More Details on Jony Ive's Flat iOS 7 Design: Heavier on Black and White

[guzhogi]

I actually love this!!!!

Unfortunately, I don't like it. I find it too bland and reminiscent of pre-Mac OS 7 days (yes, I'm old enough to remember those days!). I can understand that without the colors & textures, it could speed up processing, but I don't see that as better, IMO. I kinda wish there was a CandyBar like app or setting for iOS (without needing for JB) so I can change it. Yes, I know I can Jailbreak it, but I don't to have to Jailbreak every time a new iOS update comes out.

 

[Ddyracer]

I feel lot of doubt and it's a big change for iOS. Hopefully all the linen is gone. The gradients like the cut, copy & paste I will really miss, I hope it's not too ugly whatever flat design replaces it.

If Jony Ive did remake iTunes 11 and the 10.8 Dock then perhaps it migt look just as beautiful as those designs.

 

[gto55]

look like and android or cydia theme :/
why this radical change, skeuomorphism is not so bad, if apple uses it with parcimony.
The real issue of the last iOS(es) is the lack of direct functionnalties inspired by the competition that auxo, for example, provides with jailbreaking the device, IMHO.

 

[ThinkPin]

I welcome this change. FINALLY iOS will stop looking like a kids toy!

My thoughts exactly, I am excited.

 

[newyorksole]

I hope they don't pull a Windows 8 / Metro with iOS 7... I know flat design is the trend these days, but a little bit of texture in the UI is a good thing. I'd really like them to keep the dark linen background texture in Notification Center, too. I still dig that.

Exactly. The only thing I want is consistency, but I feel like every app is unique so they can't be THAT consistent.

I don't mind a little texture. I mean, we're in 2013. These devices are capable of a lot. Textures look great on a retina display.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

Can't wait. I've been bored by iOS for some time now. Perfect timing to keep me from jumping ship among the strong new phones from competitors.

 

[pubwvj]

I wish Apple would stop messing around with these useless changes to the OSs and instead give us something truly useful: cross OS compatibility.

I want to be able to run all my software on all my devices including iOS Apps, MacOSX apps, MacClassic Apps and yes, even Windows and DOS. I want to be able to use my tools to access my data no matter what device I am using. The hardware has the computing power and storage for this emulation. This would be far more useful than the changes to the interface they are making. Apple is wasting time and money on frosting. I want to be able to do my work, not glimmer.

 

[Oldschoolers]

I'm looking forward to it!! I don't really care much about the look of the icons, I'm hoping the improvements they make to the home screen and notification center is up to par (or better ) with the rest of the industry.

 

[iisdan]

So basically they are removing all design?

This is gonna be some windows 98 ugly right here.

 

[Rogifan]

I hope they don't go too far in the other direction, I kind of like and am used to how iOS feels. They are wasting way too many resources in simply changing the appearance, I mean does anyone really care that much? Wouldn't those resources be better used to actually make iOS better functionally and add new features?

Hmm...funny there was (and maybe still is) a poll in the iOS forum on what people wanted to see in iOS 7 and UI change had the highest number of votes. Over the last year or more we've been hearing complaints ad nausem about how iOS looks dated, how Apple has fallen behind Android and Microsoft (gulp!). Yet now when we get rumors of UI changes people complain that Apple's focusing on the wrong things. Seems people are forgetting that Ive responsible for UI not core OS. There very well could be functionality improvements being worked on that are under Federighi's direction, not Ive's.

 

[Zendokan]

Best of both worlds:
- my 3GS and 4S will run iOS 6.1.3
- my (future) 5S will run iOS 7

While being a huge fan of skeuomorphism (old enough to remember the connection between a pencil and a music tape cassette), I will adapt to the new UI and life goes on.

So long the apps work good and and the iOS works good with the iPhone, I'm happy.

 

[Ryth]

Exactly. The only thing I want is consistency, but I feel like every app is unique so they can't be THAT consistent.

I don't mind a little texture. I mean, we're in 2013. These devices are capable of a lot. Textures look great on a retina display.

Um...iOS is the furthest thing from consistent right now. It's pretty much is a hot mess of random looks of icons, backgrounds and such.

This is a huge welcome change for many. iOS will finally look 'professional', not looking like some myspace website.

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Hmm...funny there was (and maybe still is) a poll in the iOS forum on what people wanted to see in iOS 7 and UI change had the highest number of votes. Over the last year or more we've been hearing complaints ad nausem about how iOS looks dated, how Apple has fallen behind Android and Microsoft (gulp!). Yet now when we get rumors of UI changes people complain that Apple's focusing on the wrong things. Seems people are forgetting that Ive responsible for UI not core OS. There very well could be functionality improvements being worked on that are under Federighi's direction, not Ive's.

Agreed. If you've ever used W8, their interface is pretty nice, especially for mail, weather, etc. I hope they do a combo of this type of flat and image.

 

[thisisdallas]

Unfortunately, I don't like it. I find it too bland and reminiscent of pre-Mac OS 7 days (yes, I'm old enough to remember those days!). I can understand that without the colors & textures, it could speed up processing, but I don't see that as better, IMO. I kinda wish there was a CandyBar like app or setting for iOS (without needing for JB) so I can change it. Yes, I know I can Jailbreak it, but I don't to have to Jailbreak every time a new iOS update comes out.

I don't think any of you are actually reading the article correctly. It has white or black backgrounds, with a color specific to each app. That doesn't mean it will be completely colorless, it means it will have a color specific to each app. It doesn't mean iOS 7 will look like pre-Mac OS 7, it means it will have a simple black or white background (which is replacing ugly textures that everyone is quick to hate and complain about) with COLOR.

Think this:
http://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/screen-shot-2013-05-23-at-8-42-46-pm.png?w=704&h=467

Not B&W.

 

[GuitarDTO]

iOS 7 is going to make or break my next phone decision. I like where Jony is going with the aesthetics, the home panorama wallpaper is about time, and of course adding toggle features for some of the key settings is a must IMO. I'd like some customization options but I'm not holding my breath. Overall I'm looking forward to the announcement, at this point I'm either keeping my iPhone 5, switching to a SG4, a Note 3 (if it's announced soon), or one of the new Blackberry phones. I'm all over the map!!

 

[durant35]

Flat? black and white? quick toggle for settings? Wallpapers that pan as you swipe between home screens? Some apps taking on more of a widget feel? So it's basically going to be an uglier, flat black and white watered down version of Android? Keep innovating Apple!

 

[Schizoid]

Agreed. If you've ever used W8, their interface is pretty nice, especially for mail, weather, etc. I hope they do a combo of this type of flat and image.

Image

I hope the Bing weather changes soon, it's been BING binging down for the past 4 bing months!

 

[DotCom2]

I just wish they would change the keyboard layout on the iPad and move the HUGE square back delete key that is right below the tiny oblong *Send* key!
I can't tell you how many times I've accidently deleted the last letter before I send and have to redo!

 

[subsonix]

Hmm...funny there was (and maybe still is) a poll in the iOS forum on what people wanted to see in iOS 7 and UI change had the highest number of votes.

Who cares? Are Apple suppose to chase the crowd at Macrumors now?

They are supposed to lead not follow, it's never been a democratic process as far back as I remember, no focus groups, no design by committee, just up on stage and boom.

 

[itguy06]

Stop posting about design, please.

Why? Cause I'm right or cause I don't agree with you?

Flat Design = I don't care about making things look good.

Good design will last for ages and look appropriate in 10 years. Think back to design that is timeless and good and you'll see what I mean. Fads and poor design die while good clean design stays around.

I have the Yahoo weather app and it's a good start but still lacking in many areas. Certainly not a great app but a good one.

 

[Twimfy]

I'm really excited about this, I'm gonna have my dev account on refresh on the day of the keynote.

 

[everything-i]

Years ago a university design team was working on a project and I was disappointed in the lack of color in the interface. The response was "color has meaning". Don't color things just to look pretty, it needs to represent meaning.

Very good point, Microsoft made a mistake with Metro giving the squares etc. colour for colours sake as far as I can see and it just becomes a random mess. Inspired use of colour can aid fast navigation of displayed information if its not over used as it tends to draw the users attention. Its not easy to get right and if Jony can pull this off he really will be elevated to the level of design genius and iOS' UI will be back at the bleeding edge.

 

[3282868]

Agreed. If you've ever used W8, their interface is pretty nice, especially for mail, weather, etc. I hope they do a combo of this type of flat and image.

Image

I hate to admit this, but Windows 7 has looked stellar on my 2 27" displays and Mac Pro. While I prefer OS X, there is something about Windows that makes my screen real estate seem larger and cleaner. I still hate the icons, some look downright 8-bit. OS X needs serious overhauling.

I love that desktop, how did you make it?

 

[Mackan]

I don't think any of you are actually reading the article correctly. It has white or black backgrounds, with a color specific to each app. That doesn't mean it will be completely colorless, it means it will have a color specific to each app. It doesn't mean iOS 7 will look like pre-Mac OS 7, it means it will have a simple black or white background (which is replacing ugly textures that everyone is quick to hate and complain about) with COLOR.

Think this:
http://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/screen-shot-2013-05-23-at-8-42-46-pm.png?w=704&h=467

Not B&W.

So basically, a single color theme... just the way Microsoft is doing these days, with everything. Can't say I am a fan of it...

 

[Rogifan]

Um...iOS is the furthest thing from consistent right now. It's pretty much is a hot mess of random looks of icons, backgrounds and such.

This is a huge welcome change for many. iOS will finally look 'professional', not looking like some myspace website.

----------



Agreed. If you've ever used W8, their interface is pretty nice, especially for mail, weather, etc. I hope they do a combo of this type of flat and image.

Image

Yes there are components of Windows 8 UI/apps that are really nice. The Bing weather app is a good example. The one thing from this story that has me excited is it sounds like it was a top to bottom review and change so hopefully there will be consistency across all of iOS.

 

[rGiskard]

I just hope it doesn't go for monochrome icons and controls for stylistic reasons, because when the OS X Finder went monochrome it became harder to distinguish icons on the sidebar.

Glad to see the death of skeuomorphism. I could never grok the attraction of melding a calendar app to a 1970s station wagon with fake wood siding.