iOS has an uncertain future and that’s good

In case you haven’t heard, there has been an executive shakeup at Apple. Plus another manager who doesn’t matter, Scott Forstall – the senior vice president in charge of iOS – is out. By all indications, they showed him the door and pushed him out. There were no sad goodbyes or glorious reviews on Apple’s home page. Tim Cook did not publicly acknowledge or thank Scott for his many years of faithful service to the company. This is extremely significant because Scott came from NEXT with Steve Jobs to Apple. Scott and Steve were close friends. It has been said that Forstall was to be Steve’s successor. As we all know, it did not turn out that way. Still, he was the heir apparent to the throne of Steve Jobs. Now, it’s outside the door. That is very important.

Okay, he’s not out the door yet, at least not officially. He will stay for a few months as an advisor to Tim Cook. This is how executives get fired. That just means he’s on a beach somewhere erasing his resume. Someone needs a CEO, and Forstall is probably the most eligible unemployed executive in the world right now. There is a lot of drama and corporate intrigue leading up to this point, and it would make a good article. But that’s not what I want to write about. That’s what all the other blogs are talking about. If you want the dirt inside, read his. I’m more interested in what this all means for the future of iOS, and maybe for Mac.

The implications of this expulsion are far-reaching. First, many aspects of iOS were directly influenced by Scott Forstall. Some of those aspects were not highly appreciated by others in the company. I mean the free scheuomorphism that has become a hallmark of iOS. It has even infiltrated Mac OS. Eskeuomorphism is about carrying over a design feature from the original version of a product so that people are comfortable with a new product. A good example of this is the page turn in iBooks. There is no good reason to turn a page in a digital book. It is necessary for physical books, but it is merely ornamental in the digital version. However, people love it. It makes us feel comfortable with the new format, enveloping us in the familiar and leading us to the new.

This controversial item isn’t the only aspect of iOS likely to get a makeover in the coming months. The Springboard UI can be on the cutting board. This is primarily the familiar home screen of launchable app icons. Arguably, the simplicity of the interface is what makes iDevices so usable and intuitive for the non-tech savvy. To spice things up, competitors have adopted battery-sucking items like widgets and live backgrounds. It’s hard to tell if Forstall was the one who kept the line for simplicity or pushed the envelope for more complex UI elements. Since the introduction of the iPhone, a lot of complexity has been added to the operating system. The future of the operating system is at stake.

I, for one, believe that these are exciting times for both Apple and the people who enjoy the products they offer. But a new direction for iOS doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It also has dramatic implications for the Mac platform. The new iOS boss will be the old Mac OS boss. The development of both platforms is now under the same roof. If you thought iOS and Mac OS were starting to share some items, I have a feeling you haven’t seen anything yet. As operating systems merge, will we see touchscreen MacBooks and iMacs? I hope not. One thing is for sure, nothing will be the same in the future.

Scott Forstall was close to Steve Jobs. Many say that Jobs covered Forstall, who was a polarizing figure within the company. Well, Steve Jobs is gone, and now so is Scott Forstall. In some ways, this is the biggest step yet to make this Tim Cook apple. Both Steve Jobs and his heir apparent are gone. So are some of his ideas that iOS brought us in the first place. Change and new blood are good for a company like Apple. A little bit of uncertainty will keep things fresh. For the first time, we won’t know what to expect from the next OS versions of either platform. Neither, I suspect, does Apple. And that’s a very good thing as far as I’m concerned.

http://nobrainerappreviews.com