This time , just a yr ago , very few multitude knew the terms“skeuomorphism ” and “ flat purpose . ” We complained about the kind of leathery design of some apps on iOS and OS X , but in general , the UI of Apple ’s nomadic operating system was just fine . Then , in just a few calendar week , everything change — and suddenly flat design was the new mode everybody was talking about .
Google didan excellent jobpioneering this raw design motion , but what about Apple ? Apple panicked , fired the Billie Jean King of skeuomorphism Scott Forstall , and replaced him with Jony I ve to lend a minimum and categorical aim to iOS .
Apple ’s introduction of Io 7 has been the large change to its peregrine operating system since the first appearance of the iPhone . Gone are the heavy title apps , texturized backgrounds , rich drop shadows and large buttons . The new iOS 7 is characterise by colorful light slope , no shadows , lots of lily-white space and the absence of rich , pressable buttons . While I can applaud Apple for a few alteration ( no more leather textures ) , I do n’t really get many of the design determination made by Jony I ve ( and his squad ) .
Shadows
Apple has completely stripped Io 7 of all ( fall ) shadower . In part , that ’s a skilful thing , because Apple really has overuse shadows . The calendar picture is a select example of an advance over iOS 6 .
Too . Much . Shadow .
But Apple has decided to dismantle all trace from the full operating system . And that ’s the problem . I do n’t know how they came up with the melodic theme that shadow are not “ allowed ” in flat user interfaces . trace help to secernate between two objects , and in some cases , empathise that one is above another . They help to communicate the hierarchy of component to the user . In the fount of the Calendar icon , for instance , the red banner clearly is above the white paper .
The New Home Screen
have ’s take care at the new place screen . Previously , shadows were used to seperate app icons from the usage background signal . This is essential to the approximation of interchangeable , customized backgrounds . Because users can shift their home screens to any mental image they want , it is the duty of the operating system to set accordingly . Pre - iOS 7 , shadows were used to accomplish this . If an icon accidentally has the same color as the background , ( Inner Light ) dropshadows help to differentiate them . lease ’s see what happens in iOS 7 if you have a white ( or very bright ) and black ( or very dark ) background knowledge .
assay a white ( or black ) background double in iOS7 .
Yeah , that ’s right . Thanks to the new “ no shadow”-policy of Apple , ikon like the Calendar ikon or the clock seem to go away , melting into the ground . There is n’t a clear or visible deviation between the ikon and the background . At first , this does n’t seem like a vast issue , because who in the world is using a unanimous white or inglorious background signal , right ? Sure . But I ’ve notice that this is the main ground the fresh home projection screen looks and feels so eldritch .
A user has to be able to quickly find and focus on the app he or she want to open . The young home screen have this process much hard , thanks to the lack of vestige and distinction between the app icon and background figure of speech . This not only impress one - color backgrounds but also very vivid background images which partake colors with the new icons .
It would n’t be hard to resolve that problem . Indeed , Apple solved it a few years ago with ( drop-)shadows . Just add a elusive ( grey ) glow around the edge , and it ’s already much easy for the user to read the interface .
Much better . And to see how useful a elusive shadow is with photograph background , countenance ’s have a look at the following mockup .
A little alteration , but a big impingement . It ’s much easy to find and rivet on icons in the mockup on the right . I ’ve also added the same subtle phantom to the app names because they are also very difficult to learn in some situations .
Maps
Even in apps like Apple ’s own Maps app , shadows have completely disappeared . The white bar below is on top of the Maps layer . Since the map itself expend quite bright colors , it ’s difficult for our head to key between the function and the control element . If you add up the same vestige we ’ve used on the homescreen , though , it gets much well-situated to see the line where the maps end and the control board start .
I ’ve also sum up a shadow to the adress / hunting input , because without it does n’t look like something you could interact with . It does n’t look like you could tap it and introduce text .
These were only two very basic changes , done in a few minutes , and you’re able to see the shock yourself .
Bottom Line
I really do n’t infer why Apple has altogether cut shadows from their belated UI . While Google and others use subtle tincture to enhance their drug user interface and make it easier for the substance abuser to interpret , Apple seems to have forgotten about that elementary but powerful technique .
What do you think ? Have you something to add ? charge me atweetor scuttlebutt below .
This post originally appeared on Fabian Pimminger’sblog . Fabian is a programmer with a design background concerned in UI and all the things digital . He is base in Austria , and his web site can be foundhere .
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