I doubt Apple would ever just completely overhaul their UI. They've never done that in the past, and why would they jeopardize their fortunes by tampering with a UI people really seem to enjoy? They will continue to make gradual subtle design changes, but nothing radical.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
what will it take for Apple to change its UI?
- Thread starter applehippy
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I agree with the folks that say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. IOS does everything I'd want it to do right now. No changes are needed.
Sorry, but dynamic icons are low on my list. I don't need an analog clock when the time is in the status bar. I'd much rather have a weather widget (much like the notification one) glued to a homescreen.
Let me hide the search homescreen because I've never used that and dedicate a single homescreen for widgets and I'd be a happy camper.
All of these responses sound just like "Hey I'm happy with a rock so inventing a bow and arrow is pointless!!!" "Hey this bow and arrow is great, why would I ever want a gun???" Innovation at it's finest. Why make something better when you can sell the same thing over and over again.
I will say that they have made one change in iOS 6 that is more widespread, they finally got rid of that ridiculously stupid 2 tone navbar and made it a real gradient.
You are assuming that change for the sake of change is a good thing.
We are saying its not.
That's not like turning down an advancement in ease of use, just avoiding unnecessary change for the sake of change.
It's not about changing it... its about adding new features and open more the user interface with the phone.just wanna say straight off the bat that im not one of those apple customers that use their products and then complain about its "boring UI"
i do find the UI to be a little boring but i also find it a delight to use. i just wanted to get others opinion on what it might take for apple to cave in and change.
x amount of market share? bad press/reviews?
what will it take?
That is an argument that very few people are making. You are concocting a straw man argument. Are you suggesting that a bow and arrow was change for the sake of change coming after the rock? Did you even read my post before making something up?
Actually you are. Are you really so Apple brainwashed that you can't fathom a better/easier way to do various tasks in iOS? iOS is really the pinnacle of OS design and hundreds of years from they will look back at this time period and think that's where OS design stopped because that was the best? God I hope not.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
I hate to jump in the middle of this, but thewitt isn't arguing against improvements but change for the sake of change. Don't think rock to bow to gun. Think a bow and arrow adding streamers on it. Sure maybe it looks prettier and shows that you are having "progress"... But is it really better? No. It probably actually worsens the weapon. At best it adds no real value.
No one would argue that Apple should just pack it in and leave iOS as is for 20 years, but before they change things they need to make sure it truly enhances the experience and has a true purpose. That's all
That is an important and valid point - Apple isn't about to go and make change for the sake of change. They make changes in areas that they feel could make valid improvements over what they have.
Look at the UI elements for Copy and Paste or Multi-tasking. People said for years that it would be dead simple to integrate and Apple was being foolish for not having it day one. Turns out it was worth the wait when Apple actually delivered implementations that were genuine improvements and what may people agreed was the right way to do it properly. Today these things are very natural and almost second nature. They were also genuine improvements. It does go to show that Apple just doesn't bolt on solutions without thought about if adding it makes sense and if the methodology is properly done.
We as consumers can argue about what these features are until the cows come home - but at the end of the day Apple isn't about to do something that is going to be a net negative unless they feel that they must. They release something, it isn't going to be whiz bang look at me! type things, it's going to be something that adds real value to the system.
Right now Apple feels that their UI by and large works pretty good and that there is no real reason to change things outside of the bloggers and pundits that demand that Apple should do X (which we know that they pay no attention to). When Apple makes a change, they have a reason behind it and it generally isn't going to revolve around "just because people say it looks old". Lots of things do not fundamentally change the way they work - companies really like to maintain consistency when they can.
I'm sorry, but this is the EXACT argument that most people are making.
There are no quantum leaps here as from rock to bow, you are demanding change from a gray rock to a red rock, just for the sake of change with no increase in value.
Apple has no reason to simply adopt every potential bell and whistle that Android or the jail break community happens to dream up.
I want a phone that operates smoothly, predictably, consistently, and delivers high performance. iOS does that, and through incremental, well designed and thought out changes, continues to be intuitive to use, works when and how I expect it to work, and delivers the performance I expect from a mobile OS.
I'm think what's going to happen is that it's going to be the same next year as well and people are going to be shocked. Then the following year or two will bring OS 11 and I feel they'll rollout a new iOS UI to coincide. Just my $.02.
You'd be quite the rich man if you, for the first time in history that no one else has ever been able to do, could predict what Apple will do! Don't forget to place your bets now!
No need to be a jerk, chill out, this is an open forum for people to express their opinions. Policing comments is a bit unnecessary.
Mad Mac Maniac
macrumors 601
Yeah, I know it does feel like iOS and OS X are on a collision course which looks about 2-3 years away from merging. I think it'll be interesting to see how Apple handles it. I don't see them adapting Microsoft's strategy of identical UI for mouse and touch, but I could hypothetically see them unifying the OS but keeping slight differences in the OS depending on which device it's installed on. Similar to how the OS for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch are all have specific differences even though they run the same OS. Apple may do this if they see some advantage to it (Universal apps, manage 1 OS vs 2 OS's, etc). Of course the difference from iPad to Mac will be significantly larger than the difference from iPhone to iPad.
I think if the phone remains slightly redesigned and not much changed as far as iOS it will still be the #1 selling mobile device. Apple will only moderatly change to ensure best possible use/performance and to keep you coming back for the next iphone release.
Just saying that their is a jailbreak tweak that updates the weather icon to the current weather. You can also set it to display the temperature in the status bar. When my iPhone was jailbroken I used the tweak and had it set to update like every 15 minutes. I saw no difference in battery life. If their was any difference it was very minimal and in real word use you would never notice.
Factors for Apple to change the UI on iOS devices.
- Market research confirms that X% more people will buy the device if the UI appears different.
- Sales not hitting internal forecasts.
- Changes or additions to functionality requiring a rethink of the current UI paradigm.
- A competitor launches a device that leap frogs the UI of the iPhone.
- Market research confirms that X% more people will buy the device if the UI appears different.
- Sales not hitting internal forecasts.
- Changes or additions to functionality requiring a rethink of the current UI paradigm.
- A competitor launches a device that leap frogs the UI of the iPhone.
Best way to get out of the UI doldrums?
Stop staring at the home screen and actually interact with your device.
Stop staring at the home screen and actually interact with your device.
The best point I've heard yet. I've never understood why people twiddle away hours at the home screen, when the real, productive action is in the apps. Do what you need to do and disconnect.
Maybe they just need to make an app that simulates a home screen and people can customize it to their infinite will! That might calm everyone down?
Maybe they just need to make an app that simulates a home screen and people can customize it to their infinite will! That might calm everyone down?