Taking a step back, I find it really cool that these days a drastic visual and interaction overhaul is possible without changing the physical device. Just updating the software is almost tantamount to waking up with a brand new phone in ones pocket.
I know skeumorphism has its critics, but I'm concerned Ive's final product will look just like what Microsoft and Google have been doing. That's not a bad thing, just uninspiring.
I don't think anyone who has read a bit about how Apple and especially Ive works are very concerned about that. Their primary concern isn't first and foremost how things look, but how they work.
Here's wishing Ive all the very best. I am not an apple fan by any means and in fact don't wish well for them at all. But it's undeniable that Apple has had a very positive effect on software in the past 3-4 years. But we need Apple to move so as to move the other sloths in our industry.
(As an example, look at the PC hardware landscape. The PC OEMs are astoundingly imcompetent and seem incapable of producing any tangible competition ot the Air and Pro)
In addition to design, it'll be interesting to see if Apple catches up (widgets, etc) and finally breaks out of the grid of icons we've all been rocking since the original Palm Pilot and Windows 3.0.
Neither is simplicity. Balance is important. Taking away features makes something more simple, but not necessarily better. If it did we'd all be using Jitterbugs.
There is some risk here for Apple. A good part of the reason people like their products is that they don't have to wander through a mish mash of paradigms and it is fairly intuitive. Breaking existing patterns, while overdue, is going to aggravate some users while being seen as not going far enough by others. I will likely be in the latter.
I'd hate to be the one in charge of that type of transition. I think you can say one good thing about all the different UI changes manufacturers make on top of Android, it let Google start clean with 3.0 and 4.0 without changing it on a bunch of current users.
After all, not many use the default theme anyway. :( I think it looks the best, but try telling Samsung and HTC that. At least they all need to include the Holo theme from now on so apps can choose to use it if they want to.
2.2 default was ugly, HTC sense was way ahead of the pack on skinning and integration, but certainly with 4.0 the default is beautiful and nicer than Samsung's certainly. (I've not tried HTC since 2.x)
