Remembering the controversial iOS 7 introduction

With simply days to go earlier than WWDC, the consensus is that Apple will unveil a giant, visionOS-inspired redesign throughout its working methods. And whereas some is likely to be dreading a repeat of the iOS 7 announcement from a decade in the past, it’s been lengthy sufficient that many readers won’t bear in mind (or might have by no means even seen) what that overhaul really appeared like.

So right here’s a fast refresher on what occurred, and why this 12 months will probably (I imply, hopefully?) be totally different.

The years between 2011 and 2013 have been fairly busy at Apple. Following Steve Jobs’ passing, Apple fired Scott Forstall (then SVP of iOS Software program) over the botched launch of Apple Maps. That left a niche in software program design management, which was stuffed by Jony Ive, who additionally led {hardware} design.

Quickly after, rumors started swirling that he was planning a serious visible overhaul of all the system.

Flat

Within the run-up to WWDC 2013, the Wall Avenue Journal reported that Ive had been engaged on “a extra ‘flat design’ that’s starker and easier,” a pointy departure from the nice skeuomorphic visuals of the time (assume linen textures, paper-like folders, glass results, and sure, Corinthian leather-based).

A while after that, 9to5Mac solely shared mockups of the redesign, which had been leaked to Mark Gurman.

It was chaos.

I vividly bear in mind considering it was reckless to publish such unfairly primitive sketches of what will surely be a extra polished overhaul. After weeks of intense debate and fierce expectations that the rumors had been incorrect, Apple launched iOS 7:

Within the years that adopted, Apple scaled again its over-flattening of the system, evolving towards what we now have at the moment. Now, that’s about to alter as soon as once more.

Why iOS 26 in all probability received’t be like iOS 7

At the moment, most reviews are inclined to agree that the redesign will likely be deeply influenced by the visible language of visionOS, with its translucent layers, depth results, and gentle glassy textures. And even if you happen to’re like me and also you’ve by no means worn an Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, likelihood is you’ve seen what visionOS seems to be like. Apple has already laid the groundwork, so the change received’t be such a jarring shock, like with iOS 7.

And from a design perspective, talking as somebody who’s labored in graphic design for over twenty years, the perfect transfer Apple might make is precisely what’s been reported: updating all methods directly.

In the event you’ve ever needed to adapt interfaces and key visuals to a number of ideas, comparable to large, slim, sq., rectangular, massive, small, and so forth., you understand that with each new facet ratio, you turn out to be just a little extra acquainted and extra comfy with every particular person component.

By beginning out with the nearly boundless, unconstrained atmosphere of visionOS, then more and more transferring to smaller interfaces throughout macOS, iPadOS, iOS, and watchOS, each choice informs previous and future visible variations. In different phrases, a redesign this broad could be iterative in each instructions.

Will or not it’s stunning? That’s subjective. Even iOS 7 had a handful of defenders. However one factor is for certain: Apple’s design workforce is aware of how a lot this second issues.

That is the largest process they’ve been given since Ive left the corporate, and they’re properly conscious of the contentious historical past of iOS design updates. The mere proven fact that the brand new design hasn’t leaked but factors to the absence of dissidents contained in the workforce, and contemplating how shut we’re to the announcement, that’s already a victory in itself.