The folks over at digital agency Simply Zesty have been thinking about what iOS 7, the upcoming new version of Apple’s mobile operating system, will – or should – look like based on the typical rumours and speculation that precede every major Apple event.
With Apple’s WWDC 2013 conference just around the corner , many have started postulating what the future has in store for both iOS and Mac OS X, but it’s always just a bit more tangible when it gets conceptualized in visual form – especially when it’s done by a professional designer.
Enter Simply Zesty’s Art Director, Philip Joyce, who has come up with a way to present what he thinks the next version of iOS should be like. As you may have heard, iOS 7 is expected to be a huge revamp on many levels, including a fresh UI with a very ‘flat’ design.
Bearing that in mind, here’s Simply Zesty’s pretty impressive conceptual take on the forthcoming iOS 7 (screenshots below):
As you can see, it features completely redesigned app icons, a brand new lock and a customizable, widget-rich home screen, and a fresh look for oft-used apps like Calendar, Music, Camera, Siri and Facebook.
I, for one, very much like the concept designs, particularly that of the Music application (see visuals and SlideShare presentation below).
What’s your opinion?
Top image credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Google Maps and Street View to launch on Nintendo’s Wii U in January 2013
Nintendo has announced that it will be bringing Google Maps to its new Wii U video game console in January next year.
It was revealed by Satoru Iwata as part of a Nintendo Direct presentation that was broadcast online a little earlier today. He showed viewers how they will soon be able to move the new GamePad controller, which has a 6.2-inch touchscreen and built-in gyroscope, to get a better view of the maps produced by Google.
The functionality was being used to show of the Wii U’s new ‘Panorama View’ feature, which allows you to look around pre-recorded videos such as a London bus or scuba diving expedition. It’s a pretty neat trick, and while Street View is essentially just a series of stitched photographs, the GamePad should help to make the entire experience feel a little more seamless and believable.
Both the standard map view and street view will be available from the outset, both on your television and the secondary screen on the new controller. Other details were scarce, although we know that the app will be free for the first two months. After that, however, you will have to fork out a currently unspecified amount of cash.
Nintendo has been using these online videos to try and explain to consumers not only what the Wii U is capable of, but also what they can expect from the console in the coming months and years. It’s been a mixed bag so far, as although consumers have enjoyed hearing more from the traditionally tight-lipped video game giant, the videos themselves have often been too long and lacking in any real detail.
The Wii U, far more than the Wii before it, is positioning itself not only as a video game console but also as a multimedia device. We’ve already seen the Wii U’s video chat functionality , as well as its unique Miiverse community concept, but it’s the addition of third-party companies such as Netflix, Hulu and YouTube that has established itself as a competitor to the additional offerings both on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
The addition of Google Maps is an interesting one though. In what situation would you want to look at an address on your home television, rather than a PC or laptop? While finding your house on Street View is always fun, the real world applications end there.
Image Credit: Nintendo
Samsung announces the Galaxy Mega, a 6.3 or 5.8 monster Android smartphone launching in May
Samsung has unveiled today what is undoubtedly its largest Android smartphone to date, the Galaxy Mega.
The new device will be sold as two different versions; one with a 6.3-inch touchscreen and another with a smaller 5.8-inch display. The former simply dwarfs the 5.5-inch Galaxy Note II, which is currently one of Samsung’s most popular high-end devices alongside the Galaxy SIII.
The 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega is powered by a 1.7GHz dual-core processor – no word yet on the chipset manufacturer – and houses 1.5GB of RAM. It also runs Android version 4.2 (Jelly Bean), albeit with Samsung’s usual TouchWiz skin slapped on top.
Both the 5.8-inch and 6.3-inch variant comes with an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, which is fast becoming the industry standard, and a more modest 1.9-megapixel shooter on the front for video calls.
The 6.3-inch Galaxy Mega will be available as either an 8GB or 16GB variant, although power users will be pleased to know that there’s a microSD slot for up to 64GB of additional memory. Plenty of space for storing apps, music and movies, in other words.
The device is also LTE-enabled and comes with the usual array of Samsung apps and exclusive software, such as Samsung Link, S Travel and S Translator.
Some of the hardware specs on the 5.8-inch version are a fraction lower than its bigger brother, but the knock on performance shouldn’t be too noticeable. The dual-core processor is locked at 1.4GHz this time around and it’s only available with 8GB of internal memory. The battery has been trimmed from a 3,200 mAh battery to a 2,600 mAh version, but the handset itself should feel a little lighter (182g, rather than 199g) as a result.
There’s no word yet on pricing, but Samsung says both devices will be available from May, launching in Europe and Russia before a wider international rollout.
“We are aware of a great potential in the bigger screen for extensive viewing multimedia, web browsing, and more,” said JK Shin, CEO and Head of IT & Mobile Business, Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to provide another choice to meet our consumers’ varying lifestyles, all while maintaining the high-quality features of the award-winning GALAXY series.”
Is this the passing of the torch for the Galaxy Note II? Perhaps not, given the strength of the Note branding and also the absence of the stylus found on the Note II and new Note 8.0 tablet.