On Monday, Apple announced iOS 7 Beta, a new operating system for its mobile devices. Here at Grove, we’re looking forward to getting the new system installed on our iPhones and iPads this coming autumn. The main theme of the new system is improved design and simplicity in user experience. To quote Apple:
“Simplicity is often equated with minimalism. Yet true simplicity is so much more than just the absence of clutter or the removal of decoration. It’s about offering up the right things, in the right place, right when you need them. It’s about bringing order to complexity. And it’s about making something that always seems to “just work.” When you pick something up for the first time and already know how to do the things you want to do, that’s simplicity.”
A big draw of iOS 7 is its sleek new appearance. With each aesthetic aspect redesigned, including all icons and countless Apps, the operating system is looking quite fit indeed. Apple chalks up the good looks to good design, stating, “When something is designed to work beautifully, it tends to look that way too.”
Here are seven facts about the new iOS 7 that we found especially interesting (find more facts on MacRumors):
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Parallax Attacks! - The interface shifts slightly as the phone is moved, giving depth to the screen, which includes wallpaper, alerts, notifications, etc.
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Dynamic, Panoramic Wallpaper-amic - The two provided wallpaper options are dynamic and animated, or users can upload their own panoramic image instead and watch their screen pan around the image as they shift their phone.
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Your Time in the Spotlight - Access Spotlight through the home screen by swiping down from the middle of the screen and manually change settings for the result categories that will show up.
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Please, Sir, Can I Have Some More [data]? - Track and ration out your cellular data usage manually from App to App.
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Take Control of Your Land[scape] - You can now access the App switcher and Control Center in landscape mode as well as manually quitting Apps by swiping up and closing multiple Apps at once.
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The Right to Free Skips - Each hour, skip 6 annoying songs per station in iTunes Radio, whether or not you are a paying user.
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Hold Your Horses! - Experts say to be patient and remember that iOS 7 is still in Beta, recommending that users wait instead of purchasing a developers account for $99 or paying someone online to register your UDID for you.
One of our favorite things about the new beta is the sense of dimension it can bring to the iPhone 5, iPad, or iPod Touch while still retaining its signature simplicity. “Distinct and functional layers help create depth and establish hierarchy[...]The use of translucency provides a sense of context and place,” says Apple on their site. “And new approaches to animation and motion make even the simplest tasks more engaging.” Very profound, indeed
Read some designers’ reactions to iOS 7 on TUAW and check out the video on Apple.com. Did we already say we’re excited!?
