iOS 7 Beta
This week I finally decided to install the latest beta software on my phone.
After two full days with the software, I have to say I think it's excellent. It looks good, and more importantly, it works very well. It's changing how I use the iPhone for the better.
Before I dig into what I like, I'd like to address some concerns about all the changes to the software.
Apple blogger Jim Dalyrmple believes people are going to freak out when they download the new iOS. After all, it's a big change to the look of the software. The fonts are thinner, the big glossy buttons are gone, and Apple's stock icons have been totally changed.
I don't think people are going to have major freak outs. The way you use iOS hasn't changed, just the look. The basic usage patterns are just about the same.
Will some people find the new look odd? Sure. But, for the most part, it's actually not that disconcerting.
So what jumps out? Here are my general thoughts on the new OS:
The new icons for Apple's apps aren't a big deal. After Apple announced iOS 7, every designer with access to Photoshop and Illustrator whipped up a new (and in their opinion) better version of Apple's icons. On the phone, I barely even notice Apple's icons. (Although, this might be because I don't use many of Apple's native apps.) But, even the Safari icon, which looked the worst doesn't seem all that bad.
The background of your phone is much more important in iOS 7. The color of your background will color much of what you do on the phone. I have grass as my background, which means the whole phone has a green look to it. The bottom row of docked apps have a green background, the folders have a green background, the notification center has a green background when I pull it down. This is because Apple uses a frosted glass style to create layers, so your background influences everything. I don't mind it, but it does make you think more about your wallpaper choice.
The new control center is awesome. I've wanted Apple to add easy access to settings like WiFi, Bluetooth, and Airplane mode for a long time. It finally added that with control center, which you get from swiping up on the screen from the bottom. In addition to that stuff, you get easy access to the clock, calculator, flashlight, and camera. Previously, I had the settings app, the clock app, and the camera app on my home screen. I can now stuff them in a folder at the back of my iPhone and make room for other apps. This is great news for me, and it's great news for developers who have a better shot at getting to the all-important front screen of the iPhone.
The notification center is much improved. Much like Google Now, Apple now tells you about what's coming up for your day. The weather, reminders, calendar appointments, and stocks are all neatly laid out in the notification center. It's a very good organizer. However, looking at it only makes me think that Apple should be allowing us to pick our default apps. I started using Clear as my to-do list app, so I'd like to have that in the notification center.
There are new animations, and they're a bit off. Apple changed the way apps open and there's something that feels slower than in the past. Maybe this will change as the software is improved, but for now they feel deliberate and just a touch weird.
Overall, it's a cleaner look. It's a welcome refresh, and I love it. I think when the general public gets their hands on it, they're going to like it too.
iOS 7 introduces great new features like Control Center, AirDrop for iOS, and smarter multitasking. It also makes the things you do every day even easier, faster, and more enjoyable. And while many of the apps look different, the way you do things feels perfectly familiar. So from day one, you know how to use the world’s most advanced mobile OS. In its most advanced form.
Control Center gives you quick access to the controls and apps you always seem to need right this second. Just swipe up from any screen — including the Lock screen — to do things like switch to Airplane mode, turn Wi-Fi on or off, or adjust the brightness of your display. You can even shine a light on things with a new flashlight. Never has one swipe given you so much control.
Multitasking has always been a smart way to switch between apps. Now it’s even smarter. Because iOS 7 learns when you like to use your apps and can update your content before you launch them. So if you tend to check your favorite social app at 9:00 a.m. every day, your feed will be ready and waiting for you. That’s multitasking in iOS 7. It knows what you want to do before you do.
Camera in iOS 7 puts all your shooting formats — still, video, panorama, and now square — front and center. With a swipe, you can capture what you want the way you want.1 Fast. And new filters let you do even more with each image. Give it a retro feel. Dial up the contrast.
Or go black and white. Artistic license is all yours.
Or go black and white. Artistic license is all yours.
Tunes Radio features streaming radio stations you’ll love from day one — from the best selection of music. The more you listen, the more personalized it becomes. And it’s available on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, and Apple TV for free. It’s radio re-imagined.
Siri in iOS 7 gets a new look, a new sound, and new capabilities. It features a redesigned interface that fades into view — on top of whatever’s on your screen. A clearer, more natural-sounding female or male voice makes Siri even easier to understand. It’s faster at answering questions and it checks more sources, such as Bing, Wikipedia, and Twitter. And Siri takes on extra tasks, like returning calls, playing voicemail, controlling iTunes Radio, and more.
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