iOS 7 is Two Steps Back
Dear Apple,
I am a long-time user of the mac and iPhone product lines. I'm also one of your most successful salesman, although I don't actually work for Apple. For the record, I am an IT professional (working in security), a hobbyest developer, and all-around computer enthusiast. That is all true and hopefully enough to get your attention.
I've been doing a lot of research on iOS 7 and I have a few things I need you to hear. Although some of the features do have many improvements to the underlying code or functionality, you have major problems with the look and layout for just about every redesigned app.
First off, what is going on with the new icons? They look like they belong in Windows 8. Take it from me, many people who use Apple products do so because they love them, but many also use them because they hate the alternatives. Making your OS or apps look less like Apple and more like anything else only makes anything else that much more appealing. This "new" Web 2.0 look (from 10-15 years ago) is downright nasty in most cases. The glossy 3D-looking high-res icons from iOS 6 look better than icons on any other mobile platform. Why boast you have a retina display if you're going to make all the icons blocky and look like they were designed in low-detail 2D for people with eyesight issues? What's the word on Windows 8 again? What's the adoption rate looking like? Take note here, it's important.
Next up is the new look of most of the apps. Just about EVERY picture I've seen of iOS 7 shows it running on a white iPhone. The few people I know with white iPhones regretted choosing them because of how easily they show dirt, etc; but I digress. The apps are changing to black-text-on-white-background in many cases, as if it looks better that way because it suits the white device. The truth is, it looks Terrible, and probably worse on your elite-looking black devices. I love how OS X and pre-iOS 7 use grey or black backgrounds for everything! It's far easier on the eyes in the dark, looks much more badass, and possibly saves a little battery power not having to brighten so many pixels (? I'm not sure about power usage based on what's displayed - maybe the screen being on means the same power gets used regardless?) Either way, the white background for apps looks like something a grandma might want. By all means a grandma should be able to use your devices, and she should be able to choose that look if she wants, but don't force it on all of us.
Change in Life is a Good Thing. Change in code for security or stability is a good thing. Change in layout (for ease of use) *can* be a good thing if done right, but change in look-and-feel just for the sake of change is a BAD THING. People draw comfort from familiarity and don't always get used to new technology very easily. Even those who do mostly keep things the same once they've got it the way they like it.
If you insist on making these awful aesthetic changes in iOS 7, or if you simply disagree because this is just "a matter of opinion," then you really should be providing theme options so users can have the new & improved code, but with the previous (and much nicer) icons and darker themes within the apps. Give us freedom of choice if it's simply a matter of opinion! Speaking of freedom, WHY can't I delete the Stocks or Newstand apps, among others?!? Especially if I know I'll NEVER USE THEM! And why can't I make another browser the default on my iOS device? M$ got sued for IE simply being installed by default; you have Safari installed and the ONLY default allowed. Evil. WTF APPLE - YOU ARE NOT MICROSOFT. Seriously, are you looking to get sued for the same crappy business practices?
Sincerely,
-static
P.S. On a somewhat unrelated note, who thought up what's going on with iTunes?! I don't mean the new pain-in-the-ass layout that switches me back to this new view even after I figure out how to switch it to the old/good view. I mean how it MUST be used to sync all media to iOS devices. It's "iTUNES" and yet I have to use it to manage VIDEO? iTUNES is also the store, but only for music and VIDEO (but not OS X apps?!)? Why should a simple music player be so bloated? Why should an app for TUNES be forced on everyone as a monolithic one-stop-shop (which over-complicates using it rather than the intended 'having it all right there'). Have a Sync Center application for syncing media/libraries to iOS devices, and leave QuickTime and iTunes to be just players of their respective media types. Revise the App Store application to be just the Apple Store application for buying/downloading all apps & OS X applications, music, or video. iTunes wouldn't be so bloated, and users wouldn't have such a hard time figuring out how to put PDFs on their iPad, for example. Apple is supposed to be all about how "It Just Works" so maybe get back to that. "Sync" implies an action will be replicated - so if I delete an app from my phone, why does iTunes try to put it back on?! The app sync is pathetic in it's current implementation. I'm sick of showing friends, family, and coworkers how to use iTunes. I'm tired of explaining why iOS devices don't just show up like USB flash drives they could simply drag files to.
You're all over the place and it's getting a little embarrassing. Loosen your grip on your users' freedom to choose. I know you can do better, because for the most part your products can't be beat; but let's just say it's not Google's fault Android is eating your market share.
Comments
Making your OS or apps look less like Apple…
Here’s a conundrum: Can Apple make something look less like them?
It’s like how some people say OTL is an Ameriwank. Except OTL is OTL; the size of the United States in OTL is the baseline against which to judge alternate histories, not weighted either way.
So can Apple really make something that doesn’t look like what they make? The same “could be said” about, say, the first-gen aluminum iMac, as it looks wholly different from the white iMacs just before (and the fact that all previous iMacs had been plastic).
…glossy…
Ew. I’ve never, ever liked the double glossiness, myself. Though I agree with you that the depth and richness of the previous icons/apps is better than what we’re getting.
Just about EVERY picture I’ve seen of iOS 7 shows it running on a white iPhone. I love how OS X and pre-iOS 7 use grey or black backgrounds for everything! It's far easier on the eyes in the dark, looks much more badass, and possibly saves a little battery power not having to brighten so many pixels (? I'm not sure about power usage based on what's displayed - maybe the screen being on means the same power gets used regardless?)
What I like about a black border–black iPhone, what have you–is that the UI or whatever else is being displayed isn’t washed out by what surrounds it. That’s why Apple’s displays, iMacs, and MacBook Pro are black-bordered. Why they’ve chosen to push the white iPhone in media since it first stepped back onto the stage after the ‘delay’ is beyond me. It doesn’t use any more or less power, but there’s less pop.
I mean, there’s a reason they put their pro products on black backgrounds. First to distinguish them from consumer products, but second because they pop on the page.
…you really should be providing theme options so users can have the new & improved code, but with the previous (and much nicer) icons and darker themes within the apps.
They’ve always had dozens of wallpapers, and you can set your own. The solution’s to buy a space grey iPhone (eff yeah, first gen) and throw on dark wallpapers. On my iPad, for example, I’ve always just used the pretty dark blue bokeh stock image of theirs, as it’s great for visual distinction for apps and such.
And yet you still ask the question to which you should know the answer.
Because it’s not the store for iOS apps on iOS, either.
That sounds awful. Why would I want five applications on my Mac and five on my iOS device (Didn’t you just complain about not being able to delete things?) just to manage my single, personal content library? No, no.
And QuickTime is just a player, not a manager. To make it one would require a complete retooling of what QuickTime as a format is.
This is a problem for them? Can’t they read?
I suppose “That’s worse” isn’t sufficient.
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It’s certainly not Apple’s fault. So it’s someone over there.
I didn't mean wallpapers so much as the backgrounds of the apps themselves. While in an app, even the bar at the top with the time, network info, etc is white with black writing. You know, if I just had a choice, I'd probably use both; like the lighter theme when in the sun.
Quote (re: Sync Center):
That sounds awful. Why would I want five applications on my Mac and five on my iOS device (Didn’t you just complain about not being able to delete things?) just to manage my single, personal content library? No, no.
And QuickTime is just a player, not a manager. To make it one would require a complete retooling of what QuickTime as a format is.
It would mean only one other application on your mac, and no extras on the device (we already have Music, Video, etc on the device, so they're already separated there). This sync center would show all your media the way iTunes does now, but only for the purpose of letting you put it on (or take it off) your iPhone/iPod/iPad. iTunes shouldn't need to be bigger than about 25 MB to handle an XML library of music files with album art & play them, but as it stands it's what... 300MB?!
Otherwise, maybe it shouldn't be "iTunes" and should instead be "Media Control." We don't need QuickTime if iTunes can play videos.
Minor disagreeances aside, I really appreciate your reply. I wrote this based on a couple of years of personal opinions that were building up and really wanted to see what intelligent people like you would say
Thank you StaticOverdrive!
You just stated all my biggest issues with iOS7. They didn't focus on making this "for the user", they did selfish things (like the bloated itunes) and made changes for the sake of change, at the expense of being intuitive and functional. Apple needs to focus on the core of the device functioning well and with ease for the user instead of trying a bunch of tricks. This is the first time I've been pissed off at Apple, and I've been a loyal Mac and iphone user for years. They just F'd it up with this one. I hope they get it together with the updates because I don't want to live with this iOS the way it is for too long.
In what capacity? It’s even less bloated than before.
Like?
So, I've had my iPhone 5s from the day it came out...I waited in line to buy one to replace my iPhone 4s. After spending time with iOS 7, it's now clear - it's junk. It's one thing to change the appearance. You can like it or hate it. The issues are the bugs. This new OS version is beta grade at best. Nothing fully works correctly. It's like every aspect that was changed got 90% completed and then left unfinished. The calender interface is worse then ever.
It's also become clear that that their priority was aesthetics and they completely forgot that the phone must function! It's not art work you hang on the wall and look at. I would like my smart phone to...at least make and receive calls correctly. Maybe have iMessage work every so often. Maybe that's too much to ask for with an ~$600-800 phone.
iOS7 is the best release ever and is an awesome interface-completely. You people are wrong on all counts and hopefully Apple will never pay attention to you. Otherwise we will be stuck in 2003 forever...
Recent updates have addressed some of my complaints, such as now I can turn off the silly animation when I close apps with the home button... But I still think the new 2D icons look far inferior to the old 3D glossy ones, especially on nice IPS retina displays. I wish we could just pick our own colours and transparency values, and maybe even change icon themes!
Part of the issues with these updates, is that they add new bugs. With the latest update, now bluetooth is now even worse then it was before. Ugh.
RogueDogRandy, you're going to have to grow up someday. Good Luck!
I agree. Ios7 is design porn and they did forget about having great usability. Very un-Apple like
Yep, but one of the larger issues is that this new process Apple has been following is flipping the tables. Now "design porn" is becoming "Apple". With no Steve Jobs, the Apple of old is fading away. Eventually, they will just sell art.