Design your way

Monday, October 14, 2013

iOS 7 is a big design change for Apple, an expected one, which in many ways satisfies the customers, but in some it hasn’t, particularly when we’re talking about icons.

The overall design of the new iOS has grown up and it looks now like an interface for an audience that is technologically mature.

However, the icons problem is one that most designers can’t forgive. As Ian Storm Taylor puts it, the icons feel rushed, like the first sketch was thrown right into the keynote. They all look childish and primitive, like a newbie designer would have made them on his lunch break. They have colors that don’t even have to be there and the icon execution is miserable.

The thing that annoys most designers is that Apple tried to make iOS7 flat, but not quite flat, flat… ish. You can see that their version of flat has subtle shadows, various lighting effects and gradients. Yes, gradients and flat in the same sentence.

The same style that is specific for iOS native app icons has been picked up by UI designers who are working on adapting apps for iOS7 and the transformation from iOS6 to iOS7 is what you will see in this article with image comparisons created by Kee Yen Yeo on a tumblr site called After iOS7 icons.