With the release of Windows Phone and it‘s design language called ”Metro“ (now “Microsoft Design Language”) an slow but strong progesss startet in the design – more the interface design – discourse which widen to a more public discussion with the release of iOS 7. I am talking about abstract design. Better known as “flat design”.
In this theoretical work I mainly compare both user interfaces of the popular operating systems Apple iOS (excluding iOS 7) and Microsoft Windows Phone. Each of them represent a precedence for contrasting design approaches. While Windows Phone signyfies the abstract nonpresentational approach, iOS stands for a mimetic yet skeuomorphic design philosophy.
Before Windows Phone was rolled out the overall design tendency was an Apple inspired, photo realistic and skeumorphistic one. To see an example you just have to open your iCal Calendar on your Mac. Down to the present day this went through a severe change. When we have a look at current design networks like