How would the Apple Watch UI look like if Scott Forstall never was fired?

Unlike a lot of people here I never forgot what Forestall did for Apple. I think if he stayed he would have eventually come around to a redesign and personally I think it would not be as flat and would still have more character than what we have today. I don't dislike what iOS looks like today but a bit more depth would be nice.

 

I think it would have still included a good amount of heavy design that just isn't necessary anymore.

 

Wasn't the 5th gen Nano designed when Forstall still ran UI? It's got an "open heart" watch face (although it doesn't show a virtual balance wheel like a mechanical "open heart" watch often does).

 

It's hard to say. Everyone evolves and to some extent follows trends, so it's really impossible to predict what Forestall would have done but I do think it would have more dimension.

 

How about you provide a mockup of what you think would be different? I honestly don't think about it when I'm using my watch.

 

Kitschy is the first word that comes to find. Linen would be another. Who knows if Forstall would have continued to champion textures. Gradients, probably. But specifically, I think he would have fought against the back button and the current window title being nestled together.

 

Skeumorphism

 

Actually, simulating an analog watch face and 'complications' on a smartwatch is exactly skeuomorphism.

 

Green felt everywhere

 

My guess: not too different. The Watch is heavily (though not exclusively) skeumorphic.