iOS 7 news
iOS 7 could be the first version of Apple’s mobile operating system to get a major redesign, including a complete overhaul to the appearance of classic Apple apps like Calendar or Email.
Apple’s Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, Sir Jonathan “Jony” Ive is heading the new iOS redesign and is expected to make huge changes following criticism that the mobile OS has become tired and dated.
Hinted to make an appearance at the Apple WWDC in June, iOS 7 could be showcased on the iPhone 6, iPad mini 2 or even the highly debated cheaper iPhone handset.
iOS 7 download release date
Apple hinted that it would be showcasing iOS 7 at the WWDC in June, with the company’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phillip Schiller
“We look forward to gathering at WWDC 2013 with the incredible community of iOS and OS X developers,” said Schiller in a statement. “Our developers have had the most prolific and profitable year ever, and we’re excited to show them the latest advances in software technologies and developer tools to help them create innovative new apps.”
“We can’t wait to get new version of iOS and OS X into [developers’] hands at WWDC.”
However, Apple may not be able to demo its new operating system at WWDC as the complete iOS 7 redesign is reported to be behind schedule. According to “people with knowledge of the matter”, internal deadlines for submitting iOS 7 features for testing have been pushed much later than those listed for previous OS releases.
Contrary to this rumour, many websites reported a sudden surge in traffic from iPhone and iPads running iOS 7, originating in the San Francisco and Cupertino area where Apple is based.
Apple usually tests out its mobile OS in beta format before releasing it to the public, so it could already be at this stage and therefore be ready for WWDC after all.
iOS 7 Rumours
There have been several rumours flying about online regarding the iOS 7 redesign. Originally Apple sources suggested that the next iteration of iOS will greatly resemble the Live Tiles of Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS. The sheen, gloss and life-like elements of the current iOS will be replaced.
“The operating system sports a redesigned user-interface that will be attractive to new iOS users, but potentially unsettling for those who are long-accustomed to the platform,” said the sources.
“Heavy textures and digital metaphors of real-life objects found in skeuomorphic interfaces,” like the Calendar, Reminders and Contacts features, will be removed in favour of a more streamlined approach.
Although the home screen and lock screen will apparently still look much the same as they do now, Apple is looking to make the information within iOS 7 much more “glance-able” than it is now.
iOS 7 could be the first time that applications like Email and Calendar have been updated since the original iPhone, as Ive is said to be introducing “more dramatic changes” according to “people with knowledge of the matter”.
Whatever happens, Ive is known to have an eye for design, having already been instrumental in the launch of major Apple products like the 1997 iMac, iPad, iPod and iPhone, despite previously being on the hardware side.
“[Ive has] a tremendous sensor of design, and he’s been the guru behind a lot of these enormously successful products, but he’s always had Jobs to push back on him and give him some guidance,” said San Francisco based Opus Research analysts Greg Sterling. “It’s not clear that Tim Cook is capable of playing that role. Maybe without a collaborator [Ive’s] not as strong.”
Next, read what iOS 7 features Apple needs to catch Android
