Apple receives criticism for iOS 6

Just under a week since its release, Apple has received a great deal of praise and criticism over iOS 6, with some calling it amazing, and others wondering if Apple has finally fallen behind the curve.

According to the Winnipeg Free Press, iOS 6 makes notable mobile developments with music interfaces, maps and social media integration, but is this enough to keep users from switching over to some of the new and interesting devices that are being offered with the Android OS? Many say no.

Some good, some bad
As one of the most anticipated features of iOS 6, Maps seems to have disappointed many. With glitches, missing information in the GUI design and generally less functionality than Google Maps, the Maps app needs many improvements before it can compete with its Google counterpart.

On the other hand, one example of where Apple did well with iOS 6 is the Camera app. The update makes it possible to take panoramic photos and improves the general functionality of the application design. However, these are minor changes to an app that already worked well.

Apple out of touch?
According to DeZeen, Apple may simply have lost touch with modern design with this latest update. Yves Béhar, a leading design expert and founder of the One Laptop Per Child program, said that the software doesn't meet the same expectations that the new iPhone 5 does.

"What I’ve been really interested in is, when these things get designed together, as one, really new interesting paradigms, really new interesting experiences are happening," Béhar told the news source. "And let me say just one thing; probably it’s going to be a little bit provocative: nobody is really doing that today. Even Apple is designing their product and their software separately."

While Béhar was referring specifically to Apple's use of skeuomorphism, his criticisms are apt for iOS 6 in general. With major improvements made to the hardware, it seems Apple has stuck with the same old graphical user interface design, which is starting to seem old and stale for some. In order to improve its design and truly impress users, it may be time for a change.

Any business should consider these points when working on its own apps. Frequent updates that make no attempt to improve the user experience or overall design will likely be met with scorn rather than excitement, and it is up to the business to keep offering something new and interesting to users or risk disappointing them and losing sales as a result.