iOS 7 to see radical redesign making it ‘black, white, and flat all over’

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Rumors, Software

Apple is set to reveal iOS 7 at WWDC in two weeks, and sources have provided details on radical interface changes made to Apple's mobile device software. 9to5Mac reports that Jony Ive, Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design (in charge of both Apple hardware and software design,) has led the charge in giving iOS an entirely fresh coat of paint.

People familiar with the matter are describing iOS 7 as "black, white, and flat all over." In other words, the skeuomorphic textures are going away in favor of a new black and white interface that does away with a lot of the over-the-top shininess and glossiness.

For the upcoming operating system, which Apple says will be unveiled at its June Worldwide Developers Conference, Ive has not simply picked areas of the software design to tweak. He has essentially made his mark on every corner of the operating system, according to descriptions from sources, all while mostly keeping the essence of what has made iOS so ubiquitous.

Other notes include changes to many of the stock apps and features included in iOS, including a redesigned Notification Center, lock screen, keyboard, Mail, Calendar, and more:

[T]he iPhone’s Notes app has replaced the yellow notepad design for a flat white look. Apps such as Mail, Calendar, and Maps have also gained a more uniformed look with flat white textures. While the core elements of those apps are mostly white, each app has been given a unique button color. Essentially, each app has a white base with a respective color theme. For example, the Calendar app could potentially have red buttons, while Messages could have green controls.

There are also reports of new panorama home screen wallpapers that span multiple home screen pages. So, as you swipe, between apps, you are also moving along the panoramic wallpaper in the background, similar to what you can do on Android. FaceTime will likely be contained within its own app, as it is on the iPod touch and iPad, rather than being integrated into the Phone app. We are sure there are many more touches, as well as new APIs for developers and features for users. It's expected that Apple will release a beta version of iOS 7 to developers at the conclusion of the WWDC keynote. When Apple takes the stage on June 10 at WWDC, we'll be here to cover all the new hotness.