Durban - With technology and the internet such an integral part of our lives today, I’m never short of something to write about. But even by those standards, the past week has been a busy one for news, rumours and revelations.
It started in San Francisco on Monday when Apple released the next version of its phone and tablet operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
With Sir Jony Ive in charge of the redesign, Apple watchers were expecting something special and, in large part, they weren’t disappointed. The British industrial designer is a legend in tech circles for his stunning hardware designs, including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air, so expectations were understandably high when he turned his considerable talents to software.
And it’s clear he’s stamped his mark on iOS 7. He’s a vocal critic of skeuomorphism, the approach to interface design that mimics real-world objects. In Apple’s case it’s meant wood-grained book shelves in iBooks, a linen-lined notification panel, realistic 3D legal pad in Notes and fake leather in “Find My Friends”.
All that is gone in the new OS, starting with a fresh new font, a new-look lock screen and default application icons which are flatter, if not completely two-dimensional. It’s got an altogether airier and flatter feel. Most apps have a white background and the keyboard is whiter and translucent.
There’s a new control centre pull-up tray available from the lock-screen that lets you adjust brightness, volume, wi-fi and other settings as well as tabs for quick access to the camera, music and even a nifty torch.
Other changes in iOS 7 include the ability to multitask between all third-party apps, a much-improved camera app, long-overdue update to the photo gallery and a beefed-up Siri with a slightly different voice, new languages and the ability to turn on Bluetooth or adjust the screen brightness.
Apple also introduced iTunes Radio, its answer to streaming music services such as Spotify and Pandora.
The tech giant hasn’t given a release date for iOS 7, saying it’ll arrive around our spring. The reaction has been largely positive, although several commentators have remarked on its striking resemblance to the rival Windows Phone 8 and Android mobile operating systems. Ironic, given Apple’s tendency to cry “copycat” at the drop of a skeuomorphically felt-lined digital hat.
For links to more details of iOS 7 and the new consoles, visit alanqcooper.tumblr.com or follow @alanqcooper on Twitter. - Sunday Tribune