Do you like the new iOS 7? Here are some comments on a few new features of it.
On Apple’s WWDC 2013 on Monday, the industry leader from Cupertino, California announced all the new features in its latest mobile operating system. The news was half surprising/half expected, as many of its features met the rumors, yet there were still some announcements that went beyond our expectations. Which feature do you find most interesting? Which one is most helpful to you? Is there anything you don’t like about this new iOS?
Design
The most obvious difference between the latest iOS 7 and the old iOS 6 is the totally new UI design. There were rumors saying that Apple would change its design and go flat, but such an overhaul was still somehow surprising. From the new message interface to the redesigned Safari browser, iOS 7 abandons all the old designs from previous versions and switches into a new, refreshing minimal style. Personally, I like the new design since the old one has been there for too long time and it was due for a change, but I am also concerned whether this new colorful design is acceptable to those who want to be a bit more serious, like many members of the corporate world. Ultimately, it’s hard to judge a design since different people have different views. The consumers will make the decision for themselves.
Control Center and Notification Center
One of the most urgent needs of iOS users has finally been addressed. The control center that has existed in the Android system for a long time is finally available in iOS machines. With one swipe, you will be able to control up to thirteen functions. Those functions include airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness control, music control, AirDrop (not available on iPhone 4/4s and iPad 2/3) and so on. It even has a flashlight control, which pronounces the death of most third-party flashlight apps. In the new notification center, other than just being able to see what you have missed, you will be able to track the agenda for today and have a glance on tomorrow. This is a small but useful upgrade from the previous version.
AirDrop
AirDrop is now embedded in iOS 7. As a totally new feature for iOS, it proves itself to be very useful. You won’t need to use email or text to share files with someone near you. With AirDrop, simply by hitting the share button and you will be able to choose your receiver (who is also using iOS 7) and directly send them the file. This is not a new function for consumers since every Android phone and even the old Symbian Nokia phones have the Bluetooth share function and support third party apps like Bump. What makes AirDrop outstanding is the combination of its ease of use, the fast launching speed, and Apple’s well designed interface.
These three are the most impressive new features and updates I find in iOS 7 based on what I got from WWDC 2013. Other features and updates are mostly good, but they are not unique enough or not significant enough. One thing I wanted to see but did not see on Monday is the change on Apple Maps. It seems like the built-in map app will continue to provide us with horrible services. I hope Apple will fix it in the near future.
The new iOS 7 has received compliments as well as criticisms. Some say that Apple copies some features from its components Android and Windows Phone. It is inevitable that such a thorough update from a system that has existed for so many years will somehow has some similarity with the existing ones, but the effort Apple makes to lead the development of our electronic life is also not to be neglected.
Contributors: Eugene Vnuk & Alex Yakubov