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iCarabma

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 22, 2012
291
40
Some quick (non NDA breaking) thoughts on my first week with iOS 7. Obviously it's not fair to review a product in a private beta, this is not that. Just thoughts on everyday use after a week.

- It surprises me a little they are even calling this iOS 7. This is such a leap from before that just adding a number doesn't seem enough. While it is familiar enough most people who used iPhones won't be lost, it's a whole new ball game. It's as if it has been redesigned from the ground up.

- I love it. I love the translucency, I love the new control panel, the improved notification center. BUT, it's going to be really polarizing. Brace yourself now for the next wave of Apple has lost its magic stories. Maybe make a game out of it and drink anytime a review hammers ios 7 with "Steve Jobs would have never..."

- The "problems" that most people are focusing on are the wrong things. The icon design (which are growing on me) is not a fundamentally important part of the iOS. And they can be changed quickly. The fonts can be (and already have been) adjusted. Remember how many substantial things changed from the original iPhone Keynote to the release. Don't panic.

- This isn't to say there aren't issues that need to be addressed. It's amazing how many iPhone veterans (myself included) have trouble unlocking the phone at first. (Seems like it should swipe either way, doesn't). The music app (esp. On iPad) is pretty, but seems less functional. Folders hold more but show less. If their is a App you are looking for on the second page of a folder you can't see it unless you open the folder and swipe. You can't even see that the folder has multple pages without launching it.

These are nitpicks and may even be addressed by launch.

- one last thing. iOS 6 was not new. It added features to iOS 5. 5 wasn't new. It added to 4.

What I'm saying is 7 is new. And that's hard. There are going to be some growing pains. But it's growing. For everyone who worried that iOS was stagnet, it's growing. And that is something Steve would have done.

Kudos Jony.
 
Last edited:

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
It's definitely a bigger leap than that between most iOS versions, and especially the last few, but it's still not completely brand new--while there are a number of new items, and more than in previous version changes perhaps, quite a bit of the new "stuff" is only new in the sense of looks, not how it works, what it does, or anything like that. So, for quite a bit of it, it's new looking, but not exactly brand new.
 

kevroc

macrumors 6502
Oct 15, 2011
467
126
It's definitely a bigger leap than that between most iOS versions, and especially the last few, but it's still not completely brand new--while there are a number of new items, and more than in previous version changes perhaps, quite a bit of the new "stuff" is only new in the sense of looks, not how it works, what it does, or anything like that. So, for quite a bit of it, it's new looking, but not exactly brand new.

I agree here. I almost wish they spent more time on features and less on UI. The old UI didn't bother me too much, neither does the new UI. What bothers me is when I'd like to have a feature that's not in there that they probably could have done had they not spent so much time on the UI :)
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,084
31,015
It's definitely a bigger leap than that between most iOS versions, and especially the last few, but it's still not completely brand new--while there are a number of new items, and more than in previous version changes perhaps, quite a bit of the new "stuff" is only new in the sense of looks, not how it works, what it does, or anything like that. So, for quite a bit of it, it's new looking, but not exactly brand new.

Because Apple isn't completely stupid. A few years down the road we might no longer have a physical home button or row of icons as the home screen. But if Apple did all of that at once, I think they'd have a disaster ala Windows 8 on their hands. Baby steps.

----------

I agree here. I almost wish they spent more time on features and less on UI. The old UI didn't bother me too much, neither does the new UI. What bothers me is when I'd like to have a feature that's not in there that they probably could have done had they not spent so much time on the UI :)

I always find these comments interesting because in the old iOS 7 hopes & wishes thread, new UI received the most votes in terms of what people wanted to see in iOS 7. :)

My hope is going forward we get more frequent updates from Apple. We shouldn't have to wait a whole year for new features or updated apps. Especially considering all Apple has done in such a short amount of time. If for instance, Apple wasn't able to do all they wanted in the mail and calendar apps, why wait until iOS 8 to update? Surely they can update sooner than that?
 

Matt T

macrumors regular
Dec 1, 2005
209
28
Australia
Can you please expand on how unlocking the phone works in iOS 7? I was under the impression a slide in either direction would work.
 

Frederico Luna

macrumors member
Jul 26, 2012
66
14
Recife - Brazil
Someone starts a new thread saying they HATE iOS 7:

- "It's a beta!"
- "We won't miss you, switch to Android"
- "You asked for a new UI, how come you are now complaining?"


Someone starts a new thread saying they LOVE iOS 7:

- "I love it too!"
- "Glad you're liking it!"
- "It's awesome. I'm sure these issues will be addressed by the GM".


Just saying...
 

iCarabma

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 22, 2012
291
40
This was an extremely moronic post. What exactly is so great about iOS 7 functionality wise?

"This post is stupid, it's not about what I want it to be about!"

Good point.

Someone starts a new thread saying they HATE iOS 7:

- "It's a beta!"
- "We won't miss you, switch to Android"
- "You asked for a new UI, how come you are now complaining?"

Someone starts a new thread saying they LOVE iOS 7:

- "I love it too!"
- "Glad you're liking it!"
- "It's awesome. I'm sure these issues will be addressed by the GM".

Just saying...

Your point is well taken. I wrote my original post because I've seen so many posts focusing on what I consider the wrong things.

- Bug posts that (aside from breaking NDA) don't serve any real purpose. Especially the ones that focus on 3rd party apps. If your "doodle jump" doesn't work that's not a bug. It's the reason we have a private developer beta.

- Icon design from newly minted design experts. I admit I didn't instantly love all the new icons. And I think some are better (Photos) than others (Safari). But they are growing on me.

- "Proof" that the new iOS is garbage. The proof being my opinion based on a screenshot.

I also realized that more than any other software I can remember it needs to be used to be fully understood. I was lukewarm on the iOS. After using it for a week iOS 6 looks and feels like baby software. I was surprised how much I liked it.

But yeah, to your point, everyone will pick it up with an agenda and that will color there opinion. What I fear is that most normal people, people who would never be on the nerd boards, their agenda is: I hate change.
 

Gogurt48

macrumors 6502a
Jun 17, 2013
663
1
Yeah I also sometimes (when sleepy) keep trying to swipe the other way :rolleyes:

Me too. You'd think after all these years unlocking iPhones and iPod Touches, it'd be pretty much automatic. Yet without the slide button to guide me I do sometimes find myself swiping the wrong way. I hope they'll eventually make it so a swipe in either direction will work.
 

vincenz

macrumors 601
Oct 20, 2008
4,285
220
Given that apple only had 8 months to pull it off, I'd say it was definitely a feat. Imagine giving another company the same time to redesign an os. See how that would turn out...
 

iCarabma

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 22, 2012
291
40
I've never tried to swipe right to left and I've owned Android phones before.

Is it a righty vs lefty person? (I'm right handed).

I think it's because in the original iOS you were flipping a switch. To turn off the lock screen you toggle this slider in the track. It was so simple that I never saw anyone do it wrong. Hell, my infant could do it.

But now it's as if you are sliding the lock screen away. And that feels you should flick it to the left to advance. Like turning a page in a book. Or more accurately like flipping to the next screen of icons. You want to go forward, you naturally want to move to the right, and that means you want to flick the lock screen left.

Plus the arrow for notification center is there helpfully pointing up to further confuse the situation.

I don't think its critical, but I would be surprised if it launched like it is now.
 

ZombiePete

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2008
2,319
1,064
San Antonio, TX
I think it's because in the original iOS you were flipping a switch. To turn off the lock screen you toggle this slider in the track. It was so simple that I never saw anyone do it wrong. Hell, my infant could do it.

But now it's as if you are sliding the lock screen away. And that feels you should flick it to the left to advance. Like turning a page in a book. Or more accurately like flipping to the next screen of icons. You want to go forward, you naturally want to move to the right, and that means you want to flick the lock screen left.

Plus the arrow for notification center is there helpfully pointing up to further confuse the situation.

I don't think its critical, but I would be surprised if it launched like it is now.

I disagree; I think the "flick to the right" feeling is so ingrained in iPhone users that it's natural to flick the screen to the right to unlock it now. I have never hesitated in unlocking my phone with iOS7; it feels as natural as the slider did. I think that making it flick the other way would be unnecessarily confusing to most.
 

KdParker

macrumors 601
Oct 1, 2010
4,793
998
Everywhere
Some quick (non NDA breaking) thoughts on my first week with iOS 7. Obviously it's not fair to review a product in a private beta, this is not that. Just thoughts on everyday use after a week.

- It surprises me a little they are even calling this iOS 7. This is such a leap from before that just adding a number doesn't seem enough. While it is familiar enough most people who used iPhones won't be lost, it's a whole new ball game. It's as if it has been redesigned from the ground up.

- I love it. I love the translucency, I love the new control panel, the improved notification center. BUT, it's going to be really polarizing. Brace yourself now for the next wave of Apple has lost its magic stories. Maybe make a game out of it and drink anytime a review hammers ios 7 with "Steve Jobs would have never..."

- The "problems" that most people are focusing on are the wrong things. The icon design (which are growing on me) is not a fundamentally important part of the iOS. And they can be changed quickly. The fonts can be (and already have been) adjusted. Remember how many substantial things changed from the original iPhone Keynote to the release. Don't panic.

- This isn't to say there aren't issues that need to be addressed. It's amazing how many iPhone veterans (myself included) have trouble unlocking the phone at first. (Seems like it should swipe either way, doesn't). The music app (esp. On iPad) is pretty, but seems less functional. Folders hold more but show less. If their is a App you are looking for on the second page of a folder you can't see it unless you open the folder and swipe. You can't even see that the folder has multple pages without launching it.

These are nitpicks and may even be addressed by launch.

- one last thing. iOS 6 was not new. It added features to iOS 5. 5 wasn't new. It added to 4.

What I'm saying is 7 is new. And that's hard. There are going to be some growing pains. But it's growing. For everyone who worried that iOS was stagnet, it's growing. And that is something Steve would have done.

Kudos Jony.

I have gotten so used to iOS 7 that iOS 6 is starting to look foreign.
 

Sodner

macrumors 68020
Jan 12, 2011
2,112
78
Pittsburgh, PA
I think it's because in the original iOS you were flipping a switch. To turn off the lock screen you toggle this slider in the track. It was so simple that I never saw anyone do it wrong. Hell, my infant could do it.

But now it's as if you are sliding the lock screen away. And that feels you should flick it to the left to advance. Like turning a page in a book. Or more accurately like flipping to the next screen of icons. You want to go forward, you naturally want to move to the right, and that means you want to flick the lock screen left.

Plus the arrow for notification center is there helpfully pointing up to further confuse the situation.

I don't think its critical, but I would be surprised if it launched like it is now.

Totally agree.

With all the silly complaints about icons I think the lock screen is what needs addressed.
 

trouble747

macrumors 6502
Jul 30, 2011
328
14
Someone starts a new thread saying they HATE iOS 7:

- "It's a beta!"
- "We won't miss you, switch to Android"
- "You asked for a new UI, how come you are now complaining?"


Someone starts a new thread saying they LOVE iOS 7:

- "I love it too!"
- "Glad you're liking it!"
- "It's awesome. I'm sure these issues will be addressed by the GM".


Just saying...

...those responses seem consistent (and there's plenty of people around that hate it, let's not suggest that anyone who dislikes the beta is mercilessly criticized without any defenders).
 
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