UPDATE: The recently revealed iOS 7 polarizes Apple lovers.
By Antonio Serros, Staff Writer
After months of waiting and numerous attempts at installing beta versions that may or may not have ruined iPhones, Apple finally unveiled a completely revamped iOS 7. And as usual, the whole world itched with anticipation and excitement for the latest Apple update.
Apple daringly adopted an entirely new aesthetic with iOS 7, giving the new software more cosmetic updates than Joan Rivers. From a brand new control center to renovated multitasking technology, the update reflects Apple’s desperate eagerness to catch up with Android’s threatening popularity.
The new home screen features simplistic, cartoonish icons that look as though they were stolen from a Fisher Price mock-iPhone. For years Apple prided itself on a very minimalistic, streamline operating system that separated it from its competitors; now Apple is trying to dress like the cooler, popular kids. The icons’ shockingly bright colors take away from what was once a very professional-looking phone, instead appealing to a younger, Starbucks-drinking, beanie-wearing generation.
Upon unlocking the iPhone, the apps rapidly run in, finding their place on the home screen like nervous school children. While initially entertaining, the theatricality eventually loses its appeal, especially when you try to quickly unlock your phone and open an app. For this, Apple has a long-awaited solution.
Android has offered the luxury of a control center for years, and Apple has finally caught up. Pulling up from the bottom of the screen reveals a plethora of options for control, such as music, brightness, airplane mode, wifi and even a readily available flashlight. Added features like the control center eliminate the need for separate apps or endless back-and-forth adventures from app to app just to change a song or increase brightness.
In a further attempt to appeal to the average twenty-first century iPhone user, Apple made a few friendly modifications to the camera. Users can now capture square pictures, making them instantaneously ready to be exported to Instagram for a series of confidence-boosting likes. On top of that, nine real-time filters can be applied to pictures as they’re taken, cutting out the laborious task of opening another app.
Multitasking is made miles easier in iOS 7. In this version, double-tapping the home button reveals a series of scaled-down, running applications that can be effortlessly flicked away. Apple eliminated the guessing game of “should I close this app or not?”with a simple, warmly welcomed, updated multitasking feature.
Siri is back with a new makeover and she is sassier than ever. A new wavelength that loosely mimics that of your voice makes for an enjoyable experience. However, other than providing cheeky jokes and monotonous sarcasm, Siri is about as useless as she’s always been. Does anyone legitimately use Siri for her intended purpose?
Lastly, amongst the most notable improvements lies Safari. While many disliked Safari for its complexities, it returns with a lot to offer. With built-in privacy options and layered page view, iOS 7’s Safari squashes its former, pre-pubescent iOS 6 self.
On one hand, the multidimensional transparencies of iOS 7 completely redefine Apple’s aesthetic, drawing in an entirely new era of Apple-loving clients. On the other hand, it signals the end of an era and Apple’s thirst for triumph since iOS 7 mirrors Android software. Like Apple’s cliché “new” software, I leave you with the statement: Love it or hate it, it is here to stay. (Trust me, I’ve already checked the Internet for a way to uninstall it.)