Apple Announces Redesigned iOS 7

Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 7, was announced at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco on Monday. The new version features a completely redesigned user interface bringing it more in line with competitor offerings from Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Phone 8.

Gone is the skeuomorphic design in favor of a flatter more two dimensional interface. Icons appear lighter and the system font is slimmer which corresponds to an increased use of white space. A redesign, while the most dramatic aspect of the new mobile OS, wasn't all that was on offer. New features and updates to existing functionality was included.

New iOS 7 Features:

• A simplified "Control Center" is now accessible from any screen using an upward swiping motion.
• A New "Notification Center" allows easy access to missed e-mail, calls and text messages.
• The redesigned multitasking is reminiscent of WebOS cards and learns a user's behavior.
• The photo app now includes Instagram style photo filters.
• AirDrop was added which allows direct file transfers between iOS 7 and mac OS X over WiFi.
• The Music app now features a new service called "iTunes Radio" to compete with the likes of Pandora and Spotify.
• Siri and the App Store have been optimized to work smarter and provide more accurate information.

This is the first major redesign of iOS since the iPhone was introduced to the public. Many analysts felt Apple was losing ground, and sales, to other mobile operating systems who continued to innovate. With the redesign and new features found in iOS 7, Apple shows it still has the desire and ability to maintain it's dominate position in consumer technology.