Apple to require all iOS app submissions be iOS 7 optimized by Feb. 1

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 40

    I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have far less problems with how iOS 7 looks than I do with how it works. I can deal with ugly icons, but what's really getting annoying is all the crashes, the ongoing bugs, the quirkiness, and the many processes that went backwards in terms of usability. I've had iOS 7 running on a 3rd and 4th generation iPad, an iPad Mini, an iPad Air, an iPhone 4, an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5s. I experience more bugs in this shipping version of iOS 7 than I have in the past with beta versions of iOS. My daily carries are the iPhone 5s and the iPad Air, the latest and greatest, and they each crash more in a week than all of my other iOS devices have ever crashed for as long as I've had them, literally. This is what bugs me and concerns me the most right now about iOS 7.

     

    But there are certainly things I don't like about the design makeover, and to be honest, some stuff that I liked early on I've grown to dislike with time. 

     

    I think using text instead of buttons looks and feels weird, and oftentimes leads to mild confusion or a downgrade in functionality. For example, my mind is blown as to how anyone could find the Now Playing screen in the music app to be anything but a downgrade in functionality on iOS 7. This is the sort of thing that was a little awkward at first (I had the betas installed on iPhone and iPad as soon as they were available) but I went with it thinking I'd adjust and perhaps grow to like it better. Instead, I've just come to find it more and more annoying and regrettable.

     

    That Apple has to add an Accessibility option for this after the fact is telling of the flaw in the idea. And before some smart ass tries to make a ridiculous jump in logic, no, I'm not suggesting that anything requiring an Accessibility option equates to a flaw in design. I'm strictly saying that in this case, they're adding an Accessibility option to account not for people with disabilities, but for people who are confused. Some might disagree, but to me, that is a very damning admission from Apple that something is wrong. I just hope that they go back to the drawing board and find something that makes more sense as opposed to this clumsily-implemented band-aid of a solution.

     

    I have never said this before, and I tend to get as annoyed as anyone when people say it, but the move towards text instead of buttons more than any other aspect of iOS 7 feels like something that never would've flown with Steve Jobs around. Ive and Federighi obviously have a lot of good ideas, as there's plenty to like about iOS 7, but there needs to be someone in the equation who is as concerned about the clarity factor as Steve Jobs was. Some things about Steve Jobs aren't replaceable, but this is a hole that'd be easier to plug than others. This is why I bring it up. It's not worth talking about replacing Steve Jobs marketing wizardry and keynote brilliance among other things. What's needed here is a 3rd voice among Ive and Federighi who's laser-focused in on the end users, but one who can speak to and understand enough about the software side and the design side to get the best out of what each has to offer.

     

    But anyways, all that said, I hope developers don't get too focused on going for the iOS 7 look just yet. I know Apple isn't out and out requiring it, but I'm seeing too many apps go in that direction clearly for the sake of going there, and with the text element in particular, I just don't think it's for the better in many cases, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Apple will be rethinking the move away from buttons heading into iOS 8 and 9. I'm all for developers cleaning up some of the old iOS 6 elements that are way over the top in that direction, but I'd rather see their designs evolve from iOS 7 as opposed to mimicking it. After all, maybe their efforts will give Apple some good ideas!

     

    Oh, one more thing: I now hate white. I wasn't really bothered by it at first. Now, I hate it. I hate it like crazy. I'm so glad that I have Control Center on my iPhone especially, as I'm constantly having to turn the brightness down to avoid eye strain. The iPad is now literally uncomfortable to use in low-light conditions in apps that feature the overabundance of white. This is terrible, and so easily avoided. It absolutely needs to be addressed in iOS 8. I will let them write it off as going for a clean slate so they'd have a great surface to design on moving forward, but that's me struggling greatly to rationalize it. It's a wonderful idea in theory and makes for a nice Jony Ive introduction video, but enough already; it's literally making my eyes hurt.

     

    ***Edit to note that I am not at all a visually impaired user. I actually have 20/15 vision, have never worn or needed glasses in any circumstance, and only have a sensitivity to light when I get the occasional migraine. I can't even imagine how annoying some of the changes in iOS 7 must be to visually impaired users. 

  • Reply 22 of 40
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    I wish they would do the same for OS X apps actually: no longer accept submissions (even bug fixes) unless they're sandboxed and compiled with the latest clang.
  • Reply 23 of 40
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    booga wrote: »
    The biggest issue with compiling for 64-bit is that the app becomes iOS 7 only. Otherwise it's pretty easy to convert. My tiny apps converted in an hour or so, but I still release 32 bit only since I need to support older versions of iOS. (Android is interesting in comparison... Much more disparity of versions in use, but you can include the new SDK in your apps and use many of the newer APIs on older versions of the OS, something Apple rarely allows.)

    I do use the latest Xcode, though, so should be fine and will probably be 64-bit in a year or two.

    Can you release a universal binary that supports 64-bit but also runs on a 32-bit iPhone?
  • Reply 24 of 40
    Apple should have done this earlier .
  • Reply 25 of 40
    virtuavirtua Posts: 209member
    gcom006 wrote: »
    I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have far less problems with how iOS 7 looks than I do with how it works. I can deal with ugly icons, but what's really getting annoying is all the crashes, the ongoing bugs, the quirkiness, and the many processes that went backwards in terms of usability. I've had iOS 7 running on a 3rd and 4th generation iPad, an iPad Mini, an iPad Air, an iPhone 4, an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5s. I experience more bugs in this shipping version of iOS 7 than I have in the past with beta versions of iOS. My daily carries are the iPhone 5s and the iPad Air, the latest and greatest, and they each crash more in a week than all of my other iOS devices have ever crashed for as long as I've had them, literally. This is what bugs me and concerns me the most right now about iOS 7.

    But there are certainly things I don't like about the design makeover, and to be honest, some stuff that I liked early on I've grown to dislike with time. 

    I think using text instead of buttons looks and feels weird, and oftentimes leads to mild confusion or a downgrade in functionality. For example, my mind is blown as to how anyone could find the Now Playing screen in the music app to be anything but a downgrade in functionality on iOS 7. This is the sort of thing that was a little awkward at first (I had the betas installed on iPhone and iPad as soon as they were available) but I went with it thinking I'd adjust and perhaps grow to like it better. Instead, I've just come to find it more and more annoying and regrettable.

    That Apple has to add an Accessibility option for this after the fact is telling of the flaw in the idea. And before some smart ass tries to make a ridiculous jump in logic, no, I'm not suggesting that anything requiring an Accessibility option equates to a flaw in design. I'm strictly saying that in this case, they're adding an Accessibility option to account not for people with disabilities, but for people who are confused. Some might disagree, but to me, that is a very damning admission from Apple that something is wrong. I just hope that they go back to the drawing board and find something that makes more sense as opposed to this clumsily-implemented band-aid of a solution.

    I have never said this before, and I tend to get as annoyed as anyone when people say it, but the move towards text instead of buttons more than any other aspect of iOS 7 feels like something that never would've flown with Steve Jobs around. Ive and Federighi obviously have a lot of good ideas, as there's plenty to like about iOS 7, but there needs to be someone in the equation who is as concerned about the clarity factor as Steve Jobs was. Some things about Steve Jobs aren't replaceable, but this is a hole that'd be easier to plug than others. This is why I bring it up. It's not worth talking about replacing Steve Jobs marketing wizardry and keynote brilliance among other things. What's needed here is a 3rd voice among Ive and Federighi who's laser-focused in on the end users, but one who can speak to and understand enough about the software side and the design side to get the best out of what each has to offer.

    But anyways, all that said, I hope developers don't get too focused on going for the iOS 7 look just yet. I know Apple isn't out and out requiring it, but I'm seeing too many apps go in that direction clearly for the sake of going there, and with the text element in particular, I just don't think it's for the better in many cases, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Apple will be rethinking the move away from buttons heading into iOS 8 and 9. I'm all for developers cleaning up some of the old iOS 6 elements that are way over the top in that direction, but I'd rather see their designs evolve from iOS 7 as opposed to mimicking it. After all, maybe their efforts will give Apple some good ideas!

    Oh, one more thing: I now hate white. I wasn't really bothered by it at first. Now, I hate it. I hate it like crazy. I'm so glad that I have Control Center on my iPhone especially, as I'm constantly having to turn the brightness down to avoid eye strain. The iPad is now literally uncomfortable to use in low-light conditions in apps that feature the overabundance of white. This is terrible, and so easily avoided. It absolutely needs to be addressed in iOS 8. I will let them write it off as going for a clean slate so they'd have a great surface to design on moving forward, but that's me struggling greatly to rationalize it. It's a wonderful idea in theory and makes for a nice Jony Ive introduction video, but enough already; it's literally making my eyes hurt.

    ***Edit to note that I am not at all a visually impaired user. I actually have 20/15 vision, have never worn or needed glasses in any circumstance, and only have a sensitivity to light when I get the occasional migraine. I can't even imagine how annoying some of the changes in iOS 7 must be to visually impaired users. 

    I think it makes the screen a lot brighter - at night I actually have the brightness on zero and it's fine - good for battery too. With the flip up control panel it's ok to use.

    Think Apple is right to keep developers moving forward - after all the uptake on ios7 warrants it.

    iOS 7 has really grown on me and I'm loving it. Sorting out the iTunes artist selection menu is my only gripe. ....and Guy Kawasaki upgrading his all top app to iOS 7 ...,,but I guess that's coming now ;p
  • Reply 26 of 40
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     



    Yeah, you keep living that pipe dream there. Apple has done absolutely nothing with computers since 1984, and in fact has created absolutely nothing they have ever released, ever.




    Hey everyone:  As it turns out, you can block seeing messages from specific members here.  I'll be doing this to "Tallest Skil" 30k tolling posts.  I suggest others do the same.  With that, maybe we can have more in depth conversations with facts and not all the Apple-Jihadist babble from him. 

  • Reply 27 of 40

    Not an expert here, not a developer.

    But to get developers to use the latest xcode doesn't mean much to the look and feel of the app. As I understands it, it makes the devs using the latest iOS technolgies and APIs. Nothing wrong with that, actually it's good for us user, because any problems with that can be solved by apple easier than having to respect a wagon of legacy technologies/APIs.

     

    About the UI of iOS: From a personal standpoint I have always kinda liked it. But I see and hear UI experts complaining about usability and I think they have their points. But it's not that iOS6 (and before) have been the essence of a perfect UI. I have found my own little complaints (Music app and calendar), but overall I don't have more trouble reading text or finding buttons. The Overall usability has increased for me and I find the OS more consistent in looks an how to use it.

     

    In fact, iOS7 is impressive for me - as a first release. Apple (or Ive) will take it from here and change this or that and improve this or that. Imagine how it will be 2-3 years from now. I think it's a great foundation to build upon. I think they hit the point by calling it "forward thinking".

  • Reply 28 of 40
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    All I need is 7.1 to stop the numerous Safari crashes. If Apple can fix that I'll be happy camper.
  • Reply 29 of 40
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    It's good to see those talking points shift to keep up with Apple's latest OS changes.
    Out: "stale"
    In: "bad"
    This is purely my opinion but had Apple kept iOS 6 design for iOS 7 (or just tweaked it ala podcasts app) I think they would have received more flack than they have with iOS 7. Also, go back to the early to mid mid 2000s and people complained about Aqua and then brushed metal in OS X. And of course there were plenty of complaints about the excessive "skeuomorphism" in iOS.

    Yeah Apple may have overshot their mark with iOS 7; it might have been too much change with not enough time to implement. But I think Tim Cook made the bet that shaking things up was necessary in the long run. I follow Apple job postings and over the past 6 months or so they've hired a number of people to the Human Interface group. I'm excited to see where they take iOS and OS X in the future.
  • Reply 30 of 40
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Booga View Post



    The biggest issue with compiling for 64-bit is that the app becomes iOS 7 only. Otherwise it's pretty easy to convert. My tiny apps converted in an hour or so, but I still release 32 bit only since I need to support older versions of iOS. (Android is interesting in comparison... Much more disparity of versions in use, but you can include the new SDK in your apps and use many of the newer APIs on older versions of the OS, something Apple rarely allows.)



    I do use the latest Xcode, though, so should be fine and will probably be 64-bit in a year or two.

    Xcode 5.0.1 or 5.0.2 (can't remember exactly which one) added in the ability to make a 64-bit app for iOS 7 and still target iOS 6 with 32-bit only.  I just recently went through and updated our app at work to support 64-bit and we still support iOS 6 as well.

  • Reply 31 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    dysamoria wrote: »
    Is it also required to force users to read entire sentences of text instead of quick-to-understand visuals? (weather and weather notification)

    Is it required to destroy readability by eliminating contrast throughout the GUI? Yeah, light text on light backgrounds is brilliant! :-p

    Is it required to fill every screen with bright color or empty white/gray space so that an iPhone feels like it needs its brightness turned down, when it's already turned down?

    Is monochromatic the new color?

    Is it also required to get users lost in the interface by avoiding clear visual cues for controls?

    Is it also required to avoid differentiating your app's icon?

    How do they call the new use of text "easy to read" with the new thin and smaller fonts?

    Is it also required to exterminate all elegant shapes in favor of solid, edgeless flat shapes? Is flatness a requirement?

    I mean... Depth? Seriously?? There's almost no depth left in the entire UI!

    It's pretty clear in that one example above (weather app): the new version is hard to look at, is dull & disinteresting, is harsh on the eyes, is extremely poor for users with eyesight problems, and is generally a downgrade.

    You do make some good points, and they're definitely areas for improvement, big time, but you do get used to iOS 7, and I much prefer the minimalism of iOS 7 over iOS 6. A lot of apps do look better. My issues with iOS 7 are more basic: fix the animations (I want to be able to paginate before the unlocking animation finishes, as we could before), app icons, and contrast in some areas. When I say app icons I don't mean Safari or Settings or even Game Center, I mean Photos, Reminders, Contacts, Newsstand, Videos, Passbook and Camera: some of these are hideous, and some are quite weak on metaphor and iconography.
  • Reply 32 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    I’m not QUITE sure, but I THINK I’ll trust the company that invented computer UIs to make one that isn’t flawed.

    Apple is by far the best company around in the tech and product fields, but they didn't invent computer UIs. They however do design some great software, UIs and have the best operating systems. Honestly, the way you talk about Apple like a religion and always jump to their defence is embarrassing. Even Gruber who writes about the company for a living sometimes has discerning criticisms of them, such as his call that iOS 7 is probably one of the fews things since his death that would have never occurred under Steve's watch. It's more interesting if you would on the odd occasion try to have your own view of things Apple does.

    I'm not suggesting you never criticised Apple, but you've never criticised them on important larger matters. That's both a little sad and a little creepy.
  • Reply 33 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    rogifan wrote: »
    All I need is 7.1 to stop the numerous Safari crashes. If Apple can fix that I'll be happy camper.

    I'm on beta2 and I don't have them.
  • Reply 34 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Just in case you're wondering why I no longer respond to your posts Tallest, I have simply just blocked you. I honestly wish you well. Enjoy your life.
  • Reply 35 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    gcom006 wrote: »
    I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have far less problems with how iOS 7 looks than I do with how it works. I can deal with ugly icons, but what's really getting annoying is all the crashes, the ongoing bugs, the quirkiness, and the many processes that went backwards in terms of usability. I've had iOS 7 running on a 3rd and 4th generation iPad, an iPad Mini, an iPad Air, an iPhone 4, an iPhone 5 and an iPhone 5s. I experience more bugs in this shipping version of iOS 7 than I have in the past with beta versions of iOS. My daily carries are the iPhone 5s and the iPad Air, the latest and greatest, and they each crash more in a week than all of my other iOS devices have ever crashed for as long as I've had them, literally. This is what bugs me and concerns me the most right now about iOS 7.

    I agree and feel your pain. That's the trouble with how ambitious Apple was in the 7 months it took to produce such a complete rethinking. You'll be very happy to hear iOS 7.1 has many, many fixes coming. Most notably the animations have so far far improved in the betas.
  • Reply 36 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    gcom006 wrote: »
    I have never said this before, and I tend to get as annoyed as anyone when people say it, but the move towards text instead of buttons more than any other aspect of iOS 7 feels like something that never would've flown with Steve Jobs around. Ive and Federighi obviously have a lot of good ideas, as there's plenty to like about iOS 7, but there needs to be someone in the equation who is as concerned about the clarity factor as Steve Jobs was.

    Agreed. I've seen Gruber mention 'text as buttons' as a problem multiple times now.

    One of the things/issues I have never been able to get used to is also something Gruber mention after WWDC, and it's the use of bold font for the 'safe' option in dialog boxes. It actually complicates the dialog box by trying to help you. It really needs to be non-bold, especially given that option is always segmented away from the other group of options in the dialog.
  • Reply 37 of 40
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    gcom006 wrote: »
    Oh, one more thing: I now hate white. I wasn't really bothered by it at first. Now, I hate it. I hate it like crazy. I'm so glad that I have Control Center on my iPhone especially, as I'm constantly having to turn the brightness down to avoid eye strain. The iPad is now literally uncomfortable to use in low-light conditions in apps that feature the overabundance of white. This is terrible, and so easily avoided. It absolutely needs to be addressed in iOS 8. I will let them write it off as going for a clean slate so they'd have a great surface to design on moving forward, but that's me struggling greatly to rationalize it. It's a wonderful idea in theory and makes for a nice Jony Ive introduction video, but enough already; it's literally making my eyes hurt.

    ***Edit to note that I am not at all a visually impaired user. I actually have 20/15 vision, have never worn or needed glasses in any circumstance, and only have a sensitivity to light when I get the occasional migraine. I can't even imagine how annoying some of the changes in iOS 7 must be to visually impaired users. 

    I have a solution: stop using Apple products. I kid, I kid.

    Being serious, I've seen a few people call out for a night-mode/low-light theme as part of iOS 8. I think it's a super, super idea! Think along the lines of Tweetbot 3.2 for iPhone. There could be options to set/change manually, on schedule and when low-light is detected.
  • Reply 38 of 40
    Originally Posted by bottleworks View Post

    Hey everyone

     

    So you have absolutely no reply whatsoever to my points and instead have chosen to use insults. Great. I’m sure people will believe you now. Enjoy.

     

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

    Apple is by far the best company around in the tech and product fields, but they didn't invent computer UIs.

     

    Okay¡

     

    I'm not suggesting you never criticised Apple, but you've never criticised them on important larger matters. That's both a little sad and a little creepy.


     

    Sure it is¡

     

    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post

    Just in case you're wondering why I no longer respond to your posts Tallest, I have simply just blocked you. I honestly wish you well. Enjoy your life.

     

    Talk about infantile. If you don’t have any actual responses, just don’t respond instead of being a child.

  • Reply 39 of 40

    All its current models can be upgraded easily with the latest security and OS updates. Apple is very serious about application submissions and has stringent rules for the process. Not every app can make it to the Apple app store.

     

  • Reply 40 of 40
    In an email sent out to developers on Tuesday, Apple said all apps submitted for review after Feb. 1 must be optimized for iOS 7, a move that will bring parity to titles presented in the iOS App Store.

    <div align="center"><img src="http://photos.appleinsidercdn.com/13.12.17-App_Subs.jpg" alt="App Subs" width="660" height="396" border="0"><br><span class="minor2 small gray">Example of aesthetic changes from iOS 6 to iOS 7. | Source: <a href="http://www.apple.com">Apple</a></span></div>

    Apple posted an identical message to its <a href="https://developer.apple.com/news/index.php?id=12172013a#top">Developer website</a>, noting both new apps and app updates submitted to the App Store need to be built with the latest version of Xcode 5.

    With the requirement, Apple is looking to push developers who may not already be in the iOS 7 fold into action.

    As noted during the unveiling of Apple's iPhone 5s and accompanying 64-bit A7 chip, the Xcode 5 development tool is <a href="http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/09/17/inside-apples-64-bit-ios-7-and-the-prospects-for-a-64-bit-android">now capable</a> of addressing 64-bit processes and grants access to specialized iOS 7 APIs. Currently, only a few apps tap into the A7's potential, and while many don't need the added processing power, it appears Apple is quietly urging developers to optimize the back end as it moves toward a more cohesive iOS experience.

    The note also points developers to the iOS Human Interface Guidelines, which were revamped for iOS 7's aesthetic and under-the-hood changes. In the document, Apple says iOS 7 embodies three key themes:

    <ul><li><strong>Deference.</strong> The UI helps users understand and interact with the content, but never competes with it.
    <li><strong>Clarity.</strong> Text is legible at every size, icons are precise and lucid, adornments are subtle and appropriate, and a sharpened focus on functionality motivates the design.
    <li><strong>Depth.</strong> Visual layers and realistic motion impart vitality and heighten users' delight and understanding.</ul>
    With the upcoming iOS 7 optimization requirement, Apple is aggressively pushing for a unified ecosystem that works smoothly with its latest devices. Aesthetically, developers will most likely deprecate vestiges of the previous skeuomorphic iOS 6 from which iOS 7 is such a vast departure.

    So this is the long way of saying that, although no one is using IOS 7 to its fullest capability, and most apps made pre IOS 7 never will, they are FORCING the developers to all put their updates in IOS 7 JUST so that all devices before 5th gen iPod and 4th gen iPhone are basically obsolete just so their billion dollar company will make more by making us buy their new devices?

    I might as well just buy an Android tablet. So much cheaper, larger screens (on some), and they don't force you to upgrade by making all of the actively worked on apps the highest OS possible despite them not needing it as there is little to no difference in the quality of the app post highest OS.
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