Why did Apple go with this design?

[xdhd350]

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.

I said it somewhere before, but I'm old enough to remember when computers couldn't do much in the way of UI. Apple could have done away with most of the skeumorphism IMO, but the flat, minimalistic look just doesn't work for me.

I want eye candy. Pure and simple. Deep, immersive, graphically intense objects to look at. I do like the shifting background parallax in 7 because it creates a dimension of depth. However, I would have like to seen icons above it that have some depth dimension of their own.

The current look of iOS seems cold and sterile to me. Too much glaring white screen real estate on several apps. I know it's a stylistic preference, but I never really saw people complain about the look of IOS prior to 7. I'm not opposed to change, I just didn't think IOS needed this much of a makeover in the UI department.

 

[edddeduck]

but I never really saw people complain about the look of IOS prior to 7. I'm not opposed to change, I just didn't think IOS needed this much of a makeover in the UI department.

When the previous UI was launched back with the original iOS we had loads of articles on how people would never use them in real world as the UI was too cutesy and kid like. How can you open an iPhone when at work etc... I don't want an OS that looks like a Fisher Price toy etc etc

After a year or so the press realised nobody really cared (and iOS became huge) and everyone forgot about it. I say lets see what happens in a year or so when iOS8 comes out see if the hatred of iOS7 UI is genuine or just the shock of change.

I would think that is the litmus test, if nobody is really upset after iOS8 then it's likely people getting used to a new design if a large percentage are still complaining then it points to the UI being disliked for more than just changes.

Edwin

p.s. I recall the same complaints about new UI when OS X was launched bug again they went away in time an now the OS9 UI looks pretty dated (as does most early OS X iterations).

 

[xdhd350]

When the previous UI was launched back with the original iOS we had loads of articles on how people would never use them in real world as the UI was too cutesy and kid like. How can you open an iPhone when at work etc... I don't want an OS that looks like a Fisher Price toy etc etc

After a year or so the press realised nobody really cared (and iOS became huge) and everyone forgot about it. I say lets see what happens in a year or so when iOS8 comes out see if the hatred of iOS7 UI is genuine or just the shock of change.

I would think that is the litmus test, if nobody is really upset after iOS8 then it's likely people getting used to a new design if a large percentage are still complaining then it points to the UI being disliked for more than just changes.

Edwin

p.s. I recall the same complaints about new UI when OS X was launched bug again they went away in time an now the OS9 UI looks pretty dated (as does most early OS X iterations).

Fair points. Maybe a different experience here because all I remember was everyone being excited about the original iPhone release. Hopefully Apple will bring it back towards the middleground a bit. From the release notes of 7.1b2, we may be seeing some of that.

 

[edddeduck]

Fair points. Maybe a different experience here because all I remember was everyone being excited about the original iPhone release. Hopefully Apple will bring it back towards the middleground a bit. From the release notes of 7.1b2, we may be seeing some of that.

One would hope that 7.1 will improve a few niggles. I personally like iOS7 however just like iOS on launch it needs some polish.

Lets hope 7.1 pleases most people

Edwin

 

[C DM]

When the previous UI was launched back with the original iOS we had loads of articles on how people would never use them in real world as the UI was too cutesy and kid like. How can you open an iPhone when at work etc... I don't want an OS that looks like a Fisher Price toy etc etc

After a year or so the press realised nobody really cared (and iOS became huge) and everyone forgot about it. I say lets see what happens in a year or so when iOS8 comes out see if the hatred of iOS7 UI is genuine or just the shock of change.

I would think that is the litmus test, if nobody is really upset after iOS8 then it's likely people getting used to a new design if a large percentage are still complaining then it points to the UI being disliked for more than just changes.

Edwin

p.s. I recall the same complaints about new UI when OS X was launched bug again they went away in time an now the OS9 UI looks pretty dated (as does most early OS X iterations).

The older UI was seen as a "Fisher Price toy"? The irony.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

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?

Sorry but this is so wrong. I know people who will still buy the iPhone 5S or iPad air but certainly do not like iOS 7. I myself will by a new iPhone at some point too, so does that mean I like iOS 7? Nope…
May I ask since when you were using an iPhone? iOS' design had barely changed until version 7 came out, for people who've been there since the start (the loyal customers), a big shock. Does that mean they'll stop using the iPhone? For some yes, for many others probably not.

And yes, it was forced on them. Just because these phones didn't come out with an older version than iOS 7, it doesn't mean it wasn't forced on them. If you can't figure this out then you sound pretty naive to me or you're just being stupid on purpose. People obviously get dependant of these things and when you change them, it affects them. Especially when they don't really have the choice, because ie. they want the better performance (hardware) or functions of the new phone, which, objectively seen, do make the new iPhone better.

 

[Dented]

Sorry but this is so wrong. I know people who will still buy the iPhone 5S or iPad air but certainly do not like iOS 7. I myself will by a new iPhone at some point too, so does that mean I like iOS 7? Nope…

May I ask since when you were using an iPhone? iOS' design had barely changed until version 7 came out, for people who've been there since the start (the loyal customers), a big shock. Does that mean they'll stop using the iPhone? For some yes, for many others probably not.



And yes, it was forced on them. Just because these phones didn't come out with an older version than iOS 7, it doesn't mean it wasn't forced on them. If you can't figure this out then you sound pretty naive to me or you're just being stupid on purpose. People obviously get dependant of these things and when you change them, it affects them. Especially when they don't really have the choice, because ie. they want the better performance (hardware) or functions of the new phone, which, objectively seen, do make the new iPhone better.

I've been using IOS since 2008 (my first iPhone 3G came with IOS 2.0. Is that far back enough for you? Like a lot of people you're ignoring, I'd loved IOS and was loyal to the iPhone for years but by the time IOS 6 came out I desperately needed a change, so for me IOS 7 was the solution, not the problem.

And those people like you who would buy an IOS 7 device even though you profess to hate it? Sorry, but you obviously don't hate it enough. If apple are still getting your money, AND pleasing people like me, then I can't see how IOS 7 is anything but an unqualified success.

 

[BenTrovato]

I've been using IOS since 2008 (my first iPhone 3G came with IOS 2.0. Is that far back enough for you? Like a lot of people you're ignoring, I'd loved IOS and was loyal to the iPhone for years but by the time IOS 6 came out I desperately needed a change, so for me IOS 7 was the solution, not the problem.

And those people like you who would buy an IOS 7 device even though you profess to hate it? Sorry, but you obviously don't hate it enough. If apple are still getting your money, AND pleasing people like me, then I can't see how IOS 7 is anything but an unqualified success.

iOS 7 being different is nice and definitely welcome. The issue is.. it's not better than 6. It's not as fluid or fast so the user experience (where Apple usually excels) has gone down.

Right now, I don't find Android to be any better so I'll stay with Apple. But Blackberry did the same thing a few years ago. I jumped shipped to the iPhone 2G when it came out... and it sucked so I went back to Blackberry. It wasn't until the iPhone 4 that it finally blew everything else out of the water. Hopefully iOS 7 is just a small dip and they recover to make a better product otherwise the exodus will commence IF someone else can make a superior user experience.

 

[Dented]

My personal feeling is that the speed thing is being massively overstated (we're taking milliseconds after all) but regardless they've tuned it in 7.1 anyway.

Overall I think even 7.0.4 is very fluid and I certainly enjoy the UI much more than 6, which was dated and already losing the cohesiveness of earlier versions IMHO.

 

[Han Solo 1]

And those people like you who would buy an IOS 7 device even though you profess to hate it? Sorry, but you obviously don't hate it enough. If apple are still getting your money, AND pleasing people like me, then I can't see how IOS 7 is anything but an unqualified success.

There are things we buy despite some hideous elements; it has nothing to do with "hating it enough" or not. It's not one end of the spectrum or the other.

I use a Nexus 5, for example. I HATE the jerky scrolling while browsing the web; I don't like the plastic casing. But I prefer the ability to tinker and customize, bypass iTunes, and have a bigger screen. So the good outweighs the garbage, at least in my case.

As far as ipad/iOS7 is concerned, and this is just one man's humble opinion:

iOS7 is utterly and totally disgusting. Way too much white garbage floating around. My favorite apps, iBooks and Goodnotes, will not be updated regardless of what benefits are in store, because the overhauled UI is clinical, depressing, and nausea-inducing. I cannot stand the new iOS7 looks. I'll take a nice bookshelf over floating thumbnails in a sea of milk any day of the week.

The iPad itself, however, is leaps and bounds superior to anything Android has to offer in the tablet arena, with the exception of the lack of digitizer for true stylus inking support. I am extremely happy with my iPad mini (retina), but I'm just merely tolerating many of the elements Apple chose to include in iOS7.

 

[C DM]

My personal feeling is that the speed thing is being massively overstated (we're taking milliseconds after all) but regardless they've tuned it in 7.1 anyway.

Overall I think even 7.0.4 is very fluid and I certainly enjoy the UI much more than 6, which was dated and already losing the cohesiveness of earlier versions IMHO.

Milliseconds or not, if it's noticeable to more people than before who don't care for it being noticeable (as it wasn't for them in prior iOS versions), then it's not an improvement, and is actually worse. Now, is it a big issue? Probably not for most. But, is it something that isn't good for those who do notice it and/or care about it (for whatever reason)? It sure is. For a company that prides itself on user experience and all that, that's certainly not something in their favor--that's not to say it's going to ruin them or something crazy like that, but that it (and some other UI/UX decisions that were made) weren't really steps forward as far as actual usability/functionality, maybe just looks at best.

 

[edddeduck]

Milliseconds or not, if it's noticeable to more people than before who don't care for it being noticeable (as it wasn't for them in prior iOS versions), then it's not an improvement, and is actually worse.

That's just how it works for every iOS ever released. Having used every iOS on all hardware since launch. I can safely report that:

iOS 2 was slower on same hardware than iOS 1 was.
[repeats to latest]
iOS 7 was slower on same hardware than iOS 6 was.

Owned an iPhone since day 1 (and an iPad) and every time the OS get a major update is runs slower unless you get the latest hardware.

Personally the drop in performance on iOS7 from iOS 6 was not that bad on my older iPad 2, slightly slower but better than the drop from iOS5 to 6 was. In fact it was nowhere near worst experience I had personally which was I think the iOS4 update that killed my iPhone 3GS to a crawl.

It's also true that the x.1 patch (almost) always speeds up the most obvious performance issues found in the original x.0.x releases but even so older hardware always suffers compared the the latest.

iOS7 for example on my iPhone5S feels way faster than iOS6 was on my iPhone 4S.

Edwin

 

[C DM]

That's just how it works for every iOS ever released. Having used every iOS on all hardware since launch. I can safely report that:

iOS 2 was slower on same hardware than iOS 1 was.
[repeats to latest]
iOS 7 was slower on same hardware than iOS 6 was.

Owned an iPhone since day 1 (and an iPad) and every time the OS get a major update is runs slower unless you get the latest hardware.

Personally the drop in performance on iOS7 from iOS 6 was not that bad on my older iPad 2, slightly slower but better than the drop from iOS5 to 6 was. In fact it was nowhere near worst experience I had personally which was I think the iOS4 update that killed my iPhone 3GS to a crawl.

It's also true that the x.1 patch (almost) always speeds up the most obvious performance issues found in the original x.0.x releases but even so older hardware always suffers compared the the latest.

iOS7 for example on my iPhone5S feels way faster than iOS6 was on my iPhone 4S.

Edwin

Except with iOS 7 animations it isn't really about that.

 

[Silly John Fatty]

There are things we buy despite some hideous elements; it has nothing to do with "hating it enough" or not. It's not one end of the spectrum or the other.

I use a Nexus 5, for example. I HATE the jerky scrolling while browsing the web; I don't like the plastic casing. But I prefer the ability to tinker and customize, bypass iTunes, and have a bigger screen. So the good outweighs the garbage, at least in my case.

As far as ipad/iOS7 is concerned, and this is just one man's humble opinion:

iOS7 is utterly and totally disgusting. Way too much white garbage floating around. My favorite apps, iBooks and Goodnotes, will not be updated regardless of what benefits are in store, because the overhauled UI is clinical, depressing, and nausea-inducing. I cannot stand the new iOS7 looks. I'll take a nice bookshelf over floating thumbnails in a sea of milk any day of the week.

The iPad itself, however, is leaps and bounds superior to anything Android has to offer in the tablet arena, with the exception of the lack of digitizer for true stylus inking support. I am extremely happy with my iPad mini (retina), but I'm just merely tolerating many of the elements Apple chose to include in iOS7.

Yes, that's what I meant! Because I never said I hated iOS 7 in the first place — just its design, and that's a big difference I'm not going to give up on the iPhone just because of this, I learn to live with it, and hope the 2D-flat-design-trend will find an end soon. But every time I see one of my friends with their pre-iOS 7 iPhone, I begin to cry. First I don't even notice it, somehow it still looks so familiar but something tells me it looks so much nicer and friendlier. Then I realise it's not iOS 7

PS: I met another person today who has iOS 7 and she can't stand it.

 

[Dented]

I think I'm going to try and pull out of these "I hate IOS 7" threads because they're all going around in the same diminishing circle, and all come down to the same thing.

Personal taste.

Some people don't like the look of IOS 7. Some people (and I'm not saying anyone here, but undoubtedly some people) struggle with change and wouldn't like the look of IOS 7 whatever it looked like, simply because it was changed and different.

What many of the people in that situation also struggle with is that that's OK. It's ok that they don't like it, it's fine by apple if they're turned off apple products, because that was always going to happen with one section of the IOS using community whatever they did, unless they simply never changed the design. And freezing IOS in time, treating it as some kind of untouchable fixed point in design and never daring to try something new was never a viable option. Apple know damn well that the path to hell as a tech company is letting yourself stagnate, resting on your laurels, sticking to what you know etc. So they were always going to do an IOS 7 of some kind and it was always going to piss a load of people off, just as it has delighted others like me.

And that's just how it is. IOS 6 isn't coming back. You can quote all the fully justifiable reasons (in your mind) why IOS 6 was superior in every way, but there is no question that sticking with IOS 6 was ever an option for apple if it wanted to remain successful so really it's all irrelevant - what matters is only where apple take IOS 7 next.

One last time I'll say this - I've used iPhones for a long time, and smartphones generally for a lot longer. I've always loved IOS and it's original form was absolutely right for the time. Right now IOS 7 is hands down my favourite version however, and it's absolutely right for its time too. And I can say hand on heart that in my experience both of IOS 7 and all the others, IOS 7 is more reliable and more polished at this stage than all the rest.

 

[John T]

I think I'm going to try and pull out of these "I hate IOS 7" threads because they're all going around in the same diminishing circle, and all come down to the same thing.

Personal taste.

Some people don't like the look of IOS 7. Some people (and I'm not saying anyone here, but undoubtedly some people) struggle with change and wouldn't like the look of IOS 7 whatever it looked like, simply because it was changed and different.

I too am finding that posts of this type are becoming more and more boring, repetitive and tedious! Surely, we've heard it all before? As you say, the design of iOS 7 is simply a matter of taste - you either love it or hate it. That applies to pretty well everything such as the opposite sex, cars buildings, art, poetry etc. etc. It's what the French call "vive la la différence!"

Of course iOS 7 does have it's faults - everything has. The trouble is that it's different and we all know that many people just don't like change. It happens pretty well every time something new is introduced - just have a look at when iOS 6 was launched! However, time marches on and if it didn't, we'd still be using horses for transport! As things change, through experience, we learn that the clock just can't be turned back, so moaning and complaining doesn't really help!

In our immediate family, we have four iPhones and three iPads. All are pretty happy with the new OS. There are no problems with the new icons. I've heard no complaints about white backgrounds because, after all, we usually write on white paper and our newspapers and books are printed on white paper!

No doubt, there are some who will disagree with my thoughts. That's fine with me, they're just my opinions.

 

[Han Solo 1]

Some people don't like the look of IOS 7. Some people (and I'm not saying anyone here, but undoubtedly some people) struggle with change and wouldn't like the look of IOS 7 whatever it looked like, simply because it was changed and different.

The trouble is that it's different and we all know that many people just don't like change. It happens pretty well every time something new is introduced

I agree with these statements. Some people simply don't like change because it's change. I welcome change, if it's for the better. For example, I love the transparent/frosted glass look of the pull-down and pull-up. I love how you can swipe down in any empty space in order to launch a search. I love the flat icons.

I hate the white milk everywhere you go. If I had an iPhone, (which I did, the 5 on iOS 7 before I got the Nexus), I'd hate the glaring white every time I text, especially at night in bed.

But yes, it all comes down to personal taste. Some will love it, and some will hate it. Apple will continue to do whatever it wants, and many of us will patiently wait for a jailbreak exploit to be discovered.

I just wish Apple would give you the option to change the overall theme, like Android does. Not the functionality or the way the OS works; I admit that Apple has no rivals when it comes to marrying software and hardware together. But the option to add an overlay and change the color scheme/launcher, etc. would be awesome.

But Apple would never do that in a million years. Just like it continues to think that styluses are irrelevant and that most people prefer to write using their fingers and have their work look like a 4 year old's crayon attempt.


Cue the inevitable remark: "Well if you don't like it, go get an Android!"

 

[C DM]

Not everything comes down to simpleminded "some people just don't like change", just like not everything is about "some people like change just for the sake of something different", the reality is often somewhere in the middle.

 

[John T]

Not everything comes down to simpleminded "some people just don't like change", just like not everything is about "some people like change just for the sake of something different", the reality is often somewhere in the middle.

Come on! You're arguing just for the sake of it! "Some people" or "Many people" means just what it says! Some do or some don't or many do or many don't.

 

[C DM]

Come on! You're arguing just for the sake of it! "Some people" or "Many people" means just what it says! Some do or some don't or many do or many don't.

Sure, but some are also being dismissive of things just because some people do or don't like something, which isn't much of a reason to be dismissive. That's basically the point. (And I wasn't being argumentative there really, just pointing out something.)

 

[Zippyrmid]

Actually, I don't like the flatten style.
It is not advanced as it should be.