The growth in the smartphone market can solely be attributed to the development of attractive operating systems. It is not so much about the hardware but everything about the software. It is true that we have seen a lot of development in the hardware aspect as well, but when you take the layman, what you see is what you feel and the software emulates what you see. This revolution began after Apple came up with Apple iPhone and Apple iOS, which millions of users embraced because of its sheer simplicity and elegance. After a long growth cycle, Apple iOS is at its 7th version as of today. Apple revealed their new version of the iOS recently and released beta developer releases although it will only be released to the users subsequently in the 4th quarter of 2013. We will compare iOS 7 against iOS 6 to identify the main differences of these two operating systems.
Apple iOS 7 First Look
Apple iOS 7 introduces a visual overhaul that has drawn negative and positive criticism from the users and analysts. The app dock is simplified, and the icons have been redesigned without the shadow, and that looks fairly nice. Apple has revamped their notification center to provide a simplistic yet modernized and refined interface. Siri has also given the same kind of UI enhancement that follows the footsteps of the notification center. The messaging app is also made simplistic, and the cloggy bubbles are eliminated while a pleasant rounded square messages are introduced. The keyboard has also been made more simplistic, as well. Another app that has received a visual enhancement is the weather app which looks simplistic and focused. The mail application and a range of other default applications have received an overhaul revamp to their UI to enhance the UX.
Multi-tasking has been given a whole new level of user experience by fundamentally changing the way users will have to interact with the apps. It would be an interesting observation to make on how users will adapt to these drastic changes in the UI and UX. In fact, this is why some analysts convey adverse opinions against the new iOS update given some users may find it difficult to let go of what used to be Apple iOS 6 to embrace Apple iOS 7.
A Brief Comparison Between Apple iOS 7 and iOS 6
• Apple iOS 7 has received a complete design overhaul that focus on simplicity and modernization compared to Apple iOS 6.
• The default applications including notification center, mail app, messaging app, whether app, Siri etc have received visual enhancements compared to Apple iOS 6.
• The icons and text have been redesigned in Apple iOS 7 by eliminating the shadows and modernizing the icons compared to Apple iOS 6.
Conclusion
As we mentioned earlier, it would be an interesting analysis to observe the users adapting to the changes offered with the new operating system. The success of the operating system will only depend on that and hence is better measured with the reception it receives from the users. Let us wait till the new OS is released to the public to gauge their reactions to the changes introduced in Apple iOS 7.