iOS 7, the seventh version of Apple's mobile operating system—the brain of every iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch—will be rolling out to the public this month. The free update should be available soon, but I got my hands on the early developer beta release in order to bring you these "before and after" shots that show off the new OS.
You may recall that two iterations ago iOS 5 brought significant new features, such as Siri, the first pull-down notification center for iOS, and a locked screen that had quick access to the camera. Then iOS 6 came along and made a few unexpected changes that didn't all go over well, like ditching Google Maps for a new (and supremely unreliable) Apple Maps app. iOS 6 also got rid of the iPod app in favor of dedicated apps for Music, Podcasts, and iTunes.
So what's new this time around?
iOS 7 looks stunningly different. I'll admit it took me a few days to warm up to the so-called "flat" design, but many of core features and functionality have been upgraded so significantly that I eventually started to associate the new design with the improved experience. As you'll see in the images, iOS 7 looks flat in the sense that it does not look three-dimensional, and is non-skeuomorphic. The images in the following slideshow pinpoint some of the most significant changes, showing them back-to-back with how they appeared in iOS 6. Take a look, and let us know what you think in the comments. Do you dig the new design? What about the new functionality?
For more on iOS 7, see 6 overlooked features of iOS 7, a must-read for early adopters, as you'll want to know about some of the new privacy settings and other less-touted changes.
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