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The iOS 7 reviews are here: critics sing the praises of Apple’s latest software update

On the eve of iOS 7’s release, as iPhone and iPad users eagerly prepare their devices to receive the latest software, tech publications across the web have began releasing their reviews of the totally redesigned operating system from Cupertino.

iOS 7 is a complete overhaul of the system, throwing out just about every visual element from previous iterations and building on a new system of whitespace, transparency, and motion. The beta release was met with mixed reviews from users ranging from utter delight to sheer horror. After six betas over the past three months, Apple has made more than a few changes to the original design; but is it enough to win over critics? Keep reading to find out in our iOS 7 review round-up.

Stuart Miles – Pocket-Lint

The colours will dazzle you, the apps will pow and pop at you, and you’ll wonder why you pressed the upgrade button so quickly. But after a brief moment, the panic subsides and you’ll realise that you’ve got an OS that makes your phone seem shiny, new, and enjoyable.

Jim Dalrymple – The Loop

Nobody likes change, but sometimes change is for the best. iOS 7 is one of those changes.

Darrell Etherington – TechCrunch

There’s no question that iOS 7 will be a dramatic change from the iOS many users already know and love, but on balance it’s an update packed with plenty of new features that make using Apple’s mobile devices easier and more enjoyable.

Walt Mossberg – All Things D

There are too many new features in iOS 7 to list here, but it’s a big improvement.

David Pogue – New York Times

I think you should install it. The structure, layout and features represent some of Apple’s best work. The look of iOS 7 — well, that judgment is up to you.

Edward Baig – USA Today

In my view, iOS is still simpler to use than Android, and made even simpler in iOS 7.

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Comments

  1. Carlos A. Ruiz Martinez - 11 years ago

    I can’t wait!!! My new iOS 7!!

  2. Vraja Kumara - 11 years ago

    Simple for the simple, complicated for the complicated.

  3. Martin Arias (@Tinhe32) - 11 years ago

    At what time do you guys think it will be available?

  4. Jun Ma (@JunMa_MJ) - 11 years ago

    Have been using iOS 7 for two months (I forfeit JB for iOS 7), I must say I love it. All you need is one or two days to get used to it

  5. iOS 7 is BY FAR the buggiest OS Apple has released in decades. It was absurd to even attempt such a thing. Many apps are broken. Empty white squares popup all over the place for no reason. It’s a truly damaging release. Additionally, the built-in icons look like something a 5 year old drew. There’s nothing “quality” about this release at all, it’s just change for the sake of change. Very sad.

    • Hans Madera (@HDMM1) - 11 years ago

      You do realize it was in beta p until last week? -.-

    • rogifan - 11 years ago

      Kind of interesting that I didn’t read this in any of the reviews. Unless Apple gave reviewers phones with a bug free version of the software?

    • Trolling much? Since it’s only fully released today, any bad experiences you have must have been via beta – which is precisely the points of beta – for developers to identify issues with their apps & resolve in time for the real release. To complain about it identifies you as either an impatient user who doesn’t understand what beta means or a troll. But in fairness – if you really are having any issues with any apps (in the actual public release version or Gold Master) – then go ahead, please name them all – I’m genuinely interested as I have only encountered one issue in beta with any of my apps (Audible.com sign in failure which has been fixed in the Gold Master release).

    • Hal Summers - 11 years ago

      I haven’t had any such problems.

    • Telmon Lima - 11 years ago

      But iOS 7 has not been released yet. You are complaining about the beta version?

    • Andy Brooks - 11 years ago

      Seeing as how you made this comet before iOS 7 is actually released you do need to realize you have been using a beta. That means your using an unfinished version of iOS 7 meant to be used only by Apple Developers.

    • Andre Nozari - 11 years ago

      I’ve been testing this since it was in beta and I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have yet to see a white square that wasn’t there for a reason (when apps install they do have a white square initially then it fills in the proper icon). I’ve had maybe 3 apps break on me most of them have been updated by now to work. Even still, with ANY new update things can break.

      As for the icons, I actually like them it’s a bit refreshing from the old bubbles everywhere. However, it is harsher on the eyes. As I said before this is an update and a rather large one. Even Android has issues with new releases and lets not even get started with Windows.

      Another note, if your really having that many bugs, how about you wait until your NOT using a beta to make remarks.

    • Austin Lear (@So_Apropos) - 11 years ago

      So you’re one of those people who leaves those one star app reviews saying “holy crap fix your app man” when it hasnt been updated to be iOS 7 compatible yet… Hm..

    • Lee Palisoc - 11 years ago

      That’s so stupid. Of course it’s buggy ’cause your using betas, not the final one. Oh my god! Common sense please!

      • Not so stupid actually Lee. Why would you even compose such a thoughtless comment. All us developers have had the GM for several days. We have what you will get in a few hours. OMGOMGOMG, try thinking for yourself fanboi.

      • Sean McCabe - 11 years ago

        Dude relax. Besides not every app has been updated for iOS 7 prior to its release so even if your using the GM version you’re still gonna get bugs moron.

    • Claustin (@ClintAustin26) - 11 years ago

      What apps are broken? Apple apps or 3rd party apps? Of course some 3rd party apps could be broken if they haven’t been updated to be ios 7 compatible. I’ve also been running the GM since it was released and haven’t seen a broken app or a white icon. You might need to do a fresh dfu install. The only problem I’ve had with ios 7 is safari crashing on some sites. Otherwise it’s been like butter.

      • Claustin (@ClintAustin26) - 11 years ago

        I should note the safari crashes happen on the iPad 4. Smooth sailing on my iPhone 5.

    • Jose Calderon - 11 years ago

      You seem to despise iOS7. So why exactly are you a developer for iOS then? In my opinion, Apple’s iOS7 is the best update Apple has ever made. I’m a designer and I too have had it for a while, and I think that it’s quite beautiful and if you can’t see any beauty in it at all, then you should either think about developing for Android only, or quit your job as a developer for iOS.

    • yuniverse7 - 11 years ago

      You must have only used the 1st beta… even that wasn’t as buggy as you suggested. Exaggerate much?

    • Eric Mason (@eMason0321) - 11 years ago

      I’ve been using iOS 7 since Beta 1 and, yes, Betas 1 and 2 were practically unusable, but by Beta 3 things started to work. Yes, there were still bugs, it is a Beta after all. To whine about a Beta release being buggy is one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. The 2nd dumbest thing is complaining that Apps are broken. I am running the GM release as I write this and yesterday a handful of my Apps were updated to iOS 7 compatible versions. You, sir, are an imbecile.

    • phvme - 11 years ago

      He isn’t trolling. I used iOS 7 since Beta 1 on my iPhone 5. I love it, but there are some Bugs in the Golden Master that were in the Betas too.

      It’s a very good Update but it’s the buggiest. Im into this Beta Game since iOS 4 Beta 1.

    • lefthandedphoto - 11 years ago

      Uh huh. And you are an authority on the yet-to-be-released iOS7 because? Clearly, you’re a troll who, at best, fiddled with a beta version. Stick with your Android.

    • Jon Wong - 11 years ago

      wow. Please let me know what apps you develop. I would never want to buy or support a developer who doesn’t even know how he’s on a beta version. What a joke. probably the most oblivious person yet. And its funny how no review out there has anything even remotely close to what he says.

      I’ve been using iOS7 for a couple months as well, it was buggy at first, apps crashing, some things not working..however each beta update fixed most of the issues. Now my battery is amazing and every one of my apps work great. Every. one. that’s 246 applications that I have opened, played, and closed, and opened again, that have not crashed on one since the most recent beta.

      ialife tweets, you are a joke, and your developer license should be revoked from you. retards shouldn’t touch technology.

  6. Jay Kerr - 11 years ago

    Typo in the first sentence in “recieve” – i before e except after c or just use spellcheck.

  7. Robin Carmack (@z06gal) - 11 years ago

    I have used iOS 7 since the first beta and absolutely love it. I love the direction in which Apple is heading. Very, very nice!

  8. Laughing_Boy48 - 11 years ago

    But… but… but you can’t skin iOS 7 like you can with Android. Besides, iOS 7 is a stupid name while Key Lime Pie is a dignified name meant for serious business users.

    /s

    • Christopher Darius - 11 years ago

      I love how you cited ‘Key Lime Pie’ when it’s actually ‘Kit Kat’….

    • Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about…what does the name have to do with anything? Second, Kit Kat is the name for the next version of android. Lastly, iOS is used more widely by the business world because it is much more secure than android and offers more protection from malware due to its locked down ecosystem.

    • Claustin (@ClintAustin26) - 11 years ago

      Pretty sure that was sarcasm guys. Put the pitchforks away. Who cares what candy google names it’s next crap OS update after? He’s right in saying the names are all stupid.

    • yuniverse7 - 11 years ago

      people… please learn to recognize sarcasm. His sarcasm was quite obvious. Just in case you couldn’t recognize it, he put “/s” at the end of his post.

    • robertvarga79 - 11 years ago

      Hahahaha, i actually liked this comment, good sharp sarcastic comparison to crapdroid

  9. when does it release ,imean at what time
    trendingto.blogspot.com

  10. Sam Wallentin - 11 years ago

    Although I am excited, I do agree with this statement from this post
    “To suggest that companies other than Apple are bringing more innovation into the UI space was once a strange thing, but the truth is that we’ve reached the point where iOS is part of the old guard of mobile operating systems — at least from a user-experience perspective.”
    http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/13/2612736/ios-history-iphone-ipad

  11. Alex Butin - 11 years ago

    Seems like PR.

    There is one fact over all. New design is so ugly as painted by kids… There is no any concept. There are a few groups of totally different (and ugly) icons. There is absolutely no style! Try to search for a flat design on dribbble. There ale lots of really beautiful and well-tuned flat designs. But now Apple has no lineup anymore. It’s enough to compare Camera, Photos and Game Center. One of them is 3D! One of them is b/w. There is nothing in common! Look at contrasts across UI. Some element are not well-readable on the sun. Some even on different backgrounds. Thry to take a picture of something really bright in a landscape mode. Duh! Control buttons are gone!

    Johny Ive is really good as a product designer. But the worst ever in UI design. It seems that there is nobody with a correct feel and understanding of usability, what must be in the front of all design.

    In my opinion FAIL.

    • standardpull - 11 years ago

      It’s like you don’t know what the term PR means, because everything you mentioned is not PR.

      • Alex Butin - 11 years ago

        It’s like you don’t know how to read two separated paragraphs. The original article is about critics, but in fact almost all quotations are positive. I just disagree iOS 7 is successful. What’s incomprehensible there?

  12. Peter Lawrence - 11 years ago

    From a user perspective I have been slating it since I first saw images of iOS 7, and my opinion has mostly been changed, iOS 7 is really rather good, in terms of how you use it, it’s very quick to adapt to the small changes that have been made that do big things.

    I still don’t like the new icon designs, they are terrible, but the overall look, feel and flow are very easy going, it’s rather refreshing considering I had been dreading it

  13. joseibanez25 - 11 years ago

    Can I update OTA from iOS 6?

  14. Sebastian Rasch - 11 years ago

    Don’t understand how they can such make nice App design and all but mess up the icons so badly. Really destroys the whole experience for me, I find the icons utterly ugly and very badly designed.

  15. Is it here yet?
    Is it here yet?
    Is it here yet?
    Is it here yet?

  16. robertvarga79 - 11 years ago

    Great to read so much every day here, especially when it’s such an important day as today! Thanks 9to5 editors!

  17. year5kings - 11 years ago

    Dead ugly and buggy!

  18. aman deep - 11 years ago

    Hey guys check this out the latest version for iPhone iOS 7 has been unveiled with reviews http://bit.ly/1bqJVuX

  19. casgaard - 11 years ago

    I have no problem with the functionality of the iOS7, but the grafical design and choise of color just is a disaster. I hate it till this day. When Steven Jobs once said “Simple” he didn’t mean “Ugly”. I have to say it … the cool, nice and classy appearance of my iPad has vanished and the new appearance just dropped into catagory with Microsoft OS8. This is a redo … and quickly, please.

  20. Jelc C - 11 years ago

    iOS7 looks like a kid’s game, very unprofessional; removed the swipe and delete function in Mail so now to delete old or unwanted emails requires 3 taps on the screen, annoying and time consuming

    • Scott Buscemi - 11 years ago

      Swipe to delete should still be there.

  21. Barbara Braham - 11 years ago

    I always appreciated the look of the old icons, these new ones look plain and uninspired. I am really disappointed, enough that this could turn me away from Apple!

  22. Lackey Kanhukamwe - 10 years ago

    Simple the best, my battery even now last longer

  23. Rob Odom - 10 years ago

    I wish I had not updated my software to 7. It’s functionality has decreased for me. For example, forwarding a text is tedious and not intuitive. I got a spam text, and I wanted to forward it to AT&T. I had to search online to find out how to do it. You have to press the body of the text and wait for a small menu to pop up. That menu is hidden by the same finger you use to press the text, so you have to hope you hold your finger there for the right amount of time. The first time I tried it, I inadvertently triggered the web link in the text body (so I can only hope I canceled the link before it downloaded something nasty onto my phone). When I finally got the spam forwarded, only the body of it was forwarded — not the identity of the sender — so I had to send AT&T a separate text with the spammer’s phone number. Forwarding a text was so much easier with the previous software.

    Also, when I send a text to one of my contacts who has multiple phone numbers, I cannot figure out how to tell later which number I sent the text to. Now, the sent text message only has the contact’s name, and I can find no way to see the phone number it went to.

    Other quirks abound …

  24. stevecologne - 10 years ago

    iOS 7 = Apple-Vista: Only one brave decision

    Before WWDC in June I was curious and anticipating the new forthcoming iPad and iPhone and some moderate improvements in the next iOS.

    Now I am glad and relieved that I have our iPhones 5 and 4s and our iPad 3 and Mini still running on iOS6.

    iOS7 completely destroys the magic touch of Apple. It’s much worse than any Android Version. So, now there is not the slightest reason to buy any new iPhone or iPad, although there are some excellent technical improvements with iPhone 5s like the better camera or the faster CPU.

    Tim Cook and Apple need to reach only one brave and absolutely unavoidable decision:
    Dispose and forget iOS7, bring back iOS6 or launch a better designed iOS8 which cannot deny the similarity to iOS6.

    Only this would bring back the magic and the Apple touch and feel which we all love.

    Think about it, Tim.

  25. Syed Mohammed Ameen - 10 years ago

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