Wow. iOS 7 is a disaster.

[ben824]

If you say "by functionality" and mean that it's a touch screen phone, then how can that be avoided? Remember, iOS was around before Windows phone AND Android. Have you actually held a device running iOS 7 in your hands, and used it for an extensive period of time? I'm almost certain you're another one of the moaning masses, complaining about mere screenshots...

When taking your "evidence" into account, you should consider this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZmIiIXuZ0

Next, please.

I have had a hands on-experience with iOS 7 for a few days on my daily device and while the OS didn't show many bugs which was impressive, the design was absolutely terrible. It certainly changed my phone into a completely new phone but for the worse. I felt like my premium iPhone had been downgraded to a cheap android phone. The features of iOS 7 were great but the child-like cartoon design that lacked contrast or differentiation was unbearable. It made navigating the settings app difficult since every icon was the same color and there were no dividing lines to show where one setting started and next began. Calendar is nothing like it was before. Calendar runs altogether with no differentiation and is now more difficult to use than before. Mail looks terrible and many of the gestures we have known since iOS was introduced are now gone. The duration of the new animations take forever thus making the whole OS feel slow. The duration of the animations is something that can be sped up so this I will not harp on too much. In the messages map when you scroll through a conversation each chat bubble bounces around independently of each other in a very cartoon manner that is just irritating. Editing the conversation like to delete a chat bubble or a picture now requires more steps and is very frustrating. It is no longer the simple tap edit, check mark the chat bubble, hit delete. You have to hold you finger on the chat bubble until the little menu cloud pops up, tap "more", check mark the bubble, then hit the trash can icon at the bottom of the window. They made it seem like camera roll was improved but I beg to differ. The ideas were great, implementation however, not so much. This new layout to the camera roll felt cluttered and unorganized.

The entire OS has changed. Nothing feels familiar. Nothing feels premium. It feels cheap and plain. This is not Apple at their best. This is Apple trying to conform and that was what Steve changed about Apple once he was back in charge. I do not plan to update to iOS 7 and will be recommending that every not update either. #BoycottiOS7

 

[gglittle]

I have had a hands on-experience with iOS 7 for a few days on my daily device and while the OS didn't show many bugs which was impressive, the design was absolutely terrible. It certainly changed my phone into a completely new phone but for the worse. I felt like my premium iPhone had been downgraded to a cheap android phone. The features of iOS 7 were great but the child-like cartoon design that lacked contrast or differentiation was unbearable. It made navigating the settings app difficult since every icon was the same color and there were no dividing lines to show where one setting started and next began. Calendar is nothing like it was before. Calendar runs altogether with no differentiation and is now more difficult to use than before. Mail looks terrible and many of the gestures we have known since iOS was introduced are now gone. The duration of the new animations take forever thus making the whole OS feel slow. The duration of the animations is something that can be sped up so this I will not harp on too much. In the messages map when you scroll through a conversation each chat bubble bounces around independently of each other in a very cartoon manner that is just irritating. Editing the conversation like to delete a chat bubble or a picture now requires more steps and is very frustrating. It is no longer the simple tap edit, check mark the chat bubble, hit delete. You have to hold you finger on the chat bubble until the little menu cloud pops up, tap "more", check mark the bubble, then hit the trash can icon at the bottom of the window. They made it seem like camera roll was improved but I beg to differ. The ideas were great, implementation however, not so much. This new layout to the camera roll felt cluttered and unorganized.

The entire OS has changed. Nothing feels familiar. Nothing feels premium. It feels cheap and plain. This is not Apple at their best. This is Apple trying to conform and that was what Steve changed about Apple once he was back in charge. I do not plan to update to iOS 7 and will be recommending that every not update either. #BoycottiOS7

And you have filed bug reports?

 

[xcodeaddict]

The UI indicates and serves to help you navigate the device, serve you information and content, and provide information without needless distractions; shiny 3D buttons and stitched leather are needless distractions, regardless of how used to them we have become.

 

[kerrikins]

The new ios, has proven Apple to be no better than Samsung, clearly copying Android as well as windows phone in both apparence and functionality. Look here if you don't believe me. ioS 7 is no doubt a step backwards for Apple. I really hope they change it soon or at least alter the icons so they don't hurt their image.

Setting aside the appearance aspect, Apple had two choices: leave out the functionality and continue to be harshly criticized for not offering it, or implement it and be accused of copying. The latter is far better than the former.

To be honest, what it really comes down to is how the average person reacts to the OS... At the core of it iOS 7 is still iOS, imo, and lots of people choose it because it's easy and comfortable to use. If people still feel that iOS 7 provides that then it will do well and so will the next phone.

 

[xcodeaddict]

I have had a hands on-experience with iOS 7 for a few days on my daily device and while the OS didn't show many bugs which was impressive, the design was absolutely terrible. It certainly changed my phone into a completely new phone but for the worse. I felt like my premium iPhone had been downgraded to a cheap android phone. The features of iOS 7 were great but the child-like cartoon design that lacked contrast or differentiation was unbearable. It made navigating the settings app difficult since every icon was the same color and there were no dividing lines to show where one setting started and next began. Calendar is nothing like it was before. Calendar runs altogether with no differentiation and is now more difficult to use than before. Mail looks terrible and many of the gestures we have known since iOS was introduced are now gone. The duration of the new animations take forever thus making the whole OS feel slow. The duration of the animations is something that can be sped up so this I will not harp on too much. In the messages map when you scroll through a conversation each chat bubble bounces around independently of each other in a very cartoon manner that is just irritating. Editing the conversation like to delete a chat bubble or a picture now requires more steps and is very frustrating. It is no longer the simple tap edit, check mark the chat bubble, hit delete. You have to hold you finger on the chat bubble until the little menu cloud pops up, tap "more", check mark the bubble, then hit the trash can icon at the bottom of the window. They made it seem like camera roll was improved but I beg to differ. The ideas were great, implementation however, not so much. This new layout to the camera roll felt cluttered and unorganized.

The entire OS has changed. Nothing feels familiar. Nothing feels premium. It feels cheap and plain. This is not Apple at their best. This is Apple trying to conform and that was what Steve changed about Apple once he was back in charge. I do not plan to update to iOS 7 and will be recommending that every not update either. #BoycottiOS7

1/ The design is great, you're just new to the iOS 7 world - that is the issue

2/ It is a Beta - I don't know how many people have said this already...

3/ "Boycott Apple"? - Go ahead, knock yourself out. They'll still exist.


All your criticisms are founded on fear and not being used to the new way and appearance - you'll adapt; if you don't, you'll "jump ship". With respect, don't expect one solitary person to care, they don't.

The only things I see that are "cheap" and "child-like", are your reactionary comments regarding a platform that you've made rash judgements about, and don't yet feel comfortable with. It's okay not to understand design, and I don't mean that in a snobbish way - but I don't think you "get" it, not one tiny bit.

 

[TheNewDude]

I've read many of the replies on this thread and I see the word or sentiment "professional" pop up a lot.

I think we've come to see "complex" (as exemplified by the use of lots of "chrome" and skeuomorphic elements, faux reflections, gradients, and so forth) as a sign of "finished" or "professional" design. Many of us have become so accustomed to it, that when we don't see it, we assume something's missing. And that WAS the "old school" of design pre-2012.

I think what Ive and Co. are saying (as WP8 and to a certain extent, Android, are as well) is that a minimalist UI that simply presents the user options in a less-adorned way is what the consumer wants. From a design standpoint, I think he's right, and it has nothing to being professional. It's been part of Apple's overall product industrial design for over a decade now. Finally the UI is catching up.

When the design ceases to be the focal point, you can be more productive with the device or interface. I think that's what we have here: a stripping down of the UI to base elements and simplification of what the user can expect to see with the hope that less focus on the "look" will enhance the "feel."

Yeah WP8 and Android might be more "minimalist" designs like you say, but they also give users the ability to customize that design. Apple does not. It's either you use there design or you go somewhere else.

 

[beam.]

I've read many of the replies on this thread and I see the word or sentiment "professional" pop up a lot.

I think we've come to see "complex" (as exemplified by the use of lots of "chrome" and skeuomorphic elements, faux reflections, gradients, and so forth) as a sign of "finished" or "professional" design. Many of us have become so accustomed to it, that when we don't see it, we assume something's missing. And that WAS the "old school" of design pre-2012.

I think what Ive and Co. are saying (as WP8 and to a certain extent, Android, are as well) is that a minimalist UI that simply presents the user options in a less-adorned way is what the consumer wants. From a design standpoint, I think he's right, and it has nothing to being professional. It's been part of Apple's overall product industrial design for over a decade now. Finally the UI is catching up.

When the design ceases to be the focal point, you can be more productive with the device or interface. I think that's what we have here: a stripping down of the UI to base elements and simplification of what the user can expect to see with the hope that less focus on the "look" will enhance the "feel."

Well, yes, except that the bright colors are distracting. When I said professional, I don't mean gloss or anything, I mean something defined that you can take into the workplace. Dark colors.

It's too Fischer-pricey.

 

[gglittle]

Less than 1% of ~50 million is really really itty-bitty

The single most incredible comment I have read in this thread is that Joneun thinks he/she/it is going to halt the release of iOS 7 by posting to a thread on a forum that is read by a really really REALLY small portion of the total number of owners and users of the iPhone. I do believe he/she/it is too wrapped up in their own importance and totally fails to see their insignificance … other than to piss off a lot readers of these forums.

iOS 7 has it's problems, it also has it's pluses. Is it a disaster? Trust me, being a software developer for over 40 years, I have seen disasters, and iOS 7 does not even come close. If you have found issues that impact the use of applications or the phone, then these issues need to be reported via bug reports. There is no developer in the world that can, or will, fix what they do not know about.

 

[xcodeaddict]

Well, yes, except that the bright colors are distracting. When I said professional, I don't mean gloss or anything, I mean something defined that you can take into the workplace. Dark colors.

It's too Fischer-pricey.

I'd tend to think Apple know what they're doing for their own products, with respect to you.

 

[beam.]

I'd tend to think Apple know what they're doing for their own products, with respect to you.

Of course, that doesn't make it automatically good though. When Apple released Maps and then had to apologize about it, they knew what they were doing for their own products. They took away something that worked and in place put in something that didn't.

They really should think about firing whoever was responsible.

 

[distemp]

To recap: fonts and contrast; fonts and contrast; fonts and contrast; and finally: fonts and contrast.


You're welcome, folks.

 

[beam.]

The UI indicates and serves to help you navigate the device, serve you information and content, and provide information without needless distractions; shiny 3D buttons and stitched leather are needless distractions, regardless of how used to them we have become.

Okay but then how come people don't like Windows 8 then?

 

[StrongArmmed]

Yeah WP8 and Android might be more "minimalist" designs like you say, but they also give users the ability to customize that design. Apple does not. It's either you use there design or you go somewhere else.

You can customize your UI. Organize your icons, change your wallpaper. Apple has never given you the ability to "deeply" customize the interface. (Nor does WP8. And Android can become quite sketchy when you start doing wholesale changes to its "design" - usually you have to flash a different ROM to have such customization options; no thanks).

Jailbreak if you want that.

And just how much customization do you wanna do?

 

[Night Spring]

When the design ceases to be the focal point, you can be more productive with the device or interface. I think that's what we have here: a stripping down of the UI to base elements and simplification of what the user can expect to see with the hope that less focus on the "look" will enhance the "feel."

In principle, that sounds well and good. However, what's happened with iOS 7, IMO, is that design has been stripped down too much, to the point that various things have become harder to use. For instance, the "slide to unlock" direction is now only indicated by the way the letters shine from left to right. The effect is so subtle it's easy to miss. Another thing I just found is when you are making a phone call and try to put it on speakerphone. In iOS 6, when the speakerphone is on, the background of the speakerphone icon turns blue, so it's easy to tell its on. In iOS 7, the "on" effect is so subtle, I have a hard time telling if it's on or off.

And to those of you saying "it's new" and "you'll adapt.' Perhaps I will adapt. I adapted when iTunes icons lost color and turned all grey. But just because I adapted doesn't mean I'm convinced that all grey is better. I still think colored icons in iTunes were easier to use, and would love it if they switched back to color. And I might adapt to the new iOS 7 look, but I'll still think iOS 6 was better.

 

[StrongArmmed]

Well, yes, except that the bright colors are distracting. When I said professional, I don't mean gloss or anything, I mean something defined that you can take into the workplace. Dark colors.

It's too Fischer-pricey.

Why can you not take iOS7 into the workplace? Believe me, "dark" hardly says "professional." It says "dark."

If people can't wrap their heads around an easy-to-use, unobtrusive interface because it isn't dour and super-subdued, that's too bad for them.

----------

In principle, that sounds well and good. However, what's happened with iOS 7, IMO, is that design has been stripped down too much, to the point that various things have become harder to use. For instance, the "slide to unlock" direction is now only indicated by the way the letters shine from left to right. The effect is so subtle it's easy to miss. Another thing I just found is when you are making a phone call and try to put it on speakerphone. In iOS 6, when the speakerphone is on, the background of the speakerphone icon turns blue, so it's easy to tell its on. In iOS 7, the "on" effect is so subtle, I have a hard time telling if it's on or off.

OK, two good examples where they might have gone too far. I'd say, open Radars for those two things. I can agree that if the effects are too subtle, your usability does decrease.

(Specifically referring to the "Slide to Unlock" functionality, I think Apple might be counting on the user's existing familiarity to help them through understanding the interface. Additionally, with the whole screen being "slidable", having the previous slider widget is no longer applicable. What would you suggest to improve the design?)

 

[decafjava]

Totally agree! The functionality added by ios 7 is great, but I find the design that they chose for the OS mimicked windows phone too much (Look at the side by side comparisons) and the icons, well some of them look like they were created by someone who had just discovered photoshop. Didn't Apple say the icons were going to be fixed?

I disagree with your comparison, look at this post:

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/17439488/

From this article:

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/06/16/editorial-what-wwdc-2013-tells-us-about-apple

 

[beam.]

I'm not just a blind follower I'm a real person and I have my own opinions. Because I want to enjoy iOS and not just use it because everybody else is using it.

 

[Lava Lamp Freak]

Well, yes, except that the bright colors are distracting. When I said professional, I don't mean gloss or anything, I mean something defined that you can take into the workplace. Dark colors.

It's too Fischer-pricey.

I don't see it. When I look at iOS 7 I see something that looks much more professional and clean than iOS 6. iOS 6 still has elements from the old Aqua UI, like the pinstripes in the Settings and Phone apps.

Dark does not equal professional. Right now, the trend in the "professional" design world is flat and light colors with lots of white space.

 

[beam.]

I don't see it. When I look at iOS 7 I see something that looks much more professional and clean than iOS 6. iOS 6 still has elements from the old Aqua UI, like the pinstripes in Settings.

Dark does not equal professional. Right now, the trend in the "professional" design world is flat and light colors with lots of white space.

We're not talking about trends.

No other platform is flat, bright, and stripped.

Sit down.

 

[xcodeaddict]

The current Windows OS is definitely minimalist; yes, they minimalised usabilty and intuitiveness, and maximised the "look! Now WE can do touch too - we've caught up!"

 

[dontpannic]

To recap: fonts and contrast; fonts and contrast; fonts and contrast; and finally: fonts and contrast.


You're welcome, folks.

This.

OP, you must have really bad eyes. Even without my glasses on I can still read the text with no problems at all and have no trouble at all distinguishing what is text and what is translucent background.

 

[Night Spring]

(Specifically referring to the "Slide to Unlock" functionality, I think Apple might be counting on the user's existing familiarity to help them through understanding the interface. Additionally, with the whole screen being "slidable", having the previous slider widget is no longer applicable. What would you suggest to improve the design?)

See, that "existing users are familiar with it, so it's okay to make things a bit more harder to find" mentality is disturbing. There are still plenty of people who haven't used a smartphone yet. Design should always account for new users, not just assume that everyone knows how to use it.

As for if I have any suggestions, as someone pointed out in one of the other threads, it's not the end user's job to make design suggestions. End users aren't designers, but just because they can't come up with good design themselves, doesn't mean that they can't say when something doesn't work for them.

But I'm thinking, for one thing, why swipe only one way? Why shouldn't we be able to swipe either way to unlock? And also, the slide anywhere to unlock only works if there are no notifications. If there are notifications, you have to be careful to not swipe any of the notifications, because if you do, you end up in the app, instead of going to the home screen. I got used to swiping the middle of the screen, then one time, I had a notification, swiped the middle, and I'm in an app!

So basically, I'm thinking I preferred the old way, where you had to actually swipe over the part where the "slide to unlock" letters + arrow is. Just make a more subtle arrow, and I'll be happy.

 

[xcodeaddict]

This thread and most of the others are getting to be hilarious, for all the wrong reasons.

 

[beam.]

Somehow I'm beginning to think that this is just the beginning. Once iOS 7 actually drops, we may have to shut down the forum.

 

[blasto2236]

Well, yes, except that the bright colors are distracting. When I said professional, I don't mean gloss or anything, I mean something defined that you can take into the workplace. Dark colors.

It's too Fischer-pricey.

So, you're worried about what your coworkers are going to think of the look of your phone? Maybe it's just me, but I could count on one hand the number of times in 6 years that a coworker has ever even seen my phone screen.

If I worked in a place where I had to care that much about how my phone looks in order to fit in at work, I'd be looking for a new job.