iOS 7

iOS 7 and OS X logos go up at Moscone West

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

Apple yesterday started dressing up the Moscone West building ahead of Monday's keynote. The banners depicting flat icons hint at the iOS 7 redesign while revealing the conference slogan: "Where a whole new world is developing".

Numerous photographs of both the interior and exterior have arrived since and today we capture a glimpse of what looks like the official iOS 7 logo.

Unlike past graphics-heavy iOS logos, the newly revealed signage outside San Francisco's Moscone West depicts an elegant and very thin "7" against the white background. As you could imagine, it oozes minimalism and stylishness, which are said to be key themes behind the major iOS 7 overhaul.

Yes, 7 could mean anything and yes, we're pretty sure Apple meant iOS 7...

SwiftKey maker hopes iOS 7 will allow third-party keyboards

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2018

Unlike iOS, Android from its beginning has had the ability to install third-party keyboard software for on-screen touch typing.

It's actually one of Android's major advantages over iOS: third-party keyboard apps greatly improve upon stock experience with helpful features such as gestures, better voice control, enhanced predictions and even specialized input rules.

There's no other way around the fact that stock iOS keyboard experience hasn’t kept pace with Android in terms of recognition, predictive typing and other capabilities. As much as we'd love Tim Cook & Co. to open up iOS, we'll have to do with the limited stock experience for the time being (unless you're jailbroken, of course).

But that's not stopping folks like TouchType from keeping their fingers crossed. For those unfamiliar with TouchType, they are behind the popular SwiftKey software keyboard for Android phones. Speaking out publicly about the issue, one of TouchType execs clearly has his hopes high on an Apple-sanctioned third-party keyboard development...

Kevin Rose: iOS 7 is ‘very different’ and ‘a big change’

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 6, 2013

If you ask Digg co-founder and Google Ventures partner Kevin Rose, changes in iOS 7 are more than skin deep. Additionally, Rose in the latest episode of The Random Show makes claims - without divulging his sources - that WWDC will bring us updated MacBook Airs.

I approve his message - it's fairly safe to assume Monday's keynote will see a specs upgrade for the Air (Retina, much?) and quite possibly for the Pro, stemming from Intel's just announced fourth-generation Haswell chips.

More importantly, Rose mentions iOS 7 will be "very different" from what we've been accustomed to. The way he phrased it, you may not want to put much faith in iOS 7 renderings and mockups that have been floating around the web...

Interactive iPhone 5S concept lets you play with Jony Ive-sanctioned flat iOS 7

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

With WWDC 2013 almost upon us (five days left), the future of iOS and OS X is all but revealed. Of course, we can't tell for sure what's in store until Tim Cook takes the stage next Monday, but that's not stopping creative minds from churning out new concepts on a daily basis.

As we've gotten a bit fed up with static images, we were pleased to stumble upon a cool-looking iPhone 5S concept that incorporates a Jony Ive-fied flattened iOS 7 mockups.

What sets this one apart is interactivity. This concept is basically a web app that lets you interact with the handset and check out the revamped stock iOS apps. Per usual, you should take it with a grain of salt as it's based on what the rumor mill thinks it's learned thus far about Apple's major redesign...

Apple looking to add new AirDrop file sharing feature in iOS 7

Cody Lee ∙ June 2, 2013

Everything we've heard regarding iOS 7 up to this point suggests that the update will be rather significant in terms of UI changes. Icons and several other elements have been reportedly redesigned to give the software a more modern look. But what about new features?

According to a new report, in addition to improved in-car behavior for Siri and Maps, and system-level integration of Vimeo and Flickr, Apple is also working on AirDrop for iOS. The feature, which is already available on OS X, will make it easier than ever to share files with other iOS devices...

What some iOS 7 stock app icons might look like

Sébastien Page ∙ Updated April 11, 2018

Much has been said about Apple's management shakeup that happened last October. If Scott Forstall's departure came out as a bombshell, the fact that Jony Ive, Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, was made the head of the newly created Human Interface group was less of surprise.

Now in charge of everything design, Ive has been expected to give iOS a facelift by getting rid of, or at least by minimizing all use of skeuomorphism in Apple's mobile operating system. But it doesn't stop here!

Something we've been hearing for a while when talking about Ive's possible take on an iOS makeover is the word "flat". Not flat as in boring. Flat as in simpler. This was confirmed last week when 9to5Mac reported that according to their sources, iOS 7 might be black, white, and flat all over.

What does that mean for parts of the UI such as app icons? Our friend Sonny Dickson got his hands on a blurry screenshot showing the Home screen of an iPhone running iOS 7. The image quality is terrible, but with the help of talented designer Surenix, we were able to reproduce some of these icons to give you an exclusive look at what some stock app icons on iOS 7 might look like.

If we had to describe the changes in one word, that would be: unified...

Pod2g: Apple could open up iOS by releasing alternate firmware for developers

Cody Lee ∙ May 31, 2013

Earlier this week, Tim Cook turned some heads when he told folks at the D11 conference that they could expect Apple to "open up more" in the future, in regards to 3rd party developers. The company, as you well know, currently rules iOS with an iron fist.

Unsurprisingly, Cook's comment has sparked some speculation in the jailbreak community, on what Apple's plans might be for opening up iOS more. And earlier today, Pod2g weighed in, and he thinks it could do it by releasing alternate firmware...

Tim Cook talks iTV, iWatch, iOS 7 and more at D11 conference

Cody Lee ∙ May 28, 2013

Tim Cook just kicked off AllThingsD's D11 conference with an on-stage interview with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher. The conference has become a major event for Apple, with Steve Jobs attending several of them, and Cook now a returning veteran speaker.

And he didn't disappoint. The CEO was surprisingly candid, answering all kinds of questions from what he thinks of Google Glass, to his thoughts on the state of the TV market. He even confirmed Jony Ive is working on iOS 7. We've got a full recap after the break...

Poll: who’s excited about black & white iOS 7 facelift?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

If you've been following Apple stories lately, chances are you came across a news piece last week that calls for a black and white iOS 7 redesign.

You know, the facelift reportedly in the works under the guidance of Apple's legendary design guru Jony Ive. It should be, in a word, awesome.

As asserted by the very reliable writer Mark Gurman, Ive not only got rid of skeumorphism, he also eliminated the shine and transparent gloss for one that’s flat and mostly black and white.

And with two weeks until Apple's June 10 keynote at WWDC 2013, we'll soon find out just how deep the rabbit hole of visual changes in iOS 7 go. For now, we're asking you to join the discussion and tell us where you stand on the black & white iOS 7 revamp...

New iOS 7 concept features panoramic wallpaper, quick reply and more

Cody Lee ∙ May 27, 2013

With WWDC now just a few weeks away, and more details about iOS 7 coming light, anticipation for Apple's next-gen mobile operating system is almost through the roof. Everyone wants to know what the company has planned for the future of its platform.

Well if these two designers get their way, iOS 7 will include a number of new features like support for panoramic wallpapers and quick reply for messages. Here's a new iOS 7 concept from Christian Lue of ChanluChannel and Ran Avni of ConceptsiPhone...

Jony Ive’s iOS 7 remake: black, white, flat all over

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 24, 2018

When Apple's former iOS honcho Scott Forstall was dumped, stories were told of he and design guru Jonathan Ive nearly coming to blows over the prevailing use of realistic shapes and textures within the mobile software. Now comes a claim the design change of the upcoming iOS 7 will be "black, white, and flat all over."

Ive, Apple's Senior Vice President of Industrial Design and newly-minted head of Human Interface across the company, has essentially proposed a radical break with the iOS former Apple co-founder Steve Jobs unveiled in 2007, introducing a look and feel he believes will stand the test of time...