I don’t know which button you’re referencing, so can’t comment.
Really? Look up any voicemail message; underneath are 3 options: speaker, call back, delete. It's actually the delete "button" that I take issue with. 90% of the time, trying to tap "delete" results in closing that message and opening the one beneath. The “button” is too small. It's maddening, along with the general new way of interfacing with voicemail messages compared to the old. Previously the control functions stayed atop the screen, in one place. Now, you must first open a voicemail just to see the control functions, and when you do that, the entire screen dances around to a new configuration (the selected message expands) and you have a new frame of reference to take a millisecond to adjust to. It's these frequent milliseconds of adjustment that are much more frequent with iOS7-12 than iOS6 & prior due to new, made-up interfaces that are just different than before but often characterized by hiding functions behind taps that are maddening to some, including me.
I have photos for most of my contacts, so appreciate their use. It would be an inconsistent layout to have those without to not display a ‘placeholder’.
But are those photos & placeholders truly necessary? If iOS7 was all about removing the supposed fluff and compressing down to only what's necessary, how was adding photos to contacts more than interesting fluff vs. true functional improvement, especially for those who don't need to add photos to contacts and are left with space-wasting initials?
Probably not. But I don’t know which functions you are referring to. Are they commonly used functions by everybody, or just a minority?
One specific example is iOS's default Music app. Play a song and you have to tap past the artwork to show the scrubber/marker (for song length & status position) as well as additional playback controls that used to be right out in the open. Is a Music app's main focus to play your music or look at album artwork? (Typical example of Apple's focus on fashion/form over function lately).
A general example is that popular/typically-used functions are either hidden offscreen or require tapping a hamburger, ellipsis, and/or gear icon to show them. Safari's dancing/hiding controls are excruciatingly maddening, as an example. Phones are getting bigger, but there's still a need to hide the interface that's used every 10 seconds or so.
Given that the rest of the UI is white it’s consistent. Use Smart Invert if it’s a problem. Dark Mode rumoured for iOS 13 will change this for you. I’m looking forward to Dark Mode, but likely for a different reason than you. It will help with battery life on my XS.
Consistency is one thing, but smart functionality is another. In fact, doesn't this beg the question of: is a stark white background for most every app across the board really a good UI choice? Why not start with a black/darker background for photos and other apps like was true before? Would also save battery power for a smarter, more well-rounded design? Oh, I remember - Jony needed to do as Think Different from Scott as possible. That's right.
And Smart Invert is still pretty jarring and not at all refined feeling or an improvements experience. Both inverts seem to be more “you don’t like bright? Well HERE’s your alternative” than anything else.
I hated skeuomorphism. You mentioned the word ‘childish’ in your post. I think skeuomorphism is childish and was glad to see the back of it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Given all operating systems have now adopted this style to a greater or lesser extent it’s just possible you’re the last vestige of a dying breed.
Funny, I didn't mention "childish."
Well I have news for you, we still have skeumorphism all throughout iOS. But instead of a button with an appearance that looks like it's pressable so as to intuitively prompt you, we have flat-design images. Instead of an attractive 1970's phone headset icon, we have a flat 1970's phone headset icon. Instead of skillfully-crafted clouds/sun on the Weather app icon, we have a cloud/sun that an 8 year old could have created. Instead of a calendar grid with defined interface areas, we have a minimized whiteboard of a calendar representation with the least amount of detail possible. Instead of mail icons in the Mail app with different colors/shapes for gmail, hotmail, iCloud, etc., we have all light-blue boxes that require a bit more cognitive work than before to get yourself oriented.
Once again, this topic is not missing skeumorphism elements such as green felt and old-looking compasses. It's missing a UIx full of cues that permit the use to subconsciously do their thing, being based upon decades of refinement and learning, not based on a hardware minimalist's desired vision.
