“iOS 7 is so significant a re-imagining of Apple’s mobile operating system that the company is mustering additional engineering resources to get it out the door in time for a preview at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference,” John Paczkowski reports for AllThingsD.
“Sources who declined to be named because they are forbidden to talk publicly about Apple’s plans tell AllThingsD that the company has been ‘borrowing’ engineers from the OS X 10.9 team as part of an effort to double down on iOS 7,” Paczkowski reports. “‘Yes, yes – it’s essentially a repeat of the iPhone/Leopard scenario,’ one source said, referring to Apple’s 2007 decision to pull engineers from OS X 10.5 to work on iPhone. ‘Not as much of a fire drill, though. It will ship on time.'”
“iOS 7 is iOS ‘de-glitzed,'” Paczkowski reports. “With, Scott Forstall — an advocate for flashy, skeumorphic design and its stiched-leather and faux wood grain flourishes — gone from Apple, and Ive in an expanded role, the current and former Apple employees I’ve spoken to say iOS 7 was destined for a new coat of paint. As one said, ‘sounds like a much-needed ‘deForstallization.””
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
Apple’s Jony Ive seen risking iOS 7 delay on sweeping software overhaul; Mac team enlisted to help – May 1, 2013
Jony Ive preps ‘very, very flat,’ potentially unsettling UI for Apple’s new iOS 7 – April 29, 2013
Usage logs begin reporting hits from new Apple iPhone hardware and iOS 7 – April 15, 2013
Jony Ive to usher in big changes in iOS 7 with system-wide UI overhaul – April 3, 2013
‘deForstallization” – HEH! You said it, no more completely avoidable embarrassments (like Maps) shall escape Cupertino scrutiny (please) before venturing into consumer space again!
Yes. Apple should have waited a few more years for Google to completely cement it’s hold on mapping information gleaned from Apple.
Apple had a contract with Google for Maps.
They could no longer agree; the solution was Apple will build its own.
Scotts team did an amazing job of Maps in such short time. Siri still is in beta… why was Maps was not posted also in the same manner. To avoid the negativity… i believe that to be Tims’ position to over see not Scotts. Did Tim not daily review the progress of Maps? It is an application not the OS. iOS is an amazing achievement Scott was apart of the bigger puzzle not responsible for an App.
Now graphics across OSX and iOS will help users?
OSX started at 10… 10.8.3 now — we are approaching OS11.
Does Apple plan to jump from 10.8.3 to 11 or will we see many things undone here – a glimpse of things to come posting 10.9 with a convergence of user experience in both iOS and OSX.
Leave that until 11 guys.
Meanwhile, back in Cupertino, Tim Cook is busy de-Jobsterising everything that Steve Jobs stood for.
Your comments are just old now.
You truly are a hateful little shit.
By giving Jonny Ive more control… which is what Steve Jobs stood for???
I hope it will pave way for new designs to come!
This my friends is Jony’s transition to be the public voice of Apple’s creativity, mark my words
dd
I have to say… flat is not where it’s at.
iOS has kept its own – even while many on the other platform claim iOS is boring or dull. Do people really need eye-candy effects and transitions to wow their fingers and eyes on devices as they DIAL a number in EMERGENCY or just a reliable phone and a clearly trusted OS?
I see no use for viewing my photos say and a slight tilt of the device causes it to put the photo in perspective. Useless candy. Does not help the user.
Looking anything like Metro (Windows’) flat 1989 macintosh iconic retro graphics is just totally wrong Jony. if you do this – you will be seen as influenced by Windows or plain outright copying. Be careful for billions of negative press. Oh, i see this is what Apple wants… free negative press. It does not make for a better user interface. Nor, Jony, does it excite those who want glitter.
A sweet simple interface with complexity under the hood of OS – as seen in nature – a leave is interesting and beautifully seen as simple – yet a closer look it shows complexity and amazement. Simple does not need to be striped down to HELVETIZE or STERILIZE the OS.
God I love the way everyone on this site gives Jony Ives lectures on design…
Actually we really know nothing of what Jony Ives is doing.
Right you are, perhaps the comments need to be directed to John Paczkowski.
Its merely an opinion not that flat doesn’t help the user. It is a total aesthetic approach. Of course its better to see and try the new OS out first. Yet, if people are reporting the facts, Flat very flat… that Metro too (Tiles) is flat. It doesn’t feel or look higher class then iOS. One can easily see the history of Macintosh, the birth of iOS and the influences of OSX effecting both UIs for quite some time.
Flat is a very subjective description. There are signs of Flat already in OSX 10.8.3. Side bars is one off hand.
I encourage you Dr. Strangelove, to state your opinion on the article or topic of Jony Ives making changes to iOS, and reflect upon Flat.
If removing skeumorphism means more helpful features. For example a read all mails is long time expected to improve user experience. The flashy interface usually is trying to hide lack of features. And yes if Apple can go back to GUI guidelines and a same feel unified interface experience I am all for it. Sorry Scott we loved you but it’s time to go pro now.
Can wait to see Jony taking the stand at WWDC!
I doubt Sir. Jonny will take the stage @ WWDC. For whatever reason Sir. Jonny does take the stage this year, I bet next year WWDC will be sold out in less than 1 minute! 🙂
I hope the icons don’t change. That’d be annoying to learn new ones.
I welcome our new design overlord.
They are just de-forstalling the inevitable.
Moving from graphic flourishes to minimal graphics is NOT a functional change to iOS.
Give me a break
All we know is second hand restating of what is actually happening. As is seen in the comments, the keywords used all seem open to interpretation, as different people have apparently opposite visions of what certain terms mean.
Since none of us have any firsthand knowledge of the look, feel, or function of the OS, it is too premature to criticize the UI.
agreed
is functionality or aesthetics more important here?
will aesthetics better the user interface?
i know from fact and from hundreds of articles iOS is the simplest OS ever. That people of all ages adapt, learn and use iOS quickly. It works. Ages 1 are pointing and swiping naturally – Ages 99 are also unintimidated by the technology and quick to use iOS. It is easy already.
Add functionality and services, making it more obvious what and why a top swipe down will do.
After updating to iOS 5.1 a noticeable movable white dot on the home screen was discovered. It provided shortcuts for the device… somewhat like Androids swipe down to settings. Cant remember who arrived first. Yet, most people seem to favour Androids quick settings as a OS feature.
Thats user experience… not graphics.
deForstallization – nah
Aqua in OSX was the lead direction for iOS inspired icons, in order to harmonize the two OSes.
Besides. Look at the green Phone icon. Its a flat silhouetted pictogram, dressed with a slight glossy top edge. Many iOS core functions are painted simple iconic buttons. White silhouette Mail on blue. White silhouette iPod on orange. Apps store is White silhouetted on a two point gradation blue button as is iTunes on a purple button.
Lets see Ives also stripe away colour next too. Expressing an active app running in green, grey when off, and red when crashed… boring.
Does iOS suffer from a fragmentation of design influences?
How will this play out for developers? Will they also require to have flat generic silhouetted icons to suit iOS7?
I hope it’s more than superficial changes. It’s the experience, stupid!
Hurray – totally agree.
It is the user experience that matters.
What I have read is iOS 7 looks, “very flat” – aesthetics.
Nothing has said about the interaction, functions, improvements, logic, or ease of use.
Ah, perhaps the dimensional icons are all flattened out when in-active. Once the app is running – the colour and dimensional qualities pop out. A two stage toggle.
again – relating to the article, the fact that the OSX team is required to help – only makes sense.
the changes in iOS are to also match the changes in OSX in attempt to harmonize the two systems.
I hope they keep two “skeuomorphic” designs: the clock face on world time and the ruled yellow lines on Notes. The yellow reminds me I’m in Notes and the lines make the text easier to read. I hope they keep the icons similar, I’m so used to looking at them. The wood bookshelf can stay or go.
Why does ‘don’t speak publicly’ always seem to mean ‘speak anonymously’? Why is it so perfectly ok to just do whatever you weren’t supposed to do, as long as it’s anonymous?
I like glitz.
Colours and textures are very useful memory cues, thus highly ergonomic.
Don’t like the dreary grey linen pattern though.
no rash interface changes. Remember the iMovie and FCP fiasco.