Why did Apple remove design from iOS 7?

[notrack]

No texture. No background. No effect. No color. Just blue on white. That's it. 2D symbols, 2D apps, blank backgrounds.
I don't call that a "design". I bet a first year student can make something like that. Now the iOS 6, THAT'S desgin

Well, for good design all of that (textures, 3D etc.) isn't really mandatory. But the more you reduce it to the essentials, the harder it gets to make it look nice/attractive/aestetic. Apple has gone for the hard way with the radical reduction and -imo- didn't hit the sweet spot at their first try.

I hope that they don't think that this is "good enough" because they are usually known for striing for perfection. When people state things like "I don't mind the icons", I don't think that this is a good sign. I am excited and worried at the same time.

 

[Hexiii]

You can't remove design.

You can change design.

A flatter and minimalist design is even harder to achieve and Apple did pull it off.

It's not harder to achieve, it's harder to make it look good, and that, unfortunately, Apple did not.

 

[Rogifan]

It's not harder to achieve, it's harder to make it look good, and that, unfortunately, Apple did not.

Your opinion.

 

[falconeight]

How many times are you going to post the same thing? You have already ruined one thread doing this, where you could not grasp that people were pointing out specific usability issues with ios7, not just whining about a new style they can't get used to.

What usability issue are you talking about? The color of the iPhoto tab?

 

[Night Spring]

What usability issue are you talking about? The color of the iPhoto tab?

I find the following article is a good write-up of how iOS 7 looks affect usability,
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/06...onger-about-making-it-work-and-thats-too-bad/

I suspect you are just going to dismiss it as whiners whining because they are afraid of change.

I know OP didn't express themselves too well, but on one level, I kind of see what they meant when they said their opinion is proof. That is, iOS 6 may have been criticized as outdated and dowdy, but no one ever said it was hard to use. But there are people saying iOS 7 is hard to use. Yes, just because some people find it hard to use, doesn't mean that everyone finds it hard to use. But the very existence of people who say they find it hard to use is proof that, well, there are people who find iOS 7 hard to use.

And that is a problem for Apple, because some people are going to pick phones based on whether it is easy to use. And those people who find iOS 7 may very well switch to other platforms. Enough people switch, and Apple has a problem.

 

[j4zb4]

I find the following article is a good write-up of how iOS 7 looks affect usability,
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/06...onger-about-making-it-work-and-thats-too-bad/

I suspect you are just going to dismiss it as whiners whining because they are afraid of change.

I know OP didn't express themselves too well, but on one level, I kind of see what they meant when they said their opinion is proof. That is, iOS 6 may have been criticized as outdated and dowdy, but no one ever said it was hard to use. But there are people saying iOS 7 is hard to use. Yes, just because some people find it hard to use, doesn't mean that everyone finds it hard to use. But the very existence of people who say they find it hard to use is proof that, well, there are people who find iOS 7 hard to use.

And that is a problem for Apple, because some people are going to pick phones based on whether it is easy to use. And those people who find iOS 7 may very well switch to other platforms. Enough people switch, and Apple has a problem.

It's hard to use because maybe, just maybe, you are used to certain things in a certain way... And just because they have been overhauled it might feel that way...

After 6 years of using a nokia from 2000 - 2005 I was so used to it that I found my using my first sony ericcson phone close to quantum physics... I went back to nokia... When I switched to the iPhone in early 2008 when people said its a breeze to use, I actually had a headache for the first week... I was so lost... Then when I switched to BB in 2010 end it felt like a whole new learning curve as I was again out of my comfort zone...

The human mind tends to resist change... Loves being whee it has made its home...

 

[Night Spring]

It's hard to use because maybe, just maybe, you are used to certain things in a certain way... And just because they have been overhauled it might feel that way...

After 6 years of using a nokia from 2000 - 2005 I was so used to it that I found my using my first sony ericcson phone close to quantum physics... I went back to nokia... When I switched to the iPhone in early 2008 when people said its a breeze to use, I actually had a headache for the first week... I was so lost... Then when I switched to BB in 2010 end it felt like a whole new learning curve as I was again out of my comfort zone...

The human mind tends to resist change... Loves being whee it has made its home...

So did you ever feel 100% at home with the iPhone and the BB, or do a part of you still long for the npkia?

I think you are of course right that the human mind is resistant to change, but some transitions are easier than others. Like you went to the Sony Ericsson, but went back to the Nokia, presumably because that transition was too hard to make, but you managed to transition to the iPhone.

Also, when you switch platforms, *you* are choosing to make the change. When your platform changes on you, the change is being forced on you. That also does affect your mentality when faced with the change. Yes, I know not updating is a choice, and I may take that route for now, but somewhere along the way, apps will start being iOS 7 only, and then I'd have a choice of updating or not getting the latest features of my favorite apps.

 

[j4zb4]

So did you ever feel 100% at home with the iPhone and the BB, or do a part of you still long for the npkia?

I think you are of course right that the human mind is resistant to change, but some transitions are easier than others. Like you went to the Sony Ericsson, but went back to the Nokia, presumably because that transition was too hard to make, but you managed to transition to the iPhone.

Also, when you switch platforms, *you* are choosing to make the change. When your platform changes on you, the change is being forced on you. That also does affect your mentality when faced with the change. Yes, I know not updating is a choice, and I may take that route for now, but somewhere along the way, apps will start being iOS 7 only, and then I'd have a choice of updating or not getting the latest features of my favorite apps.

I went back to the nokia because sony interface felt a step backwards... Well, but thats not the point of our discussion... Things have to move on... And some things are very subjective... So some you like some you get used to and some actually grow on you, and after a while you feel that was the natural evolution...

Not a very accurate analogy but, I was very used to DOS... Then came in windows 3.1 and I was like what the **** have they done to the computer... The GUI was something I resisted... But, eventually I had to move on... And after 6 months of using GUI there was no going back...

 

[falconeight]

I find the following article is a good write-up of how iOS 7 looks affect usability,
http://thenextweb.com/apple/2013/06...onger-about-making-it-work-and-thats-too-bad/

I suspect you are just going to dismiss it as whiners whining because they are afraid of change.

I know OP didn't express themselves too well, but on one level, I kind of see what they meant when they said their opinion is proof. That is, iOS 6 may have been criticized as outdated and dowdy, but no one ever said it was hard to use. But there are people saying iOS 7 is hard to use. Yes, just because some people find it hard to use, doesn't mean that everyone finds it hard to use. But the very existence of people who say they find it hard to use is proof that, well, there are people who find iOS 7 hard to use.

And that is a problem for Apple, because some people are going to pick phones based on whether it is easy to use. And those people who find iOS 7 may very well switch to other platforms. Enough people switch, and Apple has a problem.

It doesn't effect usability. That article is nothing more than a blogger trying to make an issue out of apple's design. Moving from iOS 6 to iOS has been flawless for me. Other than bugs and shutting apps it is the same old iOS with more function and different colors. If you actually find iOS hard to use then you might want to sign up for a genius class once its released. They will hand walk you through the different features of the os. They will even sit there and listen to your great intuitive questions.

 

[C DM]

It doesn't effect usability. That article is nothing more than a blogger trying to make an issue out of apple's design. Moving from iOS 6 to iOS has been flawless for me. Other than bugs and shutting apps it is the same old iOS with more function and different colors. If you actually find iOS hard to use then you might want to sign up for a genius class once its released. They will hand walk you through the different features of the os. They will even sit there and listen to your great intuitive questions.

And do they have magical genius patches to install to make buttons actually be buttons on the phone rather than colored text labels?

 

[Rogifan]

I'm not using iOS 7 on any device but not sure I understand how it could be hard to use. You still have the grid of icons and physical home button. From what i can tell, its not some radical change to the OS in terms of how it functions.

The other day I was listening to a John Gruber podcast from shortly after Scott Forstall was fired. On that podcast he said he didn't expect iOS 7 to be some radical redesign but just a tweak of the existing design to tone down some of the skeuomorphism. I read similar sentiments on blogs and message boards. Maybe Apple would get rid of the gloss and green felt and faux leather but nothing much more than that. Some guessed iOS 7 would look like the current podcasts app. Basically most predictions were way off and I think people are still adjusting to something they weren't expecting.

I agree with the guys on the Angry Mac Bastards podcast. They said nothing is completely intuitive the very first time you use it and saying iOS 6 is more intuitive than iOS 7 is really based on familiarity more than anything else. Last year for Christmas I bought my mom an iPad mini. She's older and doesn't own a smartphone or any other touch device. I had to help her set it up and learn how to use it. She would never have been able to do it on here own. I had to show her how to set up her email client and iMessages and how to download apps from the App Store. It didn't take her long to get the hang of things but she still calls me now and then with questions. My point is, anything new will have a bit of a learning curve. But I don't see anything in iOS 7 that people won't be able to figure out after using it for a while. It's not that different in terms of UI functionality.

----------

And do they have magical genius patches to install to make buttons actually be buttons on the phone rather than colored text labels?

So a button is only a button if it has shading or a boarder around it? Even if the button is in the exact same spot as you'd find it in iOS 6 people won't know it's a button unless it has a border around it? How do people survive on the Internet (that is full of clolored text you click on) then? Seriously I think we need to give people a little more credit. It won't take long to figure out that colored text is what you tap on. Do it a few times and it will become second nature.

 

[falconeight]

And do they have magical genius patches to install to make buttons actually be buttons on the phone rather than colored text labels?

Probably not, but I can send you this if it helps you out.
1. Green is power button
2. yellow button is music

 

[C DM]

I'm not using iOS 7 on any device but not sure I understand how it could be hard to use. You still have the grid of icons and physical home button. From what i can tell, its not some radical change to the OS in terms of how it functions.

The other day I was listening to a John Gruber podcast from shortly after Scott Forstall was fired. On that podcast he said he didn't expect iOS 7 to be some radical redesign but just a tweak of the existing design to tone down some of the skeuomorphism. I read similar sentiments on blogs and message boards. Maybe Apple would get rid of the gloss and green felt and faux leather but nothing much more than that. Some guessed iOS 7 would look like the current podcasts app. Basically most predictions were way off and I think people are still adjusting to something they weren't expecting.

I agree with the guys on the Angry Mac Bastards podcast. They said nothing is completely intuitive the very first time you use it and saying iOS 6 is more intuitive than iOS 7 is really based on familiarity more than anything else. Last year for Christmas I bought my mom an iPad mini. She's older and doesn't own a smartphone or any other touch device. I had to help her set it up and learn how to use it. She would never have been able to do it on here own. I had to show her how to set up her email client and iMessages and how to download apps from the App Store. It didn't take her long to get the hang of things but she still calls me now and then with questions. My point is, anything new will have a bit of a learning curve. But I don't see anything in iOS 7 that people won't be able to figure out after using it for a while. It's not that different in terms of UI functionality.

----------



So a button is only a button if it has shading or a boarder around it? Even if the button is in the exact same spot as you'd find it in iOS 6 people won't know it's a button unless it has a border around it? How do people survive on the Internet (that is full of clolored text you click on) then? Seriously I think we need to give people a little more credit. It won't take long to figure out that colored text is what you tap on. Do it a few times and it will become second nature.

Even on the Internet actionable things are underlined as a well established and followed usability rule. And yes a button has a definition where simply it's text label doesn't fully qualify as a button. Sure people will figure it out, just like they used all kinds of less defined stuff like DOS or something else along those lines, but it sill doesn't mean it's good design or couldn't fairly easily be better.

----------

Probably not, but I can send you this if it helps you out.
1. Green is power button
2. yellow button is music

What do you know, they are actually buttons. Goes to show you how the essentials of the human mind work.

 

[appleisking]

Well, for good design all of that (textures, 3D etc.) isn't really mandatory. But the more you reduce it to the essentials, the harder it gets to make it look nice/attractive/aestetic. Apple has gone for the hard way with the radical reduction and -imo- didn't hit the sweet spot at their first try.

I hope that they don't think that this is "good enough" because they are usually known for striing for perfection. When people state things like "I don't mind the icons", I don't think that this is a good sign. I am excited and worried at the same time.

I wonder if they can reach that same level of perfection without steve saying this is **** every 5 secs lol. It would be really interesting to see how things turn out with more post-jobsonian products.

 

[notrack]

I wonder if they can reach that same level of perfection without steve saying this is **** every 5 secs lol. It would be really interesting to see how things turn out with more post-jobsonian products.

To be honest I don't think they will because Steve was a real pita in this regard afaik. But they might get close to that. The other opion I see is that they re-invent themselves out of the post-Jobs situation and find new ways to create awesome stuff that makes me raise my eyebrows.

 

[QuarterSwede]

Not a very accurate analogy but, I was very used to DOS... Then came in windows 3.1 and I was like what the **** have they done to the computer... The GUI was something I resisted... But, eventually I had to move on... And after 6 months of using GUI there was no going back...

That's exactly how iOS 6 to iOS 7 is. I've been using the betas since 1 and now when I see pictures of iOS 6 or my wife using her iPhone 5 on 6.1.4 I cringe, especially at the lockscreen. It's such a step backwards aesthetically and functionally. Once you've used iOS 7 for a while you won't want to go back.

 

[adamfishercox]

design

You keep using that word. It 100% does not mean what you think it means.

 

[Rogifan]

I wonder if they can reach that same level of perfection without steve saying this is **** every 5 secs lol. It would be really interesting to see how things turn out with more post-jobsonian products.

Steve Jobs wasn't THE authority on good taste and design. And it's not like **** didn't happen on his watch.

 

[Virginaustralia]

iOS 7 is amazing i just get pissed that they removed the transparency in beta 3

 

[Rogifan]

Even on the Internet actionable things are underlined as a well established and followed usability rule. And yes a button has a definition where simply it's text label doesn't fully qualify as a button. Sure people will figure it out, just like they used all kinds of less defined stuff like DOS or something else along those lines, but it sill doesn't mean it's good design or couldn't fairly easily be better.

----------

What do you know, they are actually buttons. Goes to show you how the essentials of the human mind work.

I use Google search on my iPad in Safari and actionable items are not underlined. The text is colored blue.

If Apple decides to throw borders around the colored text buttons I won't have a problem with it. I just don't think the borderless buttons are that confusing because 1) their location is the same or very similar to where they're located in iOS 6, and 2) the use of color and the word itself are a very good indication it's tapable. When I see words like "done", "back", "edit", etc. in the upper left and right hand corners it's a pretty clear indication those are tapable words. But again, if the final version of iOS 7 has borders around them I won't have a problem with it.

----------

iOS 7 is amazing i just get pissed that they removed the transparency in beta 3

They didn't. Check your contrast in settings.

 

[fullauto]

I agree with the guys on the Angry Mac Bastards podcast. They said nothing is completely intuitive the very first time you use it and saying iOS 6 is more intuitive than iOS 7 is really based on familiarity more than anything else. Last year for Christmas I bought my mom an iPad mini. She's older and doesn't own a smartphone or any other touch device. I had to help her set it up and learn how to use it. She would never have been able to do it on here own. I had to show her how to set up her email client and iMessages and how to download apps from the App Store. It didn't take her long to get the hang of things but she still calls me now and then with questions. My point is, anything new will have a bit of a learning curve. But I don't see anything in iOS 7 that people won't be able to figure out after using it for a while. It's not that different in terms of UI functionality.

----------



So a button is only a button if it has shading or a boarder around it? Even if the button is in the exact same spot as you'd find it in iOS 6 people won't know it's a button unless it has a border around it? How do people survive on the Internet (that is full of clolored text you click on) then? Seriously I think we need to give people a little more credit. It won't take long to figure out that colored text is what you tap on. Do it a few times and it will become second nature.

Must admit I was skeptical about usability with the elderly at first. My mum is 72 with an iPad 2 and I know how well she (doesn't) cope with change. Last night I showed her some of the ios7 vids on YouTube - at first she said things like 'its all moving too fast, I've just got the hang if this one' (after 2.5 years).

By the end of a few videos she said 'oh ok - so it's exactly the same, it just looks a bit different'. She got it..

What floored me is she then said 'they need to add more functionality, they need to work on adding new features!'.

Haha. The elderly (let's go with 'some') aren't as 'dumb' as we sometimes make them out to be, or think they are.

Mum was intrigued by parallax (especially in safari tabs), liked the new in and out app animations, calendar, notes (even though she loved the previous sku. graphics).

The things she seemed a little hesitant about were multitasking and spotlight, also now with control centre she said 'so when do I have to put it in flight mode? (She doesn't fly) and why would I need to turn Bluetooth and wifi on and off?'. When I reassured her all she would need to use control centre for we're brightness and volume, she was fine. I explained multitasking is the same but just looks a but different, she was ok.

I can't imagine any usability issues lasting more than a few weeks. This age group are hooked, they depend on them daily for news, games etc. they will work it out.

/end 2 cents.

 

[falconeight]

Must admit I was skeptical about usability with the elderly at first. My mum is 72 with an iPad 2 and I know how well she (doesn't) cope with change. Last night I showed her some of the ios7 vids on YouTube - at first she said things like 'its all moving too fast, I've just got the hang if this one' (after 2.5 years).

By the end of a few videos she said 'oh ok - so it's exactly the same, it just looks a bit different'. She got it..

What floored me is she then said 'they need to add more functionality, they need to work on adding new features!'.

Haha. The elderly (let's go with 'some') aren't as 'dumb' as we sometimes make them out to be, or think they are.

Mum was intrigued by parallax (especially in safari tabs), liked the new in and out app animations, calendar, notes (even though she loved the previous sku. graphics).

The things she seemed a little hesitant about were multitasking and spotlight, also now with control centre she said 'so when do I have to put it in flight mode? (She doesn't fly) and why would I need to turn Bluetooth and wifi on and off?'. When I reassured her all she would need to use control centre for we're brightness and volume, she was fine. I explained multitasking is the same but just looks a but different, she was ok.

I can't imagine any usability issues lasting more than a few weeks. This age group are hooked, they depend on them daily for news, games etc. they will work it out.

/end 2 cents.

Should shut up a lot of people.....but it won't.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Wow, a lot of whiny crybabies on here just because Apple is ditching the antiquated design principles of skeuomorphism. If you like using outdated software then by all means please stick with iOS 6.

 

[paperwhite]

To every opinion, there can be found a counter-opinion which opposes the initial opinion, and there's always a huddle of like-minded people with the same opinion as theirs, which is then given as the "proof" that the opinion (or counter-opinion... are you lost yet? I am ) is wrong. Why do people squander SO much time on worrying what other people - mainly random internet strangers, think about their personal sense of taste and design? Don't be insecure - don't be proud - let Android lovers love it, and let the "haters" hate it, none of it is wrong or right, you're all wasting valuable time on things which won't add one second to your lives.

Couldn't care less about people liking, disliking, loving or "hating" iOS 7 - I think it is stunning, but you probably do too... or maybe not. So what?

Here endeth the caring which never began

 

[falconeight]

To every opinion, there can be found a counter-opinion which opposes the initial opinion, and there's always a huddle of like-minded people with the same opinion as theirs, which is then given as the "proof" that the opinion (or counter-opinion... are you lost yet? I am ) is wrong. Why do people squander SO much time on worrying what other people - mainly random internet strangers, think about their personal sense of taste and design? Don't be insecure - don't be proud - let Android lovers love it, and let the "haters" hate it, none of it is wrong or right, you're all wasting valuable time on things which won't add one second to your lives.

Couldn't care less about people liking, disliking, loving or "hating" iOS 7 - I think it is stunning, but you probably do too... or maybe not. So what?

Here endeth the caring which never began

Cool but not the point of some of us. I myself don't like everything about the look. I do understand what is trying to be accomplished and care more about the added function of iOS7. I am so happy with the new ui that I could careless about the colors or design of icons even though I like them for the most part. You would think people would care more about a crashing app or overlapping fonts/words.