'Marble' Interface to be Revealed in Next Snow Leopard Seed?

[MacRumors]

AppleInsider claims that Apple will be revealing a major user interface overhaul in the next developer build of Snow Leopard.

All developer seeds to date have carried the same general user interface elements from the current version of Mac OS X Leopard. In January we reported that Apple was working on a unified user interface codenamed "Marble":

Based on our sources, however, Apple will apparently use Snow Leopard's release to tweak the overall user interface for Mac OS X and unify it across applications. Exact details of the theme changes have not been made public, as the current developer seeds for Snow Leopard still retain Apple's existing Aqua theme. The new theme will likely involve tweaks to the existing design and perhaps a "flattening" of Aqua in-line with Apple's iTunes and iPhoto interface elements.

According to sources "familiar with the matter", Apple could introduce these dramatic changes in the next version of Snow Leopard and have a final preview at WWDC 2009. Apple is then expected to release Snow Leopard to customers within two months of WWDC. The exact dates for WWDC, however, have not yet been publicly announced.


Article Link: 'Marble' Interface to be Revealed in Next Snow Leopard Seed?

[kockgunner]

Nice, the Aqua scroll scroll bars bug me. Also, in some applications like Photoshop and Firefox, sometimes the loading icon is the Mac OS Classic timer which is really weird. What else could they change though?

[Yvan256]

The iTunes look applied to the whole OS? Bring it on!

[Pika]

Bring the iPhone's Safari scroll bar.

[Balin64]

OS X is going on ten years old... I would like to see a change to s smoother, duotone look. I always change my theme to graphite immediately after installation. I would kinda like an elegant, modern version of NextStep. How cool would that be?

[stygian728]

Originally Posted by Balin64

OS X is going on ten years old... I would like to see a change to s smoother, duotone look. I always change my theme to graphite immediately after installation. I would kinda like an elegant, modern version of NextStep. How cool would that be?

Hey Balin64, sorry this is off topic but I can't post in the correct thread. You still got those Sublime pics? I think a lot of people would be interested over at the Skunk message board. Let me know, thanks!

[ppc_michael]

This makes sense, considering they're gradually trying to move to an all-vector GUI.

[pilotgi]

I've got Marble on my Linux desktop. It's a desktop globe.

[wetrix]

Originally Posted by Pika

Bring the iPhone's Safari scroll bar.

Would be wonderful if you could choose to have the scroll bars hide when not in use.

It's funny how Apple seems to like putting interface elements in to new programs inconsistently (such as into iTunes and iPhoto but not elsewhere). Microsoft actually do a better job at rolling out new UI features in one go.

[knightlie]

Originally Posted by wetrix

Would be wonderful if you could choose to have the scroll bars hide when not in use.

It's funny how Apple seems to like putting interface elements in to new programs inconsistently (such as into iTunes and iPhoto but not elsewhere). Microsoft actually do a better job at rolling out new UI features in one go.

No they don't. Microsoft are way worse than Apple for GUI inconsistency across their products, and even within individual products (Visual Studio is dreadfully inconsistent and ignores many Windows GUI conventions).

[RonCarr]

Originally Posted by Pika

Bring the iPhone's Safari scroll bar.

Now this would be awesome! I would love to see the iPhone scroll bars throughout the entire OS. One thing that has bothered me is the differences with iLife and the rest of the OS. It seems that they do not work together on the interfaces and just change things whenever they want to.

I recently found a program (iLeopard) that takes all of the aqua details out Leopard. I like the look a lot better than all of the blue from Tiger. The marble interface will be a welcomed feature in my opinion!

[Chase817]

You can unlock "Marble" in Leopard using iLeopard.

[stownsend3]

I'm pretty sure we all expect SOME change to the UI to get the average user to spend $129 this summer on a new OS. Not everyone will understand, or care about, the changes under the hood. Many users will just upgrade for one or two new features. (Enter 'Marble')

[Brien]

Originally Posted by RonCarr

Now this would be awesome! I would love to see the iPhone scroll bars throughout the entire OS. One thing that has bothered me is the differences with iLife and the rest of the OS. It seems that they do not work together on the interfaces and just change things whenever they want to.

I recently found a program (iLeopard) that takes all of the aqua details out Leopard. I like the look a lot better than all of the blue from Tiger. The marble interface will be a welcomed feature in my opinion!

They wouldn't have that problem if they used the actual UI elements instead of using custom images. Makes theming more difficult, too, but hey, why write HIG if you aren't going to break them?

[hiimamac]

Originally Posted by RonCarr

Now this would be awesome! I would love to see the iPhone scroll bars throughout the entire OS. One thing that has bothered me is the differences with iLife and the rest of the OS. It seems that they do not work together on the interfaces and just change things whenever they want to.

I recently found a program (iLeopard) that takes all of the aqua details out Leopard. I like the look a lot better than all of the blue from Tiger. The marble interface will be a welcomed feature in my opinion!

Speaking of iPhone. When youtiuch the Topif the browser, it snaps to top, anyone else peeved that there is no snap to bottom and sometime after pages reload, you sit there spending a minute getting back to the point you were at, say a forum, by scrolling down, down, down. Should be an easy fix. Anyone know what I mean?

[drakeshipway]

Originally Posted by Pika

Bring the iPhone's Safari scroll bar.

+1

I don't want to look at the scroll bar when i don't need it.

[techfreak85]

Originally Posted by drakeshipway

+1

I don't want to look at the scroll bar when i don't need it.

so how would that work if someone didnt have a scroll ball? not many people use the arrow keys to scroll down.

[thebrain74]

This makes a lot of sense, with Apple's new displays re: the black borders. Apple loves design continuity. Aqua fit in well with the colored plastics and then the brushed metal. Now that we have a black look around the screen, a darker UI will make it blend more seamlessly into the border, further enhancing the border's original objective of making the screen seem larger. (the MBA is an anomaly).

P.S. isn't black and sliver (albeit for apple's defense, anodized aluminum) the color scheme that has been used for consumer electronics for decades. Sure it may be a 'new look' for apple, but doesn't it just bring it in line with every other consumer electronics company. I fear that as time goes on and Apple physically switched from white and clear or aluminum, it will also be a metaphorical switch to products that are just, well, more like everything else.

[Anuba]

Originally Posted by thebrain74

P.S. isn't black and sliver (albeit for apple's defense, anodized aluminum) the color scheme that has been used for consumer electronics for decades. Sure it may be a 'new look' for apple, but doesn't it just bring it in line with every other consumer electronics company. I fear that as time goes on and Apple physically switched from white and clear or aluminum, it will also be a metaphorical switch to products that are just, well, more like everything else.

Sure, their products did stand out more in the past; first when they were colorful and curvy when all PCs were beige and square, then when they were white when all PCs were black. I was sort of taken aback when they went black on silver with the MacBook Air, I didn't expect them to go with a commonplace color combo that's already on every Dell Inspiron and Sony Vaio, not to mention the original Titanium PowerBook G4...

It would be nice if they consolidated everything, though, they're all over the place right now. Aqua was designed to match the blobby plastic models like the turqoise G3 and early iMacs, they've flattened it a little and gotten rid of the pinstripes but it's still there. The white peripherals (cables, docks, mice, keyboards etc) were made to match the white era Macs (circa 2003-2007). Both looks clash badly with the black/alu computers. I use a Logitech DiNovo Edge glossy black/brushed aluminium keyboard with my iMac, the only thing that looks out of place on my desk is the white iPhone 3G dock that's made by, erm, Apple. That can't be right. Please bring out a backlit version of the Apple keyboard, with black keys...

[Ubuntu]

Originally Posted by Yvan256

The iTunes look applied to the whole OS? Bring it on!

I actually despise the blue part of the iTunes/10.5 Finder look. Ah well.

[Bonte]

Aqua is dead already, 10.4 i work with only has brushed metal and grey. The reintroduction of aqua in 10.5 was cool looking but not better, glad Apple will change it back.

[RMo]

Originally Posted by Bonte

Aqua is dead already, 10.4 i work with only has brushed metal and grey. The reintroduction of aqua in 10.5 was cool looking but not better, glad Apple will change it back.

What do you mean? 10.4 was slightly "de-Aqua-ified" from previous versions in that there was less pinstriping and, in places, more "plastic-y" look (unified title/toolbar, etc.). In 10.5, it was essentially all replaced with a plastic-y version of the "brushed metal" appearance, similar to iTunes, with some more Aqua-y elements remaining in buttons, scroll bars, and other small areas. I don't think that was a re-introduction.

It is generally hypothesized that Marble, then, will continue this trend, and iTunes is probably going to be its model: the scrollbars will likely become more gray-ish, and maybe buttons as well. We'll see...

[Master Chief]

Originally Posted by kockgunner

Nice, the Aqua scroll scroll bars bug me. Also, in some applications like Photoshop and Firefox, sometimes the loading icon is the Mac OS Classic timer which is really weird. What else could they change though?

Oh please, don't come with Firefox because it sucks on OS X. I mean it still uses images for buttons, toolbars and what not to emulate the look and feel of OS X. Just enter: javascript:alert("boo"); in the location bar and tell me that doesn't suck. Want another example? Open a new tab and right click on it and note that all menu items are enabled, when they shouldn't. There are tons of other examples, but 3th party applications are not Apple's concern, and never will.

Now, I like Aqua and I know a lot of people who said that SL will have to bring loads of goodies before they will upgrade. Yes, it was aqua that made most of them switch, and I personally won't use anything that looks like 'Windows Vista', because I can install Vista whenever I want or need it - to which I say: "No thank you".

I have 21 people who confirmed to have made the switch this month, so far, and not because of Aqua but iWorks - I tell you; Pages can be so much fun when you know what to do with it. Another 6 switched after my "Time Machine" demonstration (yeah yeah, its not the best but included for free).

So it might take some time, but in the end people will just accept Apple's changes and buy the upgrade, simply because you'll want to be "up-to-date" don't you? I mean if we ask Windows users to switch, so why wouldn't we be able to accept a much much smaller change?

[OBL]

Originally Posted by Master Chief

So it might take some time, but in the end people will just accept Apple's changes and buy the upgrade, simply because you'll want to be "up-to-date" don't you?

You bet I will. I am already saving for it!

The thing is, more than acquiring a good update, which I hope will bring a lot of "goodies", it is for me about supporting innovation that Apple is known for. Since my first iPod, I have seen so much in this community, that amazes me.

It sounds like a blind fan act simply to buy because it has an Apple on it, but the thing is I trust them and I believe it will be a great update regardless of interface changes.

[MacAndy74]

Originally Posted by kockgunner

Nice, the Aqua scroll scroll bars bug me. Also, in some applications like Photoshop and Firefox, sometimes the loading icon is the Mac OS Classic timer which is really weird. What else could they change though?

Just a thought, and yes - by the way I also think the Aqua scroll bars are a bit aged. But what about the 'x - +' style, it seems it also is Aqua style; so if Apple change the Aqua scroll bars, will they possibly change the look of the control buttons too?