With WWDC 2013 just around the corner, a supposed image of the new iOS7 has leaked out – but how real is it?
The leak comes from iDownloadBlog, which isn't the usual place we come across these kinds of stories, and the fuzzy nature of the picture makes it difficult to tell what's really going on in the screenshot.
Sir Jony Ive, the man with the magic Cupertino design pen, is leading the charge to overhaul Apple's mobile OS for iPad and iPhone, and is meant to be making a more 'flat' design, dropping the shadows and extra detail in favour of something more simplistic.
Not even evolutionary
That's the case here, but we were expecting something a lot more revolutionary from Apple as it bids to be a fresh competitor to the slew of Android phones that are dominating the market.
The camera icon looks pretty similar to before, and the Newsstand icon is almost identical, which lends credence to the theory this is a fake shot. However, this is likely to be an early build (something corroborated by the more trustworthy 9to5Mac, which Tweeted a screenshot of the same picture and said this wasn't the final version) and will therefore not have all the expected elements.
There are other issues though: the size of the gap between the top of the phone and the apps, and the size seems to hint at a dodgy photoshop at times.
But as we're so close to the event it's very difficult to tell what's real and what isn't – if this is the eventual style for iOS then it doesn't look like it's going to be much of a change, which is sorely needed, especially if Apple is going to bring out an iPhone 5S as per usual.
What do you think? Is this enough from Apple or does it need more? Answers on a postcard to the usual address (the comments section below. And don't use a postcard).
