19: Designed by App in Cal

Calendar Design

The iOS 7 calendar app's design choices have sparked discussions about clarity and usability. John Siracusa highlights the importance of clearly displaying the current month, noting that the abbreviated month names can cause confusion, especially when navigating between months 1. He argues that the month should be prominently displayed, as its current design conflicts with Apple's philosophy of deferring to content 2.

The most important thing, especially in stupid outlook for the Mac, the most important thing for me to know is what the hell month am I looking at?

--- John Siracusa

Marco Arment compares the new design to the old one, pointing out that the previous version had a more straightforward display of the month 1.

   

Transition Effects

Transition animations in the iOS 7 calendar app are both praised and critiqued for their impact on user experience. Marco Arment appreciates the seamless zooming transitions between views, which create a smooth user experience 3. However, John Siracusa questions the necessity of these animations, suggesting they prioritize aesthetics over functionality 3.

It's fixing something that wasn't really a problem because everybody very quickly groks screen with a bunch of icons.

--- John Siracusa

He argues that the focus should be on clarity and content, rather than perfect transitions, which can sometimes compromise usability 4.