App icons for iOS 8 and beyond

[BillyMatt87]

Will the default app icons for the next releases of iOS be designed by Jony and his team and not the Marketing Department that designed them for 7. I understand that was done because of a rushed schedule but now they've had more time to work on 8 and plan out the the future.

Note: Some of the home screen icons look fine (Messages, Phone, FaceTime, App Store, iTunes Store, etc.) but the lack of consistency hasn't changed since June 2013. I mean you have icons that have dark-light gradients, light-dark gradients and sometimes no gradients at all. It looks like a mess! With the older versions of iOS, the icons had a more consistent and harmonious feel to them. But since 7, the home screen feels all over the place and I thought Jony Ive was all about consistency and perfection.

The icons for Safari, Photos, Camera, Game Center, Music, Notes, Reminders, etc. need the most work done for them. I like that 7.1 darkened the gradients for the Messages, FaceTime and Phone icons so hopefully that's an indication that Apple is listening to the complaints.

What do you guys think?

 

[LordQ]

If the iOS 8 leaked screenshots are the real thing, you're going to be disappointed. I think the icons are fine.

 

[dannyyankou]

The only different icons will be Healthbook, TextEdit, and Preview.

 

[thedeejay]

The only different icons will be Healthbook, TextEdit, and Preview.

iTunes Radio stand alone app.

 

[BillyMatt87]

If the iOS 8 leaked screenshots are the real thing, you're going to be disappointed. I think the icons are fine.

If that leaked screenshot is real, then it was probably an a very, very early build.

I really don't want iOS to go stale again but knowing Apple, they will rest on their laurels for 6-7 years and then rush out a complete redesign.

 

[BvizioN]

If the iOS 8 leaked screenshots are the real thing, you're going to be disappointed. I think the icons are fine.

If that leaked screenshot is real, then it was probably an a very, very early build..

Even assuming that the leaked screenshots are real, it would have been far to soon to see any design changes on them. I think on their early build they use placeholders or old icons when their are working on the new iOS version.

I personally have no problems with icons and I wouldn't mind either if they changed them again. Performance and new features are the ones I am more interested.

 

[notrack]

I don't like any of them. This is because the style of iOS 7 in general puts me off. I personally also find the usability worse (photos, music... ). So I hope for a more significant improvement then just tweaking gradients. Until then, I'll stick with iOS 6 as long as possible. If iOS 8 comes up with some usefull features for my daily use, esp. integrate with my Mac, I would be happy.

 

[jonnyb098]

The only different icons will be Healthbook, TextEdit, and Preview.

Wrong text edit and preview won't be apps. The will be a built in functionality. The app will run in the background. There's absolutely zero reasons for those apps to exist on their own.

 

[Black Magic]

Will the default app icons for the next releases of iOS be designed by Jony and his team and not the Marketing Department that designed them for 7. I understand that was done because of a rushed schedule but now they've had more time to work on 8 and plan out the the future.

Note: Some of the home screen icons look fine (Messages, Phone, FaceTime, App Store, iTunes Store, etc.) but the lack of consistency hasn't changed since June 2013. I mean you have icons that have dark-light gradients, light-dark gradients and sometimes no gradients at all. It looks like a mess! With the older versions of iOS, the icons had a more consistent and harmonious feel to them. But since 7, the home screen feels all over the place and I thought Jony Ive was all about consistency and perfection.

The icons for Safari, Photos, Camera, Game Center, Music, Notes, Reminders, etc. need the most work done for them. I like that 7.1 darkened the gradients for the Messages, FaceTime and Phone icons so hopefully that's an indication that Apple is listening to the complaints.

What do you guys think?

iOS 8 will probably have very minimal UI changes as they are probably focusing on functionality and capabilities at this point. This is a good thing if they are.

Most are completely happy with the redesign they did with iOS 7. There are always a few individuals that do not like a few things and thats fine. Apple can not let a small minority side track them otherwise they will be going down rabbit holes and will never get anything accomplished. Development is a tedious deal with schedules and limited resources. Do you really want Apple diverting some of its resources to polish up icons that you and a few others do not like or do you want them focusing on better features and capabilities?

 

[dannyyankou]

Wrong text edit and preview won't be apps. The will be a built in functionality. The app will run in the background. There's absolutely zero reasons for those apps to exist on their own.

As of now, based on the leaked screenshots, I'm not wrong.

 

[BillyMatt87]

As of now, based on the leaked screenshots, I'm not wrong.

Image

They could easily be fake or mockups, just saying.

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iOS 8 will probably have very minimal UI changes as they are probably focusing on functionality and capabilities at this point. This is a good thing if they are.

Most are completely happy with the redesign they did with iOS 7. There are always a few individuals that do not like a few things and thats fine. Apple can not let a small minority side track them otherwise they will be going down rabbit holes and will never get anything accomplished. Development is a tedious deal with schedules and limited resources. Do you really want Apple diverting some of its resources to polish up icons that you and a few others do not like or do you want them focusing on better features and capabilities?

I wouldn't say MOST are happy are with iOS 7. It's more of a 50/50 so Apple should definitely make future versions less polarizing.

I think one of the biggest complaints (so it's not a small issue) from most were the cartoonish-looking icons and Apple would be very arrogant to ignore the complaints.

The only reason the icons were designed the way they were was because of a rushed schedule but now they should be back on track and they've had more time to work on iOS 8.

I'm only questioning this because the marketing teams were in charge of designing the app icons instead of the UI designers and would they really let the marketing department determine the designs from here on out?

 

[kmj2318]

If anything, the iOS 6 icons lacked consistency.

 

[LordQ]

I don't mind the icons, I think they are fresh and simple.

The only two things I wish for iOS 8 are: a Mobile Data toggle for Control Centre and Quick Reply.

 

[BillyMatt87]

I don't mind the icons, I think they are fresh and simple.

The only two things I wish for iOS 8 are: a Mobile Data toggle for Control Centre and Quick Reply.

Don't forget the Music app, that needs a ton of work after 7.0 messed with a lot of the functionalities and if iTunes Radio is getting its own app, then they will be able to make each app better than before.

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If anything, the iOS 6 icons lacked consistency.

I felt that they all flowed together much better than the new version. I guess that's because they were designed by a single team and not 3 or 4 separate.

Some icons have gradients that go light to dark.

Some icons have gradients that go dark to light.

Some are completely flat and don't have any gradients.

And the Game Center icon: Glossy bubbles? I thought iOS 7 was supposed to rid of anything glossy or skeumorphic and if it didn't tell me what app it was supposed to be for, I would never know it's for Game Center. It's a terrible metaphor, just like the Photos icon. Just throwing different colors/shapes together because they didn't know what they were doing.

How is all that anymore constant than iOS 1-6?

 

[Black Magic]

They could easily be fake or mockups, just saying.

----------



I wouldn't say MOST are happy are with iOS 7. It's more of a 50/50 so Apple should definitely make future versions less polarizing.

I think one of the biggest complaints (so it's not a small issue) from most were the cartoonish-looking icons and Apple would be very arrogant to ignore the complaints.

The only reason the icons were designed the way they were was because of a rushed schedule but now they should be back on track and they've had more time to work on iOS 8.

I'm only questioning this because the marketing teams were in charge of designing the app icons instead of the UI designers and would they really let the marketing department determine the designs from here on out?

See here is part of the problem, you state that it's 50/50 when it comes to folks liking iOS but you are basing that opinion off of your interactions with a small group of friends. Millions of iOS devices are sold every month and if the backlash was a big as you make it sound, Apple would be reversing course quickly. Kinda like Microsoft is doing With Windows 8 (if you are following that).

Why be concerned with system icons so much? Do you really stare at them constantly? There are many more 3rd party apps that have horrid icons that would make the home screen look horrible too but it's really a non-issue. Real world use is this:

1. unlock phone.
2. launch app needed at the time.
3. put phone away..

I would be shocked if it was:

1. unlock phone.
2. Stare at horrible icons in discuss.
3. Put phone away after deciding not to use the phone.

 

[dannyyankou]

They could easily be fake or mockups, just saying.

The images come from a Weibo account which has posted reliable screenshots and mockups in the past, and it was published by Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac, who has a very accurate record.

 

[jonnyb098]

As of now, based on the leaked screenshots, I'm not wrong.

Image

Since they are in the Alpha stages of testing, yes you are wrong in the sense thats not what the public will see. Look at any iPhone in full test and diagnostic mode and there are lots of crazy apps.

You really think there will be a "tips" app too?????? Hahahhahaha

 

[bigchrisfgb]

Personally I think iOS 8 will have circular icons.

 

[BillyMatt87]

Personally I think iOS 8 will have circular icons.

Are they really gonna throw the rounded square grid template out the window after only a year?

Of all things, that is the most unlikely to happen.

 

[dannyyankou]

Since they are in the Alpha stages of testing, yes you are wrong in the sense thats not what the public will see. Look at any iPhone in full test and diagnostic mode and there are lots of crazy apps.

You really think there will be a "tips" app too?????? Hahahhahaha

I actually do, haha. It would be cool if they had a digital version of finger tips, and if the app disappeared after you went through the tutorial.

For new phones only of course.

 

[MattInOz]

Personally I think iOS 8 will have circular icons.

I think we'll see icons with transparency before they change shape.
Unless the shape change represents a document vs and App. Then I'd thing they go hard corner rectangle/square. Circle really does say much different to rounded square.

 

[Paddle1]

The icons have been adjusted twice since iOS 7 Beta 1, so we know Apple pays some attention to them.

One thing with iOS 7's design is it is more specific and leaves less room to make the icons unique. The iOS 7 app icons are based so much off of iOS 6's it makes them look random and messy.

Of course, it might just be because the icons were designed by different people.

 

[C DM]

See here is part of the problem, you state that it's 50/50 when it comes to folks liking iOS but you are basing that opinion off of your interactions with a small group of friends. Millions of iOS devices are sold every month and if the backlash was a big as you make it sound, Apple would be reversing course quickly. Kinda like Microsoft is doing With Windows 8 (if you are following that).

Why be concerned with system icons so much? Do you really stare at them constantly? There are many more 3rd party apps that have horrid icons that would make the home screen look horrible too but it's really a non-issue. Real world use is this:

1. unlock phone.
2. launch app needed at the time.
3. put phone away..

I would be shocked if it was:

1. unlock phone.
2. Stare at horrible icons in discuss.
3. Put phone away after deciding not to use the phone.

Not liking something like that doesn't mean that most of the general public would cry out about. There are plenty of things in life people don't like and even hate but a lot of the time there isn't some huge meaningful outcry about those things and even when there's some of that it's still not enough to change anything one way or another.

 

[ionjohn]

I love how people think those screenshots are real iOS 8 shots haha man people are dumb! If it's a news on macrumours, it's 100% true!

 

[Tyler23]

I love how people think those screenshots are real iOS 8 shots haha man people are dumb! If it's a news on macrumours, it's 100% true!

Very credible sources have indicated that they are indeed screenshots.

But sure, let's just dismiss it for fun.