“Flat” Interfaces are Killing Me
As you all know, there have been some wonderful apps out in the world of iOS. Even Windows Phone 7 and Android. But I’d like to call out an app or two that I feel are squeezing there way past WP7 and into iOS. These are, as I will say numerous times throughout this post, my own opinion. Now, let’s get to it.
Recently, VSCO Cam by Visual Supply Company, was shown off in this video. My first reaction was, “Why is it so… flat”.
Is this the new comings of designer’s styles for the future of iOS? Personally, it reminds me of WP7. I was always lead to believe that iOS had it’s own distinctive style- this style that you can “fall in love with”. Would you be able to fall in love with this flat interface?
It’s not really a matter of fact that people can’t fall in love with anything except Apple products. I suppose it’s more so about being able to have a connection- an emotional one. All Apple products (referring to iOS in this case) have this touchable feeling when they’re in your presence. Structure and aesthetics are a couple of the factors that add into this phenomenon. But I would have to say the underlying factor would absolutely have to be their use of skeuomorphism (or at least their flat-less designing style). There aren’t any buttons in iOS that are just clear strokes now is there? That’s WP7 style I believe. The skeuomporhic ways Apple chooses can truly make it seem as though your mind is processing that you’re pressing a physical button, sliding an object, or flipping an actual page.
I love that about iOS. It feels so real. It does create this emotional connection. And my proof that the general public likes iOS more than its competitors lies in Apple’s domination of product awareness via mouth and their astonishing accomplishments in revenue. Here’s a little example (Cult of Mac). Of course Apple’s products wouldn’t be the center of conversation if it wasn’t for Apple’s great advertising and reputation (oh and their incredible App Store!). Because of their skeuomorphic path and careful design decisions, people generally think of the iPhone as a dominant smart phone. I say that because here’s how my conversation always goes:
Friend- “Hey”
Me- “Hey what’s up?”
Friend- “I got a new phone!”
Me- “Oh cool what kind?”
Friend- “Not an iPhone.”
Me- “Than what is it..?”
My cookie-cutter-conversation usually continues for another two minutes (until I’m rather bored), but I hoped you picked up what I’m trying to convey. Apple’s iPhone is all the rage. With their beautifully designed mobile OS and its collection of 3rd party apps that usually follow certain principles (cough cough *the HIG* cough cough), no wonder the iPhone is such a success. Great designing principles lead to great apps. Great apps lead to a great reputation. A great reputation leads to a growth in revenue.
But can this success be ruined with flat designed? I doubt it. Yet, it’s possible. That skeuomorphic style is exactly what defines iOS. So would apps that don’t take advantage of this style help bring down the quality of iOS? That one’s up to you. I try to stay as far away from flat-like styles, mainly for one reason: of not feeling natural in iOS.
Retina Macs Are All the Rage
I’ve grown tired of these retina-Mac-rumors. Truth is they are bound to happen. Why? Well..
All iOS products are soon going to be gaining these beautiful screens. Actually, only the iPad has to catch up.
But it’s not that the iMac is left out which is making them move to retina displays. Truth of the matter is, retina displays make Apple products less like a piece of technology and more human friendly. With retina displays on the iPhone, for example, you can no longer see pixels, thus creating this illusion. If iMacs and MacBooks receive this wonderful gift, then they too will seem less human like.
If I’m not mistaking, Apple’s computer was one of the first to speak? I remember watching an apple keynote, with our ever-so missed, Steve Jobs showing off a new computer (was it the iMac?). Anyways, he demonstrated it’s speaking capabilities which, in my opinion, makes it truly less computer-like.
Steve wanted us to fall in love with our devices. He wanted them to be magical, he wanted them to be unlike any other product. And the retina display will help us get there. One screen at a time.
The Positive and Negative Question
I’ve come to realize that I actually sit and stare at my work. But not only do I look, I mumble questions such as: “Does it work?” “Does it fail?” “What if I did this” “What if I didn’t do this?” “How much of this do I need?” “How much don’t I need?” After analyzing myself, I came to the conclusion that asking myself the “positive and negative” of each question helps me narrow my search and discover what works and not. It helps me reach in. Farther than I could by staring at it. And it works. My advice? Ask questions. Question your own work to see if it can be better. But don’t ask questions that are just strung together. Make sure they link together, like a puzzle piece. You’ll find much improvement in your work.
It’s Not Multitasking
I was recently swiping through my iPhone, flicking up and down, side to side, in and out of apps, when my mom became angry with me because she said “I neglected to listen to her.” I replied with, “I’m multitasking.”
She looked at me as though I was lying, which I wasn’t just for the record, and walked away.
I don’t really know why that incident led up to this post, but it seemed to have inspired it. Our phones, for the most part, don’t multitask. We do, but our phones and tablets can’t. Actually, I can only speak for the iPad since its the only tablet I’ve become familiar with. But that still doesn’t steer away from the point. They don’t multitask. Sort of.
Let’s begin by breaking down multitasking. My personal definition: to take part in two or more tasks at once, side by side at an equal rate or level. Dictionary.com: “doing more than one thing at the same time”.
Although I respect Dictionary.com, I formed an opinion to oppose the one they published. You see, if your doing more than one thing at the same time, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are “multitasking”. For instance, I may be cooking up something oh so good in the oven for an hour while I write this. Am I multitasking? According to dictionary.com, yes. But let’s zoom out a bit- I’m letting the oven cook while I type up this article. I’m not exactly cooking and typing at the /same/ time, I’m merely letting the food cook in the oven while I go complete something else. I’m letting the food cook, or on mobile application terms, I’m letting it “run in the background”.
Run in the background is the correct term. Multitasking is not. Again, in my definition, I say “side by side”. Apps run in the background, not side by side. If they did, I would expect hearing little explosions.
Since I have an iPhone (and it was the original smartphone of its kind) I’ll pick on it. The iPhone introduced a unique interface that allowed immense focus on apps. They take up the entire screen. All the controls are in the app, not outside of it. Therefore, if the iPhone truly introduced “multitasking” then it would allow you to see the interface of multiple apps at the same time on the screen, side by side.
Yet, it doesn’t. It allows the apps to run in the background. And to add more to this situation, Apple doesn’t even allow applications to truly run in the background.
When you exit an app that boasts “multitasking capabilities” it uses Apple’s APIs (correct me if I’m wrong) to pause the app until you return. That’s not even running in the background. But it does a great job on saving battery!
Maybe it’s a good thing we can’t truly multitask on our phones. Steve Job’s greatest gift to me was the lessons he brought into this world. One of them, being focus. If you’ve noticed, Apple created a device that’s unobtrusive and simple. The reason it’s so simple is because the phone lacks hardware buttons which causes distraction from the software. There’s your focus! Right there! The software is the main focus, and even more are the apps that live beneath the smooth glass we interact with.
Multitasking just isn’t there. Running in the background, more so, but not multitasking. Maybe these devices that we’ve come to love just can’t multitask. But is multitasking a good thing anyways? For now, let’s just use phrase “running in the background”. It makes more sense.
