"Fold to unlock"? What does that mean? Apple has spent years teaching users about the "Slide to unlock" metaphor and now you want to change the wording? I need to fold my phone? wha?
The contacts list with only pictures of contact's faces, because in the real world I have pictures of EVERYONE on my contact list, my lawyer, the plumber, that guy I met at the conference who quickly swapped numbers with...
The app icons with no names was already dealt with in the post.
I do like the keyboard though.
The first one only looks good because of the background, uniform nature of the icons and omission of app titles.
Think it's going to be a stretch to have all apps adapt the same icon style and users restricted from changing the background.
Nothing wrong with looking to apply a few fresh coats of paint,but unfortunately Apple actually have to think about how it works in the real world, not just how it looks.
People just randomly pointing to things that look half good and saying iOS should be like that is not being helpful.
I guess a lot. Blame the bad title in the blog entry.
http://www.iphonehacks.com/2012/05/unfold-brings-fold-to-unl...
There is also that part of me that naturally thinks "If I can fold it using action then I can unfold it using the opposite action" which would not work in this case.
Although seeing as how someone else commented that this is available on jailbroken iphones I think I am on shaky ground on this one.
1. App icons without app names.
2. A keyboard where the button edges are less clearly identifiable.
3. An app switcher that takes you completely out of your current app (this one is a little more debatable because there are advantages to showing views of other apps)
4. A fold to unlock that ignores the reason that slide to unlock exists, preventing unintentional unlock (fold to unlock would be sensitive to touch across the entire screen)
The messages and contacts designs look slightly more promising. I think it would be interesting and possibly more usable to have a contacts list with faces in it, but in a list view, not necessarily in a 2d grid.
I like the slide-out menu visual metaphor; it seems to give the side-out pattern some of the affordance that is lacking in the current way that slide-outs are animated.
What are the advantages to showing view of other apps ? Other than it looking attractive in mockups.
When I'm switching to an app, I almost always know what app I'm trying to get to, it's contents is rarely useful to know when switching to it.
So personally I've never found the stack switching thing useful in say Windows 7, it actually makes it more confusing because there's more data to take in.
OSX still just keeps it simple with the icons and that seems to work great.
Technically it's a very easy thing for Apple to implement (previews that is) but I suspect they have it like they do because it's actually the better solution.
When using Mission Control, I personally do find value in seeing what my open applications are doing. Often that's a factor in whether I keep them running.
EDIT: I was assuming when you said "...keeps it simple with the icons..." that you were referring to the Dock.
I wouldn't even say they are prettier, but that's a matter of personal preference.
Linkbait anyone?
Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Apple's design choices also create trends that are echoed both on and offline by designers everywhere.
Edit: I think what makes iOS 7 particularly interesting is that, IMHO, many of us have seen Apple falling behind in the area of software design. I personally would love to see Apple regain its reputation here.
Saying that these concepts show bad UX is like saying that a paper sketch lacks polish. It's completely missing the point.
iOS handling of the hand off between apps is nothing short of an embarrassment. The constant ->into this app->out to homescreen->into that app->out to homescreen is a joke at this stage of the game and something needs to be done about it - desperately. there are other issues here and there too but this is a daily embuggerance.
Squawking about stitching and torn pages, etc. frankly makes little sense when the actual affordances of the UI are shamefully out of date.
I pray that Ive is focusing on UX and not just on flat vs skeumorphic design.
iOS is in poor shape at the moment, IMO.
Sorry, but I really have to disagree. Didn't see anything better than the current design.. And if you mean in regards to new design, you don't know hoe that's going to be. A complete rehaul from what I hear, there's nothing innovating in those mockups. Not saying that they look ugly.
I am very excited to see what iOS 7 will bring us and it's good to see people creating their own mockups. Might give Apple even better ideas :)