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Apple Publishes Its 'iOS Human Interface Guidelines' on iBooks

hipnetic said:
I agree. Just using this Weather app as an example, with iOS6, I could quickly launch the app, look at the weekly forecast and see a very clear pictorial representation of a sun, or partly cloud, or rain, or whatever and my brain would recognize it in less than a second and I could turn the phone back off. With iOS7's wireframe icons, I have to look at each day's icon more carefully to determine exactly what it's depicting. Are they impossible to interpret? Of course not. But there's a noticeable difference in the effort required to interpret them. This is supposed to be progress?
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Exactly. I don't understand why this is so difficult to grasp for so many.

I remember Jony Ive saying something like "new is easy, better is hard" in regards to design. Looks like he buckled under the tech press's pressure and gave us "new" instead of "better".

iOS 7 is mostly "prettier" than it's predecessor. But the complete elimination (and not a reduction where appropriate) of photo-realism (and skeumorphism) is detrimental to usability, and this is a great example. The whole "users already know how to use ..." mentality is bulls%*t. It used to be where users didn't need to know a damn thing.

Alas, it's all about money and ego now, not "the best products".

I wish Ive would "retire" so Apple could give someone else a shot at the title.
 
MacRumors said:
- Deference. The UI helps users understand and interact with the content, but never competes with it.
- Clarity. Text is legible at every size, icons are precise and lucid, adornments are subtle and appropriate, and a sharpened focus on functionality motivates the design.
- Depth. Visual layers and realistic motion impart vitality and heighten users' delight and understanding.
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Ridiculous:

Deference. Actually, the UI now looks more like the content. So, the first time you glance at it, you can't be sure what is what. I call that "competing" with it when you can't tell them apart.
Clarity. "Legible". Is that all we want? Like, dinner tonight should be "edible". Sounds great. :rolleyes: There's a reason most put Bold on right away. And the icons seem to be designed to NOT stand out...where do they begin and end?
Depth. They aren't implying that 7 has more depth than previous versions, are they? The whole 7 purpose was "Flat". It has more depth than a blank piece of paper, I'll give them that. (I'm looking at both right now, yep, slightly more than the paper)

For all you discussing the Weather app, maybe you should get a real one, anyway. I have been using Weather Underground for better location of data since before there was an iPhone, although their app has changed dramatically on 7, too. They appear to have taken away the pictorial view of the weather in the background, so now you need to look at an icon. I suppose you could always look out a window, instead.
 
Mac-Mac-McAfee said:
A.K.A. Those stuck in the past.
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Uhh... you sure told them. You have put them in their place. Ohh the shame they must feel right now ??? Through the roof ! Good thing we have elevated persons like you from the present, no no, from the future, to bring upon us the enlightenment of the revolutionary UI design of thin light text instead of buttons.
 
Peel said:
I still have a copy of the original Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines from 1984.
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*grin* So I'm not the only one! And I think I still have a 128K Mac in the attic. I know I've got some others: MacPlus, etc. And an Exidy Sorcerer, a PDP-11/70. Crimminy... The things that accumulate in barn attics... :)
 
"...Text is legible at every size, icons are precise and lucid..."

In iOS 7??? Hah!

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Mac-Mac-McAfee said:
A.K.A. Those stuck in the past.
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No, those that understand human interface design as professionals. Unlike yourself.

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melendezest said:
Exactly. I don't understand why this is so difficult to grasp for so many.

I remember Jony Ive saying something like "new is easy, better is hard" in regards to design. Looks like he buckled under the tech press's pressure and gave us "new" instead of "better".

iOS 7 is mostly "prettier" than it's predecessor. But the complete elimination (and not a reduction where appropriate) of photo-realism (and skeumorphism) is detrimental to usability, and this is a great example. The whole "users already know how to use ..." mentality is bulls%*t. It used to be where users didn't need to know a damn thing.

Alas, it's all about money and ego now, not "the best products".

I wish Ive would "retire" so Apple could give someone else a shot at the title.
Click to expand...

100% right. The whole reason iOS devices EARNED their place in popularity and customer preference is the GUI. They've destroyed that with the changes that require prior experience and do not service those that are new to this kind of technology.

Major fail. I expect Apple's "new" user and inexperienced user growth to slow and degrade over time with this flat minimal BS. Maybe Apple thinks they've already acquired all the new users they're ever going to get...
 
JAT said:
For all you discussing the Weather app, maybe you should get a real one, anyway. I have been using Weather Underground for better location of data since before there was an iPhone, although their app has changed dramatically on 7, too. They appear to have taken away the pictorial view of the weather in the background, so now you need to look at an icon. I suppose you could always look out a window, instead.
Click to expand...
I think we're just discussing that particular app because it's in the screenshot at the beginning of this article. Personally, I had been using The Weather Channel app because I wanted access to radar maps. But TWC just updated their UI to match the new and "improved" iOS7 flat/wireframe look, which mean that the UI now totally sucks. It's not just the fact that they've replaced the realistic depictions of the weather conditions with wireframe versions, they've also changed the way the UI operates (spoiler: tons of scrolling). So now I'm experimenting with other weather apps. I've tried the one you're suggesting, and it's OK. Unfortunately, most of the 3rd party apps have too much info and most also seem to have adopted the wireframe icon look. I just want a clean, simple interface similar to Apple's but with realistic icons and radar maps.

But, again, the Weather app discussion is just an example. My problems with iOS7 are bigger than that.
 
Paddle1 said:
This is already outdated as 7.1 brought filled in icons back, let alone iOS 8.
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yea in ugly mode.

Its as if they bowed to public pressure and said sure you can have the stuff you love back but we are putting it back in super ugly mode as a **** you to Scott Forestall, Steve Jobs and all of you who liked the old design.

You either accept iOS 7 how we like it or you have ugly mode. Pick your disappointment.
 
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