Matt Gemmel on iOS 7

Wonderfully worded and impressively well thought-out, Matt Gemmel’s article iOS 7 is easily the best piece on the topic I have read since the WWDC keynote address. In explaining the motivation behind Apple’s complete UI overhaul in iOS7, he began his one-two punch with this paragraph:

“The thing is, we’ve grown up. We don’t require hand-holding to tell us what to click or tap. Interactivity is a matter of invitation, and physical cues are only one specific type. iOS 7 is an iOS for a more mature consumer, who understands that digital surfaces are interactive, and who doesn’t want anything getting in the way of their content.”

Then, following up, he said something curiously familiar before moving on with the article:

“The basic functionality hasn’t changed. You still use iOS in the same way, and almost everything is where you expect it to be. The same gestures work. There are a few differences here and there - it’s a major new version of the OS, after all - but the changes are mostly aesthetic. You won’t be confused by iOS 7 if you’re accustomed to a previous version.”