Apple's Designers Clashing Over 'Tacky' Software Skeuomorphisms

[PalacePlayers]

In my humble opinion, the leather design makes the apps much more attractive, and I must admit I am much more tempted to use an app with the current design, rather than the streamlined, boring and generic design from the past.

 

[kralnor]

Yes, and Animation = Bloat.

Perhaps you're not so much of an apple fan as you thought.

 

[canesalato]

the podcast app is terrible no matter which way you look at it. they shoulda gone meta if they wanted skeumorphic design and showed their original ipod from 2001 if anything. but i don't know if the design or it's function are what people hate most and/or is one polluting the other? the fact the app is almost unusable probably negatively feeds into the design. if it worked seemlessly, people may have more brain space to say, oh, and what a clever design. instead hate begets hate.

not arguing for or against, personally i like the podcast design but hate the function.

You've brought a very important point into this discussion: design and function are deeply related.
I think have 3 categories of skeuo-apps.
1) apps that works well and are helped by the design. Garageband comes to my mind.
2) apps where skeuomorphism is just useless. I think about find my friends and game center. To me here skeuomorphism is visual clutter, but the app "per se" work fine.
3) apps that are harmed by skeuomorphism. I think that's the case of calendar.

Podcast right now is in a peculiar situation because, as you have smartly said, it works bad even without skeuomorphism. It's simply a bad app. The inteface is hard to understand, it's unstable, it's slow and for all that visual clutter it's poor on the functionality front. This is quite a new situation to Apple

 

[Rogifan]

i'm not sure apple has 75 year-old women in mind as their target audience, but whatever. that was also a very poor transition from iBooks to Game Center.

i happen to LOVE the way iBooks looks and behaves. i do, however, think the organization of the bookshelf inside iBooks need to be improved.

these 'little touches' are what separates apple from the rest of the market. Apple products are a result of true craftsmanship and attention to detail, hardware and software included.

You call it attention to detail, I call it unnecessary. 🙂

 

[kevinfulton.ca]

I've often felt Garage Band was an excellent example of these so called "skeumorphisms" done well.

The reason for that is that many of those visual references are still relevant. Pianos, microphones, and guitars have not changed and neither is how we've used them. However, traditional calendars and contact books have become almost completely obsolete so using such references start to seem dated. Skeumorphisms only work when the reference is to something current or unchanging.

 

[Loge]

I think it is going a bit far. Actually, on a paper calendar, I would remove any torn off remnants of old pages - unfortunately iCal does not let you do that.

 

[Zandros]

The problem with iCal isn't just that it tries to look like a 'real' calendar and works nothing like it, but that it tries to look like a butt-ugly calendar I wouldn't take a second look at in a shop.

That, and the damn Corinthian adjective. It almost makes me puke.

Edit: As a matter of fact, I can't remind myself of any tear-off calendars that weren't disposable. All real 'expensive'—as anything leather bound is wont to be—calendars I've seen have been using ring or spiral binding so that you can easily replace the pages the next year.

 

[henrystar]

What drives me nuts is changing from month to month in iCal. If forces me to wait for the page to turn. Really annoying when trying to go three months down the road quickly.

Keep it clean and simple, and don't add glitzy crap!

 

[hachre]

the problem with ical isn't just that it tries to look like a 'real' calendar and works nothing like it, but that it tries to look like a butt-ugly calendar i wouldn't take a second look at in a shop.

+1

 

[canesalato]

Why do I get the feeling that Jonathan Ive would have been pleased if everything was glow-y green letters on a black screen?

-mike

Edit: Whoops I meant "Engineery Jonathan Ive"

I don't know. Maybe it's because you don't know him

 

[Rogifan]

Why?

Why? Because a simple graph or number grid would suffice and far better represent what you're trying to convey. If I want to show sales for a region or product compared to forecast what's the purpose of showing it in the format of a speedometer? Just because someone coined the phrase dashboard KPI's need to look like a car dash?

Check out Stephen Few's work over at perceptualedge.com He gets good dashboard/scorecard design.

 

[tennisproha]

As long as it doesn't take away from the functionality of the app, it's a plus.

 

[JHankwitz]

I am fine with Game Center, but please change the osX versions of iCal and Address Book. I didn't upgrade to lion for this reason, and now that my new Air comes with it I want to vomit every time I see it.

These too cute designs can easily be toggled on and off using the built in features of Cocktail software.

 

[elppa]

That graphic is terrible and really not indicative of the platforms.

You should read the thread – having used Windows and owning a Windows Phone – I'd agree with the point being made. Windows Phone 7.5 appears to have not only more polish than (the now RTM'd Windows 8), but also clearer and more consistent design language throughout.

Of course the graphic was exaggerated slightly for effect (which is part of why I think it is so good – it creates discussion).

That is one of the few preset start screen backgrounds you can choose in Windows 8. You can't just pick any picture you like.

The same poster (brownbox), goes on to make another good point.

Usually when you restrict users from choosing whatever background image they want it’s so you can enforce some visual consistency by only letting them choose pre-made background that work well with the visual style.

This sort of background also seems to fly in the face of the metro principles of being low-chrome and pro-content. Windows Phone, as a principle, tends to put content first throughout the UI by having a stark black background (or white with the light theme)

 

[bandrews]

I'm with Ive on this. For a company that prides itself on its hardware being so slick and minimalist, it's a shame to see these tacky touches implemented all over iOS. What is it they keep saying about innovating rather than immitating? I have had one of every iPhones except the 4s, have an iPad 2 and a Nexus 7 and WP7 Lumia 800. For ease of use, the iOS wins it but would choose the other two over the iPad when it comes to what looks fesh and cleanest.

 

[Anuba]

Actually Microsoft have ditched Aero in Windows 8, it's a shame. I'll miss it.

Oh good then. I saw some YT clip of Win8 and I could've sworn it looked like Win7 underneath the tiles.

 

[Blakjack]

why change something that works well and has never had any negative reviews. Billions of dollars have been made from devices that use this so called "visual masturbation"

 

[caddisfly]

I am leaning towards Sir Johnny I. on this one....at least use heavy moderation and when in doubt, follow the Nancy Reagan Rule: "Just say no, to skeuomorphisms"

 

[Dr McKay]

What is that background!? 😱 I didn't even see that when I was setting up my Win8 preview partition. Mine is a very simple functional dark green with only few lighter veins of green. Way to pick the worst example possible.

Are you running the RTM? They added several "busy" looking themes for the Start Screen in the latest RTM build.

Oh good then. I saw some YT clip of Win8 and I could've sworn it looked like Win7 underneath the tiles.

Earlier builds of Windows 8, like the Consumer and Release Previews still had Aero, however a more toned down version.

 

[Les Kern]

Two words: "Word Paperclip".
That where we are headed?
The horror.

 

[D.T.]

no way I can see to input due dates (unless you enter it in iCloud).

You mean this?

 

[Dorje Sylas]

In my humble opinion, the leather design makes the apps much more attractive, and I must admit I am much more tempted to use an app with the current design, rather than the streamlined, boring and generic design from the past.

Texture and color is good.

Hit you over the head color and texture is bad.

No-color non-varried chrome texture is just as bad.

 

[Zunjine]

Reading some of the posts on here that say the skeuomophic software doesn't fit with the minimalistic industrial design of the hardware, I do wonder if maybe this is missing the point.

The software and the hardware perform two very different functions from a design perspective. In fact, they do polar opposites jobs. The hardware is designed to disappear while the software is intended to guide the user in whatever task they are currently performing. The hardware must be designed in such a way as to not impose itself on the software.

I'm not saying this makes all skeuomophisms good or desirable, but I do think it's incorrect to say that the hardware and software directions clash - I think, if anything, the hardware minimalism is what makes the software skeuomophism work.

 

[cosmolv]

Quote: "The report points to Windows 8 as an example"

What? 😀 are this man serious or stupid? Sorry for that, but Apple cares about good looking things and everybody like it.

The only frustrating thing is Monochrome icons in Lion and M. Lion Finder sidebar. I don't understand this step from Apple. 😕

Colors always have great visual experience. Sidebar now looks bad and pointless...

 

[Astroexe]

I really like the iCal design, it makes me feel more welcome to the idea of using it as opposed to something which displays function and all of it's features in one swoop (though I wouldn't turn down an option between casual and more modern styles.)

I think the two drastic contrasts between the overly-decorated and the plain and minimal can be both found in the iPad; the iCal or Game Centre designs as opposed to the Clock "updates" that look.. just terrible.