At WWDC this week, Apple showed off iOS7. Macworld has a great overall review of the new iOS, and they’ve done some deeper dives as well. The beta of iOS7 is visually quite different: lots of changes to the icons, the default color palette is lighter (to the point that some are questioning whether it will even look good on a white iPhone), and lots of the overwrought skeuomorphism has been removed.
Such a big visual change has, predictably, brought about a lot of sturm und drang from people who like to imagine that they’re visual or interaction designers who work on mobile operating systems. These are always entertaining to read, so long as your tolerance for uninformed opinion and hand-wringing is high.
The most entertaining, and also the most infurating, example of the sturm und drang that I’ve discovered is “iOS 7: An Estrogen-Addled Mess Designed for 13 Year Old Girls”. There’s probably a drinking game to be written for that article, although I fear the idea of creating one because it would likely result in alcohol poisoning while trying it out.
My first thought was that it had to be a parody of iOS7 whining. Then I got to the end, and there was no “haha just kidding.” Then I read the comments and realized the guy is actually serious. Then I thought, “Some people really need to keep their gender issues and fears to themselves.”
I’m hoping that it’s an extended piece of performance art.
“The color scheme is almost unbearable if you’re a man that appreciates the stronger, richer and more detailed icons in iOS 6.” Yes. Strong, rich colours and lots of detail four us men, please?
Le sigh.