Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres
Why change after you find perfection?
Jobs had a closet full of identical turtlenecks and jeans because he never saw a reason to change his look.
Android, like a good fashion victim, changes its look every six months.  |
Jobs never changed his wardrobe because he was aiming for a simplicity that was aesthetically pleasing
to him. It was a highly individual thing. But it would be a terribly boring and constricting world if everyone were forced to wear the same identical turtlenecks and jeans that Jobs wore. Do Mao suits come to mind? Well guess what? For many, the iOS interface has become the technological equivalent of the Jobs uniform -- or Mao suit. It's boring. Staid. And rigid.
The iOS for many is neither the simplest to use or the most aesthetically pleasing. The lack of widgets means extra steps to access vital functions. The inability to clear off the home screen and retain only the most vital functions means visual clutter and less efficient and concise navigation. The locked-in icon grid almost fully obscures most wallpaper designs, making personal choices almost moot.
So, ironically, the company that told us to think different has made it almost impossible to do so when it comes to the GUI of their flagship product.
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple attempted to make a major change in iOS in the near future in order to liven up their interface. But they will be very limited, I think. For, in another irony, it may be their own litigious behavior that may hold them back. Google and Samsung have already staked out much of the graphical interface territory that iOS could have moved into. Widgets, search boxes, and calendars on the home page? Check, check, and check. Multiple open windows? Check. They've all been done by the competition. Apple can't very well keep on suing others for copying their interface while they do the same. Without all the lawsuits, they might have gotten away with it. So, I also wouldn't be surprised if iOS 8, 9 and 10 look pretty much the same as iOS 3 and 4. Which means same old, same old.
--Pat