Apple is betting big on the Sir Jony Ive effect on the iOS 7 overhaul. According to Bloomberg, who spoke with some ‘sources’ close to the operation, the ‘delay’ has been done to allow Ive all the time he needs to get the complete iOS redesign done. If the same sources are to be believed, the Mac team has been asked to help get the final preview ready for showcase at WWDC this summer.
There is no doubt that Apple has to come out with a rather new OS, considering the current iOS is looking rather jaded as the likes of Android, Windows Phone and even BlackBerry with OS 10 now have much more modern interface. Till now, iOS had a very skeuomorphic interface, meaning that apps attempted to have a real world look, like a bookshelf for iBooks. It is believed that Sir Jony Ive will chuck all that out of the window and give the new OS a ‘flatter’ design while retaining the simplicity and user friendliness. The sources also suggest that the software and hardware teams are now working together on the new OS, something that wasn’t the case till now.
It was six months ago, when Sir Ive was given the additional responsibility of software redesign, over and above the hardware bit, after the departure of Scott Forstall.
Just to refresh your memory, Daring Fireball had reported sometime back that testers under a daily routine usage scenario were using a few iPhones running iOS 7, with special privacy screens on them to keep the secret within the phone!
The reason for this delay with iOS 7 is two pronged – 1. The confidence on Sir Ive hased Apple to take an ‘all hands on board’ approach to help him out and 2. They do not want a repeat of the Maps-sort!
Source: Bloomberg