Why did Apple go with this design?

[edddeduck]

Wouldn't that be something much more subjective, while certain things like those about overuse of bright white and effects of that or other loss of usability are more objective?

----------

Where is this feedback that shows that?

Based on the small number of users complaining compared to the millions of active users objectively you could say most people like (or at the very worst don't dislike) the new UI.

If you like the UI or not is a subjective thing but the overall stats on people liking it or not can be fairly objectively calculated now based on the number of users and the number of articles and complaints. It is a few months post release now so I think it is safe to say most people don't have a problem with it, if most people hated it the internet would be melting over this huge issue instead of a few threads on forums here and there.

This is no way negates peoples views who dislike the new UI as wrong but it does point to most people not having a problem with it or even perhaps liking the new look.

Edwin

 

[donnaw]

Based on the small number of users complaining compared to the millions of active users objectively you could say most people like (or at the very worst don't dislike) the new UI.

If you like the UI or not is a subjective thing but the overall stats on people liking it or not can be fairly objectively calculated now based on the number of users and the number of articles and complaints. It is a few months post release now so I think it is safe to say most people don't have a problem with it, if most people hated it the internet would be melting over this huge issue instead of a few threads on forums here and there.

This is no way negates peoples views who dislike the new UI as wrong but it does point to most people not having a problem with it or even perhaps liking the new look.

Edwin

I disagree with your supposition that 'most people don't have a problem with it. You cannot decern that simply based on articles and forum posts. My sister and three friends all have iPads and two friends have iPhones. Not one of them likes ios7. They don't follow forums, had no idea what it looked like. They got the download notice and simply installed. They are used to Apple providing updates that they have never had issues with. My sister called me from 600 miles away asking if she could go back. Her issues were about the same as you read here, too much white, controls and UI elements are hard to see and to figure out what it does. She is not tech savvy. Even I couldn't figure out how to delete some photos she has.

I'm sure many users like it. But I'm just as sure there is a significant number of people who don't but they don't know how to voice their opinions. As for articles, well, I always take them with a very large grain of salt. Reviewers don't want to anger Apple so they always give glowing reviews.

iOS is what it is. Due to Apple's forced downloads we're either stuck with it or have to sacrifice almost 3 gigs of space. I notice Apple is slowing making some changes that might make it easier to read. But waiting a couple of years for them to get it together is a long time.

 

[C DM]

Based on the small number of users complaining compared to the millions of active users objectively you could say most people like (or at the very worst don't dislike) the new UI.

If you like the UI or not is a subjective thing but the overall stats on people liking it or not can be fairly objectively calculated now based on the number of users and the number of articles and complaints. It is a few months post release now so I think it is safe to say most people don't have a problem with it, if most people hated it the internet would be melting over this huge issue instead of a few threads on forums here and there.

This is no way negates peoples views who dislike the new UI as wrong but it does point to most people not having a problem with it or even perhaps liking the new look.

Edwin

I'll say this much, the number of people using it has absolutely no connection to whether or not they enjoy it, like it, or anything of that sort. People who upgrade--and most do just because an upgrade shows up on their device, and people who get new devices that only come with iOS 7 already, don't even have a choice once they do it, so there's simply no connection there to support a supposition about most liking it. The vast majority of iOS users are just regular folks who sparsly use a few apps and the internet for basic things, you can bet they know little and care little about sites like this one let alone online forums in general to really go out there and voice their opinion about something like this.

 

[edddeduck]

I'll say this much, the number of people using it has absolutely no connection to whether or not they enjoy it, like it, or anything of that sort. People who upgrade--and most do just because an upgrade shows up on their device, and people who get new devices that only come with iOS 7 already, don't even have a choice once they do it, so there's simply no connection there to support a supposition about most liking it.

Never said that, I implied if you have millions of iOS7 users and only a handful of articles and complaints then you can surmise that most people don't care or like the new OS. It doesn't matter if they bought a new phone with iOS7 or upgraded that won't change if they like or dislike the OS. It will neither alter their likelihood to complain about it to their friends.

When you have a real big issue where even say 10% of people dislike something as big as iOS7 you will have millions of users complaining to their friends etc, this will then create loads of articles, threads newspaper and tv comments etc.

With iOS7 I haven't even seen as many complaints as we saw during the antenna gate, if this OS was really that hated I would expect way more flack than I am seeing.

Hence my conclusion although there is a vocal minority who dislike the OS they are a minority.

Edwin

 

[djtech42]

My response to both is the same: Circling the drain.

It's sad because there is no other ecosystem that compares. I guess at some point I need to decide what's "good enough" for me and step off the hardware / iOS upgrade treadmill.

Circling the drain? Haha Apple isn't even close to the drain! They are finally developing their software again with a new direction. From their intro video to the keynote, "we start over." Every time Apple has started over, it has dramatically improved the product. Things are pretty rough at the beginning, but they improve and tweak the design and features of the new software.

 

[gotluck]

Everyone here is once again talking apples and oranges. OSX Will never be like iOS because of one simple fact: OS X will always have a filesystem.

So what does jailbroken ios look like? With ifile or the like...

Or how about standard apps like file manager

 

[Silly John Fatty]

Depends on the person. I don't mind change but I can see how people used to how things worked before would find the new UI a shock. However once the shock dies down I think most will find the new UI better.

A few will love the old OS but you have many people who like older OSs, many people stuck with Windows 3.11 or 95 for decades after it was no longer the latest OS.

If you don't like it you can always stay on the older OS and ignore all updates. It's a choice not like you are forced to upgrade. Many people stayed with Snow Leopard because they hated Lion (and Mountain Lion) for example. That's fine you don't get the new features good or bad but that's everyones choice.

Edwin

Yes and no. Objectively, iOS 7 is of course more advanced than it predecessors. There are lots of new features that are very useful to me and that I use all the time. For example the quick access to brightness, flight mode, do not disturb and wifi. I don't want to say no to new features just because of the design. But the design is exactly what I don't like.

Never said that, I implied if you have millions of iOS7 users and only a handful of articles and complaints then you can surmise that most people don't care or like the new OS. It doesn't matter if they bought a new phone with iOS7 or upgraded that won't change if they like or dislike the OS. It will neither alter their likelihood to complain about it to their friends.

When you have a real big issue where even say 10% of people dislike something as big as iOS7 you will have millions of users complaining to their friends etc, this will then create loads of articles, threads newspaper and tv comments etc.

With iOS7 I haven't even seen as many complaints as we saw during the antenna gate, if this OS was really that hated I would expect way more flack than I am seeing.

Hence my conclusion although there is a vocal minority who dislike the OS they are a minority.

Edwin

Gotta agree with donnaw and C DM at this point. My friends all strongly dislike the new design of iOS 7, but they are not writing it on any forums or blogs. They are not tech-people and also don't know any, which means nobody will hear their opinion and write articles about this. These are two completely different worlds and their paths don't cross simply. What you see on the internet and on forums is nothing compared to what it's really like, it doesn't even represent 1% of people's opinions. Communication in real-life is what will let you know their opinions about it. So don't rely on blogs, etc. Furthermore, I have only read negative things so far about it. Read and heard that is, I don't see anyone praising it. It's either hated to death or people are saying nothing. When I mean saying nothing then I mean they're asking some random question about a feature and don't mention the horrible design, that's saying nothing in my eyes!

 

[Dented]

If you want an objective measure of IOS 7's success or failure, you'll find it in the sales of iPhone 5S, 5C, iPad Air and new iPad mini. None of those products have ever been available without IOS 7, nobody buying them can claim ignorance or that the upgrade was "forced" on them. So if, as some suggest, "most" consumers dislike IOS 7 the sales of those devices will be badly hit, no?

 

[C DM]

If you want an objective measure of IOS 7's success or failure, you'll find it in the sales of iPhone 5S, 5C, iPad Air and new iPad mini. None of those products have ever been available without IOS 7, nobody buying them can claim ignorance or that the upgrade was "forced" on them. So if, as some suggest, "most" consumers dislike IOS 7 the sales of those devices will be badly hit, no?

That is far from an objective measurement of iOS 7. If anything it can also then be interpreted a measurement perhaps of what people would put up with to get the newest/latest iOS/Apple devices, if you really want to look at it that way somehow. Simply put, it doesn't directly translate to success of iOS 7 or actually how good it is (even if it can be seen as being successful simply by numbers of devices or upgrades that the majority of people do almost reflexively as soon as they see a notification about them, without giving them much thought).

 

[Dented]

That is far from an objective measurement of iOS 7. If anything it can also then be interpreted a measurement perhaps of what people would put up with to get the newest/latest iOS/Apple devices, if you really want to look at it that way somehow.

Simply put, it doesn't directly translate to success of iOS 7 or actually how good it is (even if it can be seen as being successful simply by numbers of devices or upgrades that the majority of people do almost reflexively as soon as they see a notification about them, without giving them much thought).

I don't see what more objective measurement you could possibly hope for than the sales of new devices based on IOS 7 - if people hate the new OS, or at least like it less than the old one, then of course sales will be affected - how can they not be? I agree it's not a direct correlation - there are many other factors that could influence hardware sales - but I presume that when previous models sold well you attributed part of that success to IOS 1-6 and didn't - as you suggest here - take those sales as evidence of "what people would put up with" to get the latest device?

Sales are a good measure precisely because they don't count any contingent of "accidental" IOS 7 users who reflexively downloaded the update on their existing device and who (you presumably believe) are now seething about it. Sales represent new users of IOS 7 who were under no obligation to use the new OS, and who willingly and knowingly paid for the privilege of having it.

 

[C DM]

I don't see what more objective measurement you could possibly hope for than the sales of new devices based on IOS 7 - if people hate the new OS, or at least like it less than the old one, then of course sales will be affected - how can they not be? I agree it's not a direct correlation - there are many other factors that could influence hardware sales - but I presume that when previous models sold well you attributed part of that success to IOS 1-6 and didn't - as you suggest here - take those sales as evidence of "what people would put up with" to get the latest device?

Sales are a good measure precisely because they don't count any contingent of "accidental" IOS 7 users who reflexively downloaded the update on their existing device and who (you presumably believe) are now seething about it. Sales represent new users of IOS 7 who were under no obligation to use the new OS, and who willingly and knowingly paid for the privilege of having it.

There is one big assumption in play there, and that's how much the iOS version really factors into most typical users' decisions to purchase a new "toy". And that's a rather big assumption to make that it matters more than or even quite a bit when compared to the very strong appeal of that new device on its own.

It's the same kind of concept as with upgrades to iOS 7 not really being a definitive or even a good indicator of its success--a lot of people don't even know what they are getting as far as iOS 7 specifics and are mainly out to get the latest and greatest Apple device.

Sure, some might perhaps return a device if they don't like iOS 7, or some might not decide to buy one because of it, but for most the allure of the new device itself is much more important than other considerations like the changes in iOS 7 (again, with the typical iOS consumer not even really knowing much about it usually).

So, while device sale numbers (and even upgrade numbers) are certainly objective, their ties to success of iOS 7, let alone of how good it actually is, are rather weak and therefore aren't really indicators of much one way or another (especially without the option of downgrade being available, as that would at least bring some balance to it, even though it still wouldn't make for the strongest of correlations).

 

[Dented]

There is one big assumption in play there, and that's how much the iOS version really factors into most typical users' decisions to purchase a new "toy". And that's a rather big assumption to make that it matters more than or even quite a bit when compared to the very strong appeal of that new device on its own.

It's the same kind of concept as with upgrades to iOS 7 not really being a definitive or even a good indicator of its success--a lot of people don't even know what they are getting as far as iOS 7 specifics and are mainly out to get the latest and greatest Apple device.

Sure, some might perhaps return a device if they don't like iOS 7, or some might not decide to buy one because of it, but for most the allure of the new device itself is much more important than other considerations like the changes in iOS 7 (again, with the typical iOS consumer not even really knowing much about it usually).

So, while device sale numbers (and even upgrade numbers) are certainly objective, their ties to success of iOS 7, let alone of how good it actually is, are rather weak and therefore aren't really indicators of much one way or another (especially without the option of downgrade being available, as that would at least bring some balance to it, even though it still wouldn't make for the strongest of correlations).

I think this is pretty disingenuous to be honest, on the one hand you want to discount anyone upgrading an existing device as unwitting victims of the free upgrade, and at the same time apply the same logic to people making purchasing decisions over some pretty expensive electronics - assuming that they didn't think about it, they didn't know, they must not have realised how awful IOS 7 was... poppycock!

Yes of course new hardware has its own attraction, but Apple are not the only people making new tablets and phones - the competition has never been hotter. In fact Apple have (as ever) been under fire for being too conservative with their hardware, and for the fact that the 5S looks just like the 5, the 5C is the 5 with a plastic back, the iPad mini is just the mini they should have made a year ago, etc etc - so this picture you're painting of people mindlessly buying new Apple hardware "because it's new" without a single thought about the software or experience just doesn't ring true. In some cases the software is really the only thing that IS new, so don't try to tell me that it doesn't figure in people's purchasing decisions.

If IOS 7 is a bust, if Apple have lost their software advantage over the competition, become "too Android" as some have said, lost usability, offended with their colour palette, etc etc - then we should see that in the sales. It should be clear as day. Windows Phone, Surface RT, Android in all its many incarnations, they should all be riding that much higher while Apple's "pure" IOS 7 devices falter in the market. Is that happening?

 

[C DM]

I think this is pretty disingenuous to be honest, on the one hand you want to discount anyone upgrading an existing device as unwitting victims of the free upgrade, and at the same time apply the same logic to people making purchasing decisions over some pretty expensive electronics - assuming that they didn't think about it, they didn't know, they must not have realised how awful IOS 7 was... poppycock!

Yes of course new hardware has its own attraction, but Apple are not the only people making new tablets and phones - the competition has never been hotter. In fact Apple have (as ever) been under fire for being too conservative with their hardware, and for the fact that the 5S looks just like the 5, the 5C is the 5 with a plastic back, the iPad mini is just the mini they should have made a year ago, etc etc - so this picture you're painting of people mindlessly buying new Apple hardware "because it's new" without a single thought about the software or experience just doesn't ring true. In some cases the software is really the only thing that IS new, so don't try to tell me that it doesn't figure in people's purchasing decisions.

If IOS 7 is a bust, if Apple have lost their software advantage over the competition, become "too Android" as some have said, lost usability, offended with their colour palette, etc etc - then we should see that in the sales. It should be clear as day. Windows Phone, Surface RT, Android in all its many incarnations, they should all be riding that much higher while Apple's "pure" IOS 7 devices falter in the market. Is that happening?

Well, let me put it this way, until there's something that clearly demonstrates that what particular version of iOS is running on newly released Apple devices is a major contributor to people deciding to purchase those devices, the number that represents the sales of those devices can't have a significant enough link to actual success of a particular iOS version (let alone of how good it actually is, which is even more removed from any of that).

 

[Dented]

Well, let me put it this way, until there's something that clearly demonstrates that what particular version of iOS is running on newly released Apple devices is a major contributor to people deciding to purchase those devices, the number that represents the sales of those devices can't have a significant enough link to actual success of a particular iOS version (let alone of how good it actually is, which is even more removed from any of that).

I'll ask you a simple question - prior to IOS 7, would you have said that the quality of IOS had no impact on the success of the iPhone or iPad in the marketplace? Because that seems to be what you're saying now - that IOS, good or bad, is irrelevant to the purchasing decision on an Idevice.

By extension apple could have released the original iPhone running windows mobile, or the first iPad running Android, and they'd have sold just as well?

And a year ago when people were buying iPhone 5's - IOS 6 played no part in that? It may as well have been IOS 1 on those phones?

If I've misunderstood something then please explain - why is the dramatically different looking IOS 7 suddenly invisible to the buyer of a new iPhone or iPad now?

 

[C DM]

I'll ask you a simple question - prior to IOS 7, would you have said that the quality of IOS had no impact on the success of the iPhone or iPad in the marketplace? Because that seems to be what you're saying now - that IOS, good or bad, is irrelevant to the purchasing decision on an Idevice.

By extension apple could have released the original iPhone running windows mobile, or the first iPad running Android, and they'd have sold just as well?

And a year ago when people were buying iPhone 5's - IOS 6 played no part in that? It may as well have been IOS 1 on those phones?

If I've misunderstood something then please explain - why is the dramatically different looking IOS 7 suddenly invisible to the buyer of a new iPhone or iPad now?

I was actually going to bring up that point myself. Plenty of people seemed to have bought iPhone 5 with iOS 6 despite many outcries that iOS 6 was old and boring and practically everyone (even the typical iOS users who don't follow tech much) was really hoping for something new...yet iPhone 5 sold like crazy. So, you tell me, how much of a role did iOS play in people's decision?

That aside, I think it's somewhat disingenuous to keep on repeatedly implying that I am saying that iOS itself plays no role or is irrelevant--I go out of my way to keep on saying that it just doesn't play a major enough role to support a strong connection between device sales and success of that version of iOS. There's quite a bit of difference in that.

 

[Mackan]

Someone said iOS 7 looks just like a designer's work (Jony Ive). Which is the problem.

 

[The Clark]

I personally love iOS7, the look is very appealing to the eyes.

 

[Dented]

Why did Apple go with this design?

I was actually going to bring up that point myself. Plenty of people seemed to have bought iPhone 5 with iOS 6 despite many outcries that iOS 6 was old and boring and practically everyone (even the typical iOS users who don't follow tech much) was really hoping for something new...yet iPhone 5 sold like crazy. So, you tell me, how much of a role did iOS play in people's decision?

Of course it played a role, if IOS 6 had been awful then Apple would have been in trouble. As it was IOS 6 devices sold fine, but of course that's no reason not to develop IOS 7 - any more than sales of the 3GS were a reason not to bother with a retina display, or 4S sales prove the 5 wasn't needed... The market moves on and Apple have to "skate ahead of the puck" as always.

Personally I do believe that if IOS 7 had simply been 6 warmed over again, the increasing complaints about Apple's lack of innovation and outdated design would have crystallised into some significant churn onto other platforms.

That aside, I think it's somewhat disingenuous to keep on repeatedly implying that I am saying that iOS itself plays no role or is irrelevant--I go out of my way to keep on saying that it just doesn't play a major enough role to support a strong connection between device sales and success of that version of iOS. There's quite a bit of difference in that.

It's pretty obvious you're downplaying the importance of IOS to these sales because in the case of IOS 7, the figures don't in any way support your own preferred view that it's some kind of catastrophe.

IOS 7 is in many ways the biggest and most visible new feature in Apples new devices; to claim that purchasers are in any way blind to it is patent nonsense.

 

[edddeduck]

It's pretty obvious you're downplaying the importance of IOS to these sales because in the case of IOS 7, the figures don't in any way support your own preferred view that it's some kind of catastrophe.

IOS 7 is in many ways the biggest and most visible new feature in Apples new devices; to claim that purchasers are in any way blind to it is patent nonsense.

I agree, I haven't used such strong words but the argument by people who dislike iOS7 and claim it is a disaster is flawed in a few ways. The common flawed (in my eyes) arguments are as follows:

1. People who hate iOS just don't comment about in on the internet or printers media at all. They just silently dislike it making it look like iOS is liked more than it is. People who equally like iOS7 and don't comment are discounted.

2. Assuming your pool of friends are a representative data pool to extrapolate to ~100 million users.

3. Assuming people on the internet are less likely to complain that people who are happy. This in my estimation is way off, people who are happy don't tend to say anything but if someone is unhappy you will hear about it.

This is not to say that a percentage of people might dislike the new UI (nobody denies that) but to make claims that this is a major percentage of the user base without any statistics to back it up but anecdotal evidence is not a strong argument.

The major stats like iOS7 upgrades pointing to a different conclusion so I don't think the argument passes scrutiny, over time if we see iOS6 installations hovering at a larger % of install base than expected (like Snow Leopard did) then I think a better case could be made.

If I asked all the iOS users I know (~50) they all use iOS7 now and none of them have complained about the UI as a major issue and in fact many of them praised the new features like the improved mail app that iOS7 brings. However I wouldn't use this as evidence everyone is happy any more so than someone with friends who dislike the UI should do in the opposite direction.

Edwin

 

[Jynto]

Posted in the wrong thread - please delete.

 

[g35]

Someone said iOS 7 looks just like a designer's work (Jony Ive). Which is the problem.

There are some things that definitely seem to be work of an experienced UI designer. Things like the black blur on the notification centre, and the white blur on the control centre, the minimal lock screen, the bouncing scrolling and gradient colour of the messages, and the way apps disappear into their icons when minimized.

Other things, though, scream newbie, inexperienced UI photoshopper. The sorts of designs you'd see in a 17 year old's first attempt at a 'minimal' rainmeter or Android theme. Things like the huge date in notification centre, or the sentences that expound on the day's weather and calendar outlook, or the useless/pointless month view in the calendar.

 

[xdhd350]

To C DM and Dented... I fall into the category of person you are discussing. I've had iPhone starting with 3Gs, then 4, then 4s, and now... 5s. But, I keep my 4th gen iPad on iOS6. I knew all about iOS7, I am tech savvy, I post on forums, and I dislike the UI of iOS7. Love the new functionality, but the UI is just appalling and I knew that to have the 5s HARDWARE I wanted, I'd have to put up with iOS7.

And therein lies my point. Until 7, I admired the UI of IOS. Now, I just 'deal with it'. It doesn't inspire me visually but I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem and I feel even with the letdown of the 7 UI, it's still a superior system end to end. I am getting used to iOS7, but that's it. I don't love looking at it like I did 6 and before.

The overuse of white is glaring when in dark places. I'm hoping for a dark dialing keypad like you get when you bring up the keypad during a call. I understand 7.1 already allows a choice to use the dark keyboard for typing. That's a step in the right direction.

Also, I feel that the prior versions of iOS were well suited to a wider age demographic. My elderly parent can use the older IOS because of skeumorphism. It allows me to show my mom what things do because they resemble their real world counterparts that she grew up with. IOS 7 takes all that away which was a mistake IMHO.

 

[Parise]

To C DM and Dented... I fall into the category of person you are discussing. I've had iPhone starting with 3Gs, then 4, then 4s, and now... 5s. But, I keep my 4th gen iPad on iOS6. I knew all about iOS7, I am tech savvy, I post on forums, and I dislike the UI of iOS7. Love the new functionality, but the UI is just appalling and I knew that to have the 5s HARDWARE I wanted, I'd have to put up with iOS7.

And therein lies my point. Until 7, I admired the UI of IOS. Now, I just 'deal with it'. It doesn't inspire me visually but I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem and I feel even with the letdown of the 7 UI, it's still a superior system end to end. I am getting used to iOS7, but that's it. I don't love looking at it like I did 6 and before.

The overuse of white is glaring when in dark places. I'm hoping for a dark dialing keypad like you get when you bring up the keypad during a call. I understand 7.1 already allows a choice to use the dark keyboard for typing. That's a step in the right direction.

Also, I feel that the prior versions of iOS were well suited to a wider age demographic. My elderly parent can use the older IOS because of skeumorphism. It allows me to show my mom what things do because they resemble their real world counterparts that she grew up with. IOS 7 takes all that away which was a mistake IMHO.

I am curious... What does visually inspire you? Thats not a rhetorical question btw, trying to gauge what the individuals who oppose iOS 7 think.

 

[I7guy]

My wet finger in the air from business associates, friends and family who are on IOS 7 is generally positive.

I personally like the look and feel, but do agree that both IOS 6 and 7 are too white and harsh in low light.

 

[Kissaragi]

I know this was probably discussed a zillion times.

Your right it has and yet here we are again.....