iOS 7 keyboard vs iOS 6 keyboard

[158273]

I'm slowly getting used to iOS 7, and just as I start thinking that I'm liking it, I come across an app that still uses the old keyboard from iOS and as I type on it, this feeling of relief comes over me, like "Ah, buttons. Real buttons."

Maybe it's the thinness of the font on the new iOS 7 keyboard, maybe it's more the fact that when you press a key, it only fades a little, there's no obvious color change when you tap it such as in iOS 6... but either way, I was shocked at how much I relied on all the "skeumorphic" buttons.

I thought I didn't like iOS 7 just because it was just a new design and that I just had to get used to change, but I'm slowly starting to realize just how brilliant iOS 6 was, just how many things it got right "out of the box", just how much I depended on those intuitive, clearly-defined buttons that felt touchable, tappable, real.

And I also realized just how much work had gone into iOS 6, how much engineering, and design, and graphics... all of that, all of those refinements, tossed out the window in a matter of months.

 

[C DM]

Yup, new design doesn't necessarily mean better design (at least as far as some usability/functionality is concerned).

 

[Stuke00]

I'm slowly getting used to iOS 7, and just as I start thinking that I'm liking it, I come across an app that still uses the old keyboard from iOS and as I type on it, this feeling of relief comes over me, like "Ah, buttons. Real buttons."

Maybe it's the thinness of the font on the new iOS 7 keyboard, maybe it's more the fact that when you press a key, it only fades a little, there's no obvious color change when you tap it such as in iOS 6... but either way, I was shocked at how much I relied on all the "skeumorphic" buttons.

I thought I didn't like iOS 7 just because it was just a new design and that I just had to get used to change, but I'm slowly starting to realize just how brilliant iOS 6 was, just how many things it got right "out of the box", just how much I depended on those intuitive, clearly-defined buttons that felt touchable, tappable, real.

And I also realized just how much work had gone into iOS 6, how much engineering, and design, and graphics... all of that, all of those refinements, tossed out the window in a matter of months.

iOS 6 is far from "out of the box" It took 6 major versions to get there.

 

[C DM]

iOS 6 is far from "out of the box" It took 6 major versions to get there.

But a lot of the learnings from that could have (and should have) been applied even to a new design in iOS 7. It's not like they should just throw out everything they learned and start from scratch as far as usability, best practices, important things to pay attention to, etc., etc., etc.

 

[Naor]

That's not "iOS 6", that's iOS 1, the keyboard exists since the very first iPhone... There was so little work on iOS 6!
And it's amazing how you can actually like this terrible, horrific iOS 6 keyboard. I hate using whatsapp mainly because of that, compare this ugly iOS 6 themed app to the beautiful new messages app.

 

[PNutts]

but I'm slowly starting to realize just how brilliant iOS 6 was, just how many things it got right "out of the box", just how much I depended on those intuitive, clearly-defined buttons that felt touchable, tappable, real.

That's what the folks who got bored and wanted a new design don't understand. A button labeled "Edit", buttons that are greyed out when not available, a red button for Cancel and a green button for Save. Those are much more than just a particular design style.

People could pick up an iOS 6 phone and use it. In iOS 7 we're still guessing how to use features by randomly reading words on the screen and poking at them and tap / holding to see if something happens. It doesn't have anything to do with the "skew" word, it's about an intelligent human interface.

 

[C DM]

That's not "iOS 6", that's iOS 1, the keyboard exists since the very first iPhone... There was so little work on iOS 6!
And it's amazing how you can actually like this terrible, horrific iOS 6 keyboard. I hate using whatsapp mainly because of that, compare this ugly iOS 6 themed app to the beautiful new messages app.

What exactly terrible or horrible about the keyboard as far as its usability functionality? If you are talking about pure looks, that's purely subjective, and what you might think is amazing could be horrific to someone else, while usability/functionality is much more objective and different because of that.

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That's what the folks who got bored and wanted a new design don't understand. A button labeled "Edit", buttons that are greyed out when not available, a red button for Cancel and a green button for Save. Those are much more than just a particular design style.

People could pick up an iOS 6 phone and use it. In iOS 7 we're still guessing how to use features by randomly reading words on the screen and poking at them and tap / holding to see if something happens. It doesn't have anything to do with the "skew" word, it's about an intelligent human interface.

<sarcasm>Doesn't everyone just wish they would be able to get into an elevator and not find buttons but just words in a thin font--I mean that surely makes reading and finding "fourteenth" floor so much easier among all the other words when compared to the brain almost immediately/automatically\ recognizing an actual button with the number "14" printed right on it without you even giving a second thought?</sarcasm>

 

[antiprotest]

That's not "iOS 6", that's iOS 1, the keyboard exists since the very first iPhone... There was so little work on iOS 6!
And it's amazing how you can actually like this terrible, horrific iOS 6 keyboard. I hate using whatsapp mainly because of that, compare this ugly iOS 6 themed app to the beautiful new messages app.

Agreed. iOS 7 keyboard is much better.

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That's what the folks who got bored and wanted a new design don't understand. A button labeled "Edit", buttons that are greyed out when not available, a red button for Cancel and a green button for Save. Those are much more than just a particular design style.

People could pick up an iOS 6 phone and use it. In iOS 7 we're still guessing how to use features by randomly reading words on the screen and poking at them and tap / holding to see if something happens. It doesn't have anything to do with the "skew" word, it's about an intelligent human interface.

The truth is that I have picked up Nokia, Palm, Blackberry, Android, iPhone and "just used it." None of them are that in intuitive that I could not pick up most of the basic features and navigation in the first few minutes of use. I just don't buy this excuse. Even the worse mobile OS is not THAT hard.

 

[C DM]

Agreed. iOS 7 keyboard is much better.

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The truth is that I have picked up Nokia, Palm, Blackberry, Android, iPhone and "just used it." None of them are that in intuitive that I could not pick up most of the basic features and navigation in the first few minutes of use. I just don't buy this excuse. Even the worse mobile OS is not THAT hard.

What exactly is better about it as far as usability/functionality?

 

[antiprotest]

What exactly is better about it as far as usability/functionality?

I just mean I like the look better. I prefer the flat rather than raised buttons.

 

[C DM]

I just mean I like the look better. I prefer the flat rather than raised buttons.

All of which in some sense is actually somewhat worse as far as usability goes. But at least it looks "cooler"...if only the primary use of a keyboard was for looking at it rather than acutally using it as a tool to get something accomplished (where, if possible, looking at it less is actually even a better thing). ;-)

 

[antiprotest]

iOS 7 keyboard vs iOS 6 keyboard

All of which in some sense is actually somewhat worse as far as usability goes. But at least it looks "cooler"...if only the primary use of a keyboard was for looking at it rather than acutally using it as a tool to get something accomplished (where, if possible, looking at it less is actually even a better thing). ;-)

Look is related to function. Just as the old look functions better for the OP, the new functions better for me. Nothing to do with "cool", although if one thinks it is cooler, that also has to do with function in a sense, since a more (even subjectively) pleasant interaction with the device could translate to better user performance. I refer to my own subjective preference that translates to better function (including a more subjectively pleasant experience), again, for me, and therefore unless one knows me better than myself, my point of view cannot be contested. I do not contest that the old version might work better for those who prefer it.

 

[stevemiller]

yup, i feel a greater sense of visual feedback when using the pre-ios7 keyboard as well.

it is the same problem with the toolbar icons as well. i couldn't care less if they were bubbly or flat, but as of right now, you tap on a thin icon, and you will often get zero visual feedback of what you pressed.

in safari on the iPhone, try tapping the area between the bookmarks and tabs button. neither button will show any sort of down state, but it will randomly trigger one of the two. wasn't the one you intended? both have "done" buttons, but they are at OPPOSITE ENDS of the screen.

and apple knows that its a problem. in the initial ios7 release, changing the wallpaper on the iPad was ridiculous. when telling it to "set" the wallpaper, the iPad (presumably processing the wallpaper for parallaxing) would take up to 7 seconds, and of course the button you had pressed to set it gave NO feedback. so you just had to sit there and trust that the iPad was doing something. except sometimes the touch hadn't registered. and you were just sitting there. tellingly, in an update, apple added a message and spinning wheel.

feedback is useful and important, and iOS7 overall still gives a general feeling of disconnect and disorientation where previous versions had a sense of immediacy. its not a matter of aesthetics, you can like the new "look", but nobody's doing anyone a favour playing the "if it looks nice thats all that matters" card, because eventually you'll get bored again, and then you'll have a boring looking AND less functional experience.

 

[E2EK1EL]

iOS 7 keyboard was horrible to type on; predictive spelling was off, lag sometimes here and there, positioning was way off too.

iOS 6 keyboard is perfect, I can nail 80 WPM without any or really rare mistakes.

 

[BvizioN]

It never cease to amaze me how different we are!!
Every time I use the old keyboard from one of the yet to updated for iOS 7 apps it just makes me wanna throw and realize how outdated the iOS was! Good thing is, not may apps that I use haven't been updated.

 

[PNutts]

<sarcasm>doesn't everyone just wish they would be able to get into an elevator and not find buttons but just words in a thin font--i mean that surely makes reading and finding "fourteenth" floor so much easier among all the other words when compared to the brain almost immediately/automatically\ recognizing an actual button with the number "14" printed right on it without you even giving a second thought?</sarcasm>

 

[C DM]

It never cease to amaze me how different we are!!
Every time I use the old keyboard from one of the yet to updated for iOS 7 apps it just makes me wanna throw and realize how outdated the iOS was! Good thing is, not may apps that I use haven't been updated.

Looks over function. I think it's fair to say that function is more important, although some might go for the looks (for less rational reasons).

 

[BvizioN]

Looks over function. I think it's fair to say that function is more important.

I honestly don't see how the keyboard function have changed between iOS 7 and older iOS versions! But refreshing new desing makes difference (although not for everyone)

 

[Seandroid]

iOS 7 keyboard was horrible to type on; predictive spelling was off, lag sometimes here and there, positioning was way off too.

iOS 6 keyboard is perfect, I can nail 80 WPM without any or really rare mistakes.

It is EXACTLY the same. It is PIXEL IDENTICAL in positioning and the software is IDENTICAL.

And to the person who claimed the Safari buttons don't show a pressed state... You're actually just wrong.

 

[Patrick J]

It is EXACTLY the same. It is PIXEL IDENTICAL in positioning and the software is IDENTICAL.

And to the person who claimed the Safari buttons don't show a pressed state... You're actually just wrong.

You're wrong on several accounts. The finger compensation in iOS7 has been tweaked all around, and this includes the keyboard. It's definitely a less responsive keyboard than ios6.

Also, with ios6 buttons, the pressed state was clear because you could always see some of button around your finger which is touching it. Although in ios 7 the invisible touch targets are the same, the apparent touchable area is much much smaller and you can't see the depressed state because it's almost always hidden underneath your finger.

In music app on iOS 1-6 there was a big halo when you pressed play, rewind or fast forward. In iOS 7, there is no nice feedback that you got the target right.

iOS 7 is a less satisfying interface to use. Apple ****ed up and need to up their game.

 

[Seandroid]

Find me any proof of that whatsoever. Nobody I know has had any issue with the keyboard and I also noticed absolutely zero difference switching to 7 and I can type without looking at the screen.

 

[Patrick J]

Find me any proof of that whatsoever. Nobody I know has had any issue with the keyboard and I also noticed absolutely zero difference switching to 7 and I can type without looking at the screen.

You are aware that the touch targets have nothing to do with the virtual appearance of the keyboard buttons on screen? Disclaimer, it's not an actual button!

 

[Seandroid]

You are aware that the touch targets have nothing to do with the virtual appearance of the keyboard buttons on screen? Disclaimer, it's not an actual button!

......Yes. That's exactly why I asked you for any evidence whatsoever that they changed the touch targets.

That's also the reason I specifically mentioned I can type without looking at the screen. I was able to do so in iOS 6 and I am able to do so in iOS 7 and I changed absolutely nothing about my typing habits... If they had changed the touch targets typing without looking at the screen (which is muscle memory) would have been a disaster and absolutely nothing changed.

 

[abshole765]

I just wonder why typing on the iOS7 keyboard is so difficult. I swear things shifted or got resized, even though when overlayed it's the exact same size as iOS6.

 

[stevemiller]

It is EXACTLY the same. It is PIXEL IDENTICAL in positioning and the software is IDENTICAL.

And to the person who claimed the Safari buttons don't show a pressed state... You're actually just wrong.

i'm actually not 'just wrong'. ios7, for me, is a wonder of inconsistency. and you'll note in my post that it said you'll "often" be left without feedback. if i slowly press and hold on one of the safari buttons for a second, the button will fade as you show, however any sort of natural tap will show no feedback.