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Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

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Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#221

Post by beAbU »

Someone1234 wrote: post #177
ricokatayama wrote: post #141

When Apple introduced the whole skeuomorphic analogy, they did it because they needed to make a new way of interacting with touch-based apps feel tangible. That seemed totally fair. When Apple brought a spatial analogy to the Vision Pro, it also felt fair they were thinking in terms of volume and dimensions, after all, they were teaching people how to interact with a new reality. I can even understand Apple wanting t…

> When Apple introduced the whole skeuomorphic analogy, they did it because they needed to make a new way of interacting with touch-based apps feel tangible. Skeuomorphism was on the Apple Lisa in 1983, and they didn't invent it. Apple's first touch device wasn't until ten years later in 1993 in the Newton MessagePad. The MessagePad didn't really have "apps," that wasn't until like 2008 when it was added to the iPhon…

You are right, I believe skeuomorphism was basically the first approach for graphical user interfaces when they came out. The "save" icon being a floppy disk has been around for literal decades.

I can be argued that the Xerox Alto (1973) had skeuomorphic elements to it's GUI.

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#223

Post by diggan »

_aavaa_ wrote: post #120
nharada wrote: post #3

I wonder how much of this transparent/glass design language is setting Apple up for AR interfaces where UI is overlaid on what you're looking at. Since you literally cannot have fully opaque elements with AR glasses this would be a smart way to ensure overall design is unified across platforms.

Also a great way to speed up hardware upgrades. Each new os update can add more computationally expensive frills to make the older phones slow down.

This was also my first thought, "imagine how many who think their device is too old after installing this "everything transparent" OS update". I bet shareholders will love it though.

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#224

Post by BoorishBears »

n42 wrote: post #180
grishka wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They've already started ruining the desktop experience with the macOS 11 redesign and there's no sign of them stopping. For example, the recent settings app redesign that no one asked for broke the fundamental desktop UI design rule that controls never scroll, only content does.

one of my favorite examples of how bad the System Settings app is: find where the Default Browser setting is, without using search.

Your smoking gun is to not use the app in the most intuitive and obvious way?

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#226

Post by JadeNB »

wmeredith wrote: post #118
dmix wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I figured out why I don't like the icons https://www.lux.camera/content/images/size/w2400/2025/05/Mai... zoomed out they look blurry and unrefined, but when viewed zoomed in and large (like how a designer probably created them) they look kinda nice. Too bad they will all be small on iphone.

I find the assumption that these icons were designed huge and never tested at smaller sizes kind of baffling. There may be a difference in taste, but to think that Apple wouldn't look at their icons at different sizes is really, uh, something.

I think your parent said that they look good at some sizes and bad at others, and pointed out that this could be explained by their only being tested at the larger sizes, but didn't say that they necessarily believed that's what happened. The alternative, "tested but don't care," may be worse. (Or maybe you're disagreeing with the aesthetic judgment?)

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#227

Post by grishka »

n42 wrote: post #180
grishka wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They've already started ruining the desktop experience with the macOS 11 redesign and there's no sign of them stopping. For example, the recent settings app redesign that no one asked for broke the fundamental desktop UI design rule that controls never scroll, only content does.

one of my favorite examples of how bad the System Settings app is: find where the Default Browser setting is, without using search.

Oh wow. Took me several minutes of aimlessly poking around.

Actually, even without that, the grouping and the hierarchy don't make sense. Why are some things top-level items and other under "general"? Same for "privacy and security" (I assume that's what it's called in English), for some reason "passwords", "lock screen" and "touch ID and password" are separate top-level items even though they do very much belong to "privacy and security".

The more you look at it, the less sense it makes.

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#228

Post by keyringlight »

LoganDark wrote: post #168
kylehotchkiss wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

so what you're saying is that we need to resurrect skeuomorphism?

Skeuomorphism in the sense of exactly mimicking existing physical interfaces probably mostly not, but skeuomorphism in the sense of using physically-inspired visual effects to add depth to a virtual interface I think so for sure. Liquid glass is so damn pretty.

I think modern skeuomorphism must be in a weird spot compared to a few decades ago. Right now our real world devices designers would be inspired are less likely to have physical controls, so the virtual versions are pulling from a more distant original source that's already been through a few degrees of separation. If the original industrial design that computer interface graphics was pulling from was the rise of industrial and consumer electronics through the 20th century (the various switches, dials, indicators, tuning knobs, etc), what new physical design is there to inspire that isn't feeding on itself.

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#229

Post by alberth »

Aqua, reminds me of OS X (Aqua theme) from 20+ years ago.

And while it was very pretty, the movement away from translucency was due in large part because of accessibility (for all users).

It's actually quite difficult to see controls (and read text) when not on a flat/solid background.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqua_(user_interface)

Re: Apple introduces a universal design across platforms

#230

Post by JKCalhoun »

plainOldText wrote: post #200

This looks horrible to be honest. This new liquid glass will lead to liquid brain, because my brain will be melting trying to process all that visual mess daily. Now of course, I'll have to experience this new design in practice to be sure, but judging from the screenshots it looks really hard on the eyes. Hopefully they'll allow the translucency to be customized. Apple had a good run, I've genuinely enjoyed using th…

I agree that it seems to be a move toward lower contrast. I prefer higher contrast.
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