look was much better, and continued to improve from there. As will iOS 7: what we're seeing now is just 7 months old and already looks amazing. Don't lose sleep over small details yet.

And beyond the look, it has great new features, and tons of new stuff behind the scenes for developers to be making great apps with.

I don't mind the new icons. Looking between the old and the new is a bit jarring! Good.

Right direction, wrong road.

gadgetguy03 said:

This was a last ditch effort to eradicate any trace of Forstall

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"Absolutely no virtual cows were harmed in the making of this interface." -- Craig Frederighi

I'm glad somebody with experience finally expressed what I feel.

It amazes me how everybody is so ******* sure of themselves when it comes to design. Like their opinion is the de facto standard for beauty in the world. Get over yourselves. Design is hard. It's also something that one gets better at as one does it more. This is Apple's first stab at a different direction and I think too, that they are going in a cool direction.

To call something downright "ugly" based on your personal taste is bold and usually pretty arrogant, just saying.

Famed mac icon designer is wrong.

Theres nothing wrong with the concept of iOS 7s icons, its the execution and finish that is almost non existent thats the problem.

I dislike the new icons. They look if Microsoft hired a guy that recently discovered a paint pot. The new icons are also meaningless. Or do you know what the colored blots stand for? The old icons may look boring, but at least I can suspect what's behind an icon with a photo or an icon with a camera...

One thing I can truly appreciate here is I finally feel for the first time in 7 years that I have a different phone in my hands.

Gulo said:

To call something downright "ugly" based on your personal taste is bold and usually pretty arrogant, just saying.

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Or you know, personal opinion.

Replace the word ugly with beautiful and read your post again.

D.

Bathplug said:

Famed mac icon designer is wrong.

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Well, back then, especially on a b&w screen, I guess she did the best possible. But those Icons were ugly back then, too.

Strange coinsidence, maybe icons started looking good when shadows and high resolution became available?

Just because Windows 8 looks more like Windows 2 than Windows 7 Apple doesn't have to go the same direction…

While the direction and idea behind may be right, what really shocked me was the missing constistency and love for details Apple is somehow known & loved for and which they also started to explicetly promote just now.

I really hate to stress this line, as it's more often wrong than true: but I strongly believe (and hope) that the state, in which they released the new icons, was much too early. I really believe that with Steve Jobs being still alive, this wouldn't have seen the light. There really seems to be somebody missing who dares to say: "Guys, this isn't ready for primetime yet. Get your asses back to the desks."

Quoting another site does not make a rumor a fact

jony didn't say that he had assigned the marketing team to do the icons

you make it sound confirmed


btw if apple is all about simplicity how did they icons get so busy in the first place?

I don't like them...seems like they are a bit all over the place. some are on-color icons, some are full bleed and others are multi-color illustrations and then there are some with blends of colors and then Game Center has some 3D effect going.


very strange and not consistent.


all that said, would this force me to jump ship? no.
Will I NOT upgrade to iOS 7? no.

i will use the apps and just know what the icons are. I didn't like when a few other apps changed their icons but didn't stop using them or delete the apps.

I liked the original Snapseed, not the Google version. I liked the Over icon before it is now....

I don't like her smiling Mac icon, nor do I care for the current Finder icon in OSX. It's no surprise to me that she'd be for the current icons...

Bathplug said:

Famed mac icon designer is wrong.

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Well technically she did not express much on the new icons. She merely responded to the artistic direction taken by the designers ('generally a good direction'), which is focussed on having simple and to-the-point icons rather than complex illustrations. She never said that the icons are good.

Bathplug said:

Famed mac icon designer is wrong.

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Un-famous poster is also wrong.

Opinions on design cannot be right or wrong.

What's old is new again, which is why design history is interesting and relevant. Let's see where this goes...

What the hell is he thinking.