Apple Unveils iOS 7 with Major Design Overhaul, Multitasking and Control Center

[samcraig]

The funny thing I find about your post (not that I disagree) is that usually when someone talks about how ugly Android is - or how messy (in comparison to iOS) - it's usually because of the theme/background that is being shown or that someone sees. Not taking into account - like you said - it really comes down to how you set up your phone.

You can help with design sense all you want (the manufacturer providing a background/etc) but if someone changes it - that's on them

Aside from the icons (which may yet be changed) have you tried switching your wallpapers up and experimenting with different colored ones?

It seems to me the "theming" in iOS 7 is incredibly dynamic and very much depends on the wallpaper you are using. Say you use a dark or even black wallpaper - your translucent menus begin to look darker gray and the type face changes to white.

I don't have iOS 7 - gotta wait for the unwashed masses release, but it seems like there is a lot to it that people are either ignoring or are posting about without actually diving in.

And let's not forget, this is a Beta 1 release......still have (by best assumptions) 3-4 months before the final release. A lot can change in that time.

 

[chadley_chad]

Jony Ive has delivered as (I) expected .... Load of pre-school looking *****, a lot of its style copied from Android and Windows. Fail!

This plus any lack of decent hardware to run it on means I'll be sticking with my S4 for even longer than I thought!

 

[jrswizzle]

Valid to a point.

Project Butter wasn't in response to iOS. It was to make the experience on Android better. Because they found a way to give Android a "lift."

And that - there - contradicts your later statement that Google/Android doesn't care about "feel"

And Google definitely cares about their ecosystem.

You had it right in the general sense. Two different companies who are in a constant state of trying to improve their OSes. That comes through "innovation" (notice the quotes), updates, borrowing, expanding, etc.

The comparisons should really stop (I know they won't) because ultimately - if you're using the OS you want - that's all that should matter. What your neighbor uses is his choice. Neither "one" should be putting the other down for their choice or implying theirs is better. Purely subjective.

I probably should've been more clear - I didn't mean to imply Google doesn't care about those things at all - clearly they do and its becoming more evident as time passes. I just don't believe it was the primary factor/driving force from the beginning which is why you saw many features implemented into Android early with little polish.

Google has begun to move into the polish stage now (and the last year or two) and its showing. Android has exploded.

On the other hand, Apple has always been about releasing a polished experience. If it came down to polish or number of features, Apple chooses polish every time. Which is why we see features added later, but why Apple has always (perhaps until recently) been the more "polished" OS.

So in a way, both have taken from the other's strength. Apple adding features, Google adding polish. Your last paragraph really says it perfectly. The comparisons are ridiculous because ultimately having both options in the market gives consumers choice. If one were to become the other or fail, that means less choice for consumers.

I, for one, use and like both for varying reasons. Though I must say I got through peaks and troughs and am riding high on the iOS 7 peak right now!

So much so, in fact, that I've decided it would be a useless waste to purchase a GS4 GE - my iP5 and HTC One will suit me perfectly and I can focus that money toward finishing the refurbishment of my trusty iPod classic, and save for the 5S that's coming!

 

[GermanyChris]

I like the old way better, it looked more like my Mac but I can say I don't like this either..

 

[cgsnipinva]

The galaxy S4 and Note 2 both feature multi-tasking ... i.e. the ability to have 2 program's running on the screen at the same time (movable in sizeable windows). There's your answer!!!

Wrong. I have a Note 2 and you can have 2 apps open side by side - not much use with limited screen size. But when you are one app - the other is inactivated the same way it is done on stock google android phones where you can have multiple apps "open" and scroll to the one you want to use at the moment. The others are in a stasis mode and not just running like you describe. That would be a battery disaster.

iOS 7's approach to multi-tasking is the same as the current Jelly Bean version of Android.

 

[jrswizzle]

The galaxy S4 and Note 2 both feature multi-tasking ... i.e. the ability to have 2 program's running on the screen at the same time (movable in sizeable windows). There's your answer!!!

So multitasking only means having two windows visible at the same time?

So if my desktop is running some complex calculations for a project I'm working on in a certain program while I browse the web or play a game, my computer isn't multitasking because I'm not looking at the window where the program is running the calcs?

And despite all that - I don't know about you, but I find it physically impossible to look at two windows at the same time.....and would rather not have even my iPad mini screen split in half for anything.

In other words, wrong answer.

----------

The funny thing I find about your post (not that I disagree) is that usually when someone talks about how ugly Android is - or how messy (in comparison to iOS) - it's usually because of the theme/background that is being shown or that someone sees. Not taking into account - like you said - it really comes down to how you set up your phone.

You can help with design sense all you want (the manufacturer providing a background/etc) but if someone changes it - that's on them

Oh sure - that's the Android trap though.....sometimes, the amount of options isn't liberating.....its annoying.

Generally speaking (for myself, not anyone else) I like the look of the iPhone and iOS. It's designed a certain way and (again generally speaking) has a uniformity to it, without my having to make changes.

After having my Nexus 4, it got to be frustrating changing and tweaking my home screens all. the. time. There were so many options and ways I could do things, I found it a time-suck and really never got to a place where I felt like my home screen was "set".

My HTC One has been less that because Sense 5 puts more restrictions on how you can arrange things (though still more freedom than iOS) and I don't think I've changed it once since I first set it up.

With iOS its only ever been about the background. And it seems like in iOS 7, that one change can make more of a "theme" and "feel" difference across the OS.

I kinda like the simplicity of that.

 

[samcraig]

I probably should've been more clear - I didn't mean to imply Google doesn't care about those things at all - clearly they do and its becoming more evident as time passes. I just don't believe it was the primary factor/driving force from the beginning which is why you saw many features implemented into Android early with little polish.

Google has begun to move into the polish stage now (and the last year or two) and its showing. Android has exploded.

On the other hand, Apple has always been about releasing a polished experience. If it came down to polish or number of features, Apple chooses polish every time. Which is why we see features added later, but why Apple has always (perhaps until recently) been the more "polished" OS.

So in a way, both have taken from the other's strength. Apple adding features, Google adding polish. Your last paragraph really says it perfectly. The comparisons are ridiculous because ultimately having both options in the market gives consumers choice. If one were to become the other or fail, that means less choice for consumers.

I, for one, use and like both for varying reasons. Though I must say I got through peaks and troughs and am riding high on the iOS 7 peak right now!

So much so, in fact, that I've decided it would be a useless waste to purchase a GS4 GE - my iP5 and HTC One will suit me perfectly and I can focus that money toward finishing the refurbishment of my trusty iPod classic, and save for the 5S that's coming!

Ok - but Maps and Siri could be debated otherwise at launch

So multitasking only means having two windows visible at the same time?

So if my desktop is running some complex calculations for a project I'm working on in a certain program while I browse the web or play a game, my computer isn't multitasking because I'm not looking at the window where the program is running the calcs?

And despite all that - I don't know about you, but I find it physically impossible to look at two windows at the same time.....and would rather not have even my iPad mini screen split in half for anything.

In other words, wrong answer.

I don't think wrong. I think that it's valid to say that many people consider multitasking as being able to do both things at once - regardless of whether the computer is doing more than one thing at once if that makes sense. They are both shades of multitasking. I can render video in the background while I'm surfing the web - my computer is multitasking.

But I can also have both a web browser up and office up and type an email and copy/paste between the two or watch a video while typing up an email and that's also multitasking (user level).

Both are valid multitasking efforts.

----------

[/COLOR]

Oh sure - that's the Android trap though.....sometimes, the amount of options isn't liberating.....its annoying.

Generally speaking (for myself, not anyone else) I like the look of the iPhone and iOS. It's designed a certain way and (again generally speaking) has a uniformity to it, without my having to make changes.

After having my Nexus 4, it got to be frustrating changing and tweaking my home screens all. the. time. There were so many options and ways I could do things, I found it a time-suck and really never got to a place where I felt like my home screen was "set".

My HTC One has been less that because Sense 5 puts more restrictions on how you can arrange things (though still more freedom than iOS) and I don't think I've changed it once since I first set it up.

With iOS its only ever been about the background. And it seems like in iOS 7, that one change can make more of a "theme" and "feel" difference across the OS.

I kinda like the simplicity of that.

That's you though. You felt as if you were never set. And with options - you seemed to have felt obligated to use/try them. But you don't/didn't "have" to - you could have left things as is and just changed the background and added apps to the homescreens like you do in iOS.

Yes - more choice makes it more tempting to play around. And waste time doing it. But it's not a requirement (not saying you said it was).

 

[Suffa]

Who the F designed the apps? the current apps look detailed and Apple-like, this new **** looks like it was designed by a 5 year old in 5 seconds.

As for the rest of iOS 7, it looks good, but common what the ***** is up with the icons? No style what-so-ever. Doesn't feel like Apple at all, this is no quality.

 

[garirry]

If everyone thinks Apple stole the design from Android and others, then sorry but almost EVERY COMPANY stole something from Apple. Android is right from iPhone. I think that Apple has the right to innovate whatever they imagine, if they steal something then it's from Apple's stealers.

Apple is the king of technology, anti-apples should be ashamed.

 

[jrswizzle]

Ok - but Maps and Siri could be debated otherwise at launch

Sure, though - whether its right/good or not - Siri was never billed as a polished software feature. Its STILL in beta.....

And Maps, IMO, was pretty close to as polished as it could get before launch despite the fact Cook came out and apologized for it (which I think he was forced to do because of the negative pub it got).

Maps began light years ahead of where Google Maps began (obviously, 7 years later) but still needed and needs that crowd sourced data to be really good. Comparing 7 year old, army run Google Maps to newly released Apple Maps was naive and unrealistic.....I actually prefer Apple's UI and the engine behind it is much better than Google's app WAS (though now they've added all the things that, for whatever reason, didn't make it into the default version).

At any rate, the Maps thing was bound to happen and IMO, its been fine. In a few years (and even now its happening) people won't even remember or think about Maps as inferior. I personally go to Apple Maps on my iPhone 5 over Google Maps on my HTC One because Apple has been more reliable and much faster.

Just one use case of course.

I don't think wrong. I think that it's valid to say that many people consider multitasking as being able to do both things at once - regardless of whether the computer is doing more than one thing at once if that makes sense. They are both shades of multitasking. I can render video in the background while I'm surfing the web - my computer is multitasking.

But I can also have both a web browser up and office up and type an email and copy/paste between the two or watch a video while typing up an email and that's also multitasking (user level).

Both are valid multitasking efforts.

Not wrong, limited. I can just as easily copy text from a web article and paste it into a word doc or presentation with two simple quick clicks on my iPhone and iPad. Its not necessary to have both windows up to attain the same functionality.

Is it nice to be able to glance at each quickly? Sure, but not worth it on a screen the size of a smartphone or even an iPad mini (I could go for it on a regular sized iPad).

But that's not "TRUE" multitasking. You just want dual window support. Two separate complaints - people just use the true multitasking meme because it sounds harsher.

That's you though. You felt as if you were never set. And with options - you seemed to have felt obligated to use/try them. But you don't/didn't "have" to - you could have left things as is and just changed the background and added apps to the homescreens like you do in iOS.

Yes - more choice makes it more tempting to play around. And waste time doing it. But it's not a requirement (not saying you said it was).

Very true. I tend to obsess over the layout of my devices. Even my iPhone (moving icons and folders). For me, the amount of options was simply too overwhelming and caused me to waste a lot of time.

For others, its incredibly liberating. This is why I like something different than them. This is why choices exist.

Personally, I like Apple's version of a "wall of apps" better than Android's.

 

[Dino F]

Apologies if this has been posted before (haven't read all the posts in this thread!). Just came across this video of iOS 7 actually running on an iPhone 5 for those who want a heads up of how it looks :

http://youtu.be/eVx-OpGV5KQ

 

[samcraig]

Sure, though - whether its right/good or not - Siri was never billed as a polished software feature. Its STILL in beta.....

And Maps, IMO, was pretty close to as polished as it could get before launch despite the fact Cook came out and apologized for it (which I think he was forced to do because of the negative pub it got).

Maps began light years ahead of where Google Maps began (obviously, 7 years later) but still needed and needs that crowd sourced data to be really good. Comparing 7 year old, army run Google Maps to newly released Apple Maps was naive and unrealistic.....I actually prefer Apple's UI and the engine behind it is much better than Google's app WAS (though now they've added all the things that, for whatever reason, didn't make it into the default version).

At any rate, the Maps thing was bound to happen and IMO, its been fine. In a few years (and even now its happening) people won't even remember or think about Maps as inferior. I personally go to Apple Maps on my iPhone 5 over Google Maps on my HTC One because Apple has been more reliable and much faster.

Just one use case of course.

Years from now - I suspect no one will talk about Android being unpolished. Oh wait. What forum am I on again FUD will still exist

I understand where you're coming from with Maps - but at the same time - you can't compare technology advances from 7 years ago to that of today. 7 years of progress 7 years ago is not/will not be the same as 7 years of progress starting today.

And re: Beta - I still honestly believe that's a bit of marketing spin. Call it Beta and it gives you an "out." Apple is known for it's polish as you say - and Google has often been known for getting things out without that polish (in the past, and to some degree in the present) and yet - Apple released Siri with a beta tag. If they care about the experience and release things only when ready - why a beta tag? Quite frankly I think Siri was overhyped. I don't mean it's not useful - but it's not as "magical" as Apple originally wanted people to believe. So "beta" is a way of minimizing the negativity around it. Hey - it's in beta. To me - it's one of the things that seems very un-Apple like over the last several years.

 

[Oletros]

If everyone thinks Apple stole the design from Android and others, then sorry but almost EVERY COMPANY stole something from Apple. Android is right from iPhone. I think that Apple has the right to innovate whatever they imagine, if they steal something then it's from Apple's stealers.

Apple is the king of technology, anti-apples should be ashamed.

Not sure if serious

 

[lilo777]

I still have yet to get a solid, legitimate answer to this question from one of you Android nutjobs....

What is TRUE multitasking?

But before you answer that, how about going and watching the keynote and reading about how multitasking in iOS 7 has evolved.

Then you can come back, answer my question and let me know how iOS 7 does/doesn't meet that criteria.

It's simple really. True Multitasking refers to a situation where two (or more) applications can work simultaneously without interfering with each other. And it means ANY TWO applications - not just a subset of services like in iOS6. Apple did say that all applications will be able o work in the background in iOS7 but they also added conditioning there which is not clear at this point. Of course, one can also think of TRUE multitasking as such multitasking where two or more applications share the display. Some versions of Android (Samsung) can do it now. iPhone screen is probably too small for that anyways but iPad would benefit greatly from this functionality.

 

[jrswizzle]

Years from now - I suspect no one will talk about Android being unpolished. Oh wait. What forum am I on again FUD will still exist

I understand where you're coming from with Maps - but at the same time - you can't compare technology advances from 7 years ago to that of today. 7 years of progress 7 years ago is not/will not be the same as 7 years of progress starting today.

And re: Beta - I still honestly believe that's a bit of marketing spin. Call it Beta and it gives you an "out." Apple is known for it's polish as you say - and Google has often been known for getting things out without that polish (in the past, and to some degree in the present) and yet - Apple released Siri with a beta tag. If they care about the experience and release things only when ready - why a beta tag? Quite frankly I think Siri was overhyped. I don't mean it's not useful - but it's not as "magical" as Apple originally wanted people to believe. So "beta" is a way of minimizing the negativity around it. Hey - it's in beta. To me - it's one of the things that seems very un-Apple like over the last several years.

Agreed.

Many things aren't as "magical" as Apple proclaims them to be. That's marketing.

I think the beta tag for Siri though is uniquely justified and here's why....

Siri will ALWAYS be evolving, more so than probably any other feature or piece of software in iOS. Given that its somewhat of an AI and is constantly being programmed and tweaked, I'd say it will likely ALWAYS be in "beta", never really "finished".

Personally, I try and decide which things are "magical" and useful for myself and ignore most of the marketing spin whatever company puts on it. I also understand that any company is going to (or should) promote the hell out of their own product so I certainly don't fault Apple for being the way they are. It's something you recognize, understand and move on from.

Trust me, it makes tempering expectations and the amount of disappointment very easy and limited. Hence why I have no issue with Siri or maps or iOS in general. The things I use work well - I'm not a very demanding user, I just want my device to work well and quickly. The iPhone does that for me. Siri is great at reminders, which is my primary use (although I can see myself using her more if the "iOS in the car" stuff pans out and for system things like turning on bluetooth).

----------

It's simple really. True Multitasking refers to a situation where two (or more) applications can work simultaneously without interfering with each other. And it means ANY TWO applications - not just a subset of services like in iOS6. Apple did say that all applications will be able o work in the background in iOS7 but they also added conditioning there which is not clear at this point. Of course, one can also think of TRUE multitasking as such multitasking where two or more applications share the display. Some versions of Android (Samsung) can do it now. iPhone screen is probably too small for that anyways but iPad would benefit greatly from this functionality.

Ok - so in iOS 6, "true multitasking" was limited so as to not adversely effect battery life.

iOS 7 is opening that up AND adding intelligence to it (time of day updates, grouped updates etc....).

I for one am glad Apple has set SOME conditioning and are adding intelligence here instead of simply letting all apps do whatever the hell they want in the background.

So I still wonder how iOS 7 still doesn't offer true multitasking like the guy I quoted claims? If anything, iOS 7's multitasking is BETTER and more intelligent than that of JB. Instead of giving the user options or just updating whenever, iOS will also add the time of day updates, grouped updates, location-based updates - all things that should increase overall battery life and performance.

It will be very interesting to see how the iPhone 5 fares when it comes to battery life on iOS 7 versus iOS 6. Of course the REALLY interesting thing will be to see how Apple has designed the 5S to work with iOS 7 and really get the most out of these features and those battery/performance enhancers in the software.

And regardless of all that, my iPhone 5 may "pause" the app when I leave it, but upon re-entry it starts almost instantly. Almost like OS X Mavericks' "App Nap" thing - I'm not looking at the app so it's powered down, but when I pull it up again it goes right back where I was and starts very quickly.

That's really all I've ever needed out of "multitasking". All this iOS 7 stuff is simply gravy.

 

[jennyp]

I'm all for clarity but this thin font is sometimes just hard to see - especially for someone whose eyes aren't as young as they were.

For instance, here, the word "Spotify" - the capital "S" merges into the following lowercase "p".

 

[KiraDouji]

My amusement is Apple is just so damn stubborn and wants to put a creative spin on basically the same thing that's already been introduced. Since they are innovators of anything, they refuse to accept and embrace what works. Micro USB, oh no...lightening. NFC, oh no...Air Drop..large screen, oh...narrow long is better. just to name a few. It's annoying, because the company has the capital to blow all other out the water yet they don't. Their devices are dead gorgeous

I'll drink to that. But then, you're being reasonable and I'm not sure that's what's supposed to happen in this debate.

Might want to double check that

 

[macnisse]

Thanks Jonathan Ive, especially for the lock screen control options, you've convinced me to come out of jailbreak status and try your shiny new iOS once it's available

 

[krravi]

Anyone here think that a "very thin line" could have adorned the edges of the icons? A line so thin you could hardly notice it.. but would give it that extra edge and polish.

Looks like if you dipped iOS 6 in bleach you end up with iOS 7.

j/k.

 

[wiz7dome]

First impression, I hate it.

 

[jstrahan73]

It's the first beta I understand…

Just got it on my iPhone 5...
The internet is EXTREMELY slow with this first beta. It's crazy.

got it on my 5. havent notice any internet speed difference. but ebay & skype apps dont work and had a glitch with maps today where the map flickered for a bit then went total black except the push pin. but its is beta

 

[xcodeaddict]

Thread summary then: Some like it, some don't. Okay.

 

[AuXr]

Yeah I'll stick with iOS6 until they fix this ugly beeatch thank you very much.

 

[wiz7dome]

Will have to really see it up close, but from watching that keynote, I'm not impressed. It's too flat. Too many plain white screens with plain black text. They can go flat and still have some color. The font looks like a true ripoff of Win 8 phone.

Don't think I'll be going to this for a long time. My iOS 6.1.2 is jailbroken and I love it.

Apple is now on the other side of the curve. They are becoming the "me too" in some of its design approaches. If I wanted a WinPhone, Android (or whatever) I would have bought one. The fonts, the anti color campaign is going way overboard.

Perhaps Mr. Ives is going color blind and making Apple users adjust to his world.

 

[xcodeaddict]

Yeah I'll stick with iOS6 until they fix this ugly beeatch thank you very much.

"Fix"? This is it my friend - this is 99.99% how iOS 7 is going to be, so if you dislike it, I can only suggest allowing yourself to let it grow on you once you physically have the full and final release installed on your iPhone, or be rash and jump ship now, only to possibly jump ship back again once you finally realise that it's not the end of the world, any more than anything radically designed is when people first clap eyes on it.

Here - have a virtual coffee to say good bye (if you do leave):

^ EDIT - *man* that coffee looks nice; I sure did pick the best Google images link mmm