Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 7, hits the streets today, and folks seem to fall in to two camps. There’s the “greatest thing since the Ronco Bread Slicer” camp, and the “what the hell have you done to my iOS?” camp. We’ve scanned the net to see what first day reviewers have to say about iOS 7. Take a look and see what your favorite reviewers think, then share your opinions of Apple’s new iOS version in the comments section below.
I have been using iOS 7 for the last month or so as my full time operating system. Not only have I gotten used to it, I quickly came to prefer it over iOS 6.
There are a lot of features that I can pick out in iOS 7 that I really like: Control Center, Notification Center, Multitasking, Camera app, and iTunes Radio—I love iTunes Radio. The accuracy of the songs it chooses is amazing. However, I would be hard pressed to pick out anything in iOS 7 that I just don’t like at all.
Nobody likes change, but sometimes change is for the best. iOS 7 is one of those changes.
I think Apple has managed to come as close as any company can to perfectly balancing new — an exciting new look that recaptures users’ interest — and now — enough familiarity that panic will be kept to a minimum.
The new look of the operating system is fantastic once the icons stop triggering your gag reflex, there are tons of new APIs for developers to take advantage of — the most important of which may be more expansive background functionality — and there are several great new features like Control Panel and iTunes Radio. There are even fresh new wallpapers and ringtones to enjoy.
In iOS 7, which comes pre-loaded on the 5c and the 5s, skeuomorphism is out (finally!) and flat is in, but unlike Windows Phone and other flat UIs, iOS 7 restores some depth with layers, translucency and even parallax. It looks amazing, especially on the colorful iPhone 5c, and shows what’s possible when hardware and software are designed as one.
Still, our favorite addition to iOS 7 is Control Center. Swiping up from the bottom of the screen brings up a panel that contains toggles for WiFi, Bluetooth and other settings; sliders for brightness and volume; media playback controls; buttons for AirDrop / AirPlay; and shortcuts to the camera, timer and more (there’s even a flashlight).
Apple’s visual overhaul received a lot of knee-jerk criticism when it was revealed at WWDC earlier this year, but in practice, the visual changes are actually quite pleasant, and grow on a user with time. Looking back now, iOS 6 feels dated, despite the fact that when I first started using iOS 7 I felt it was inferior in terms of look and feel to the older OS. Apple’s new look with iOS 7 takes acclimating, but on the whole, it’s an improvement.
Control Center simplifies and makes much more useful what was a somewhat confusingly arranged media player/AirPlay/brightness & volume control quick access feature attached to the app drawer in iOS 6. Separating it from that function and making it accessible throughout the iOS user interface via a simple swipe up from bottom is a really big improvement.
AirDrop […] It’s a very easy method for sharing pictures from one device to a family member’s or friend’s, and requires fewer steps than sending an email. You can make AirDrop available to anyone on your current network, or lock it down to just your Contacts. This feature is great, but leaves me wishing Apple had set it up to work between iOS and Mac, which isn’t yet possible.
Apple has done more than just change the way iOS looks and feels. It has also reimagined the way iOS works.
With iOS 7, Apple has tried to impose a single, consistent experience across its OS and apps. Not in terms of making apps that all look the same, but rather by establishing a vocabulary of design that could be used to construct apps.
I give Control Center a hearty thumbs up: It’s certainly made my life easier. That’s not to say it couldn’t stand a couple improvements.
For too long, users had to delve into the depths of the Settings menus to toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other radios, among other hardware functions. Enough is enough; the much-discussed Control Center is a breeze to use, and a breath of fresh air for those who are conscious of their battery life.
From swipe up to swipe down, hidden and “rolled up” at the top of the display is the Notification Center, ready to update you on the progress of your day — and then some.
Sounds like iOS 7 is debuting to positive reviews all around! But what do you think? Are you excited about iOS 7? Will you install it immediately, or will they take iOS 6 away from you when they pry it from your cold, dead device? Let us know what you think about iOS 7, and if you’ll be upgrading immediately, in the comments section below.
Not sure whether to upgrade to iOS 7 right away? We’ve put together an upgrade guide to help you decide – check it out! Make sure to check out our full iOS 7 coverage for all the details.
