Apple's iOS 7 overhaul said taking a black-and-white tack

Jonathan Ive, Apple's senior vice president of industrial design and the new design chief for iOS, has one idea in mind for the mobile operating system: out with the old and in with the new.

According to 9to5Mac, which cited unidentified sources who claim to have knowledge of the major changes intended for the upcoming iOS 7, Ive's new design ideas boil down to "black, white, and flat all over." What that means, the sources told 9to5Mac, is that Ive has decided to drop the textures, the shiny icons, and the lifelike design features in favor of a simpler interface.

The sources told 9to5Mac that Ive doesn't believe software designs that mimic their real-life counterparts will hold up over time. For that reason, he decided to dramatically alter built-in iOS apps, like Notes, which look like real-life counterparts, to follow a single software design theme. Ive also wants to make Apple's many built-in apps, including Mail and Maps, look more alike than they do now.

Rumors have been circulating for some time that Apple would be changing the look of iOS, making it "very flat" compared with earlier versions.

Here's a brief list of what Ive has in store for iOS 7, according to 9to5Mac:

• The lock screen in iOS 7 will look quite different, with a new design for the passcode-entry feature and a new, shine-free black look where the time is displayed towards the top.
• The Notifications pane is losing its textured look and will be replaced with simple black and white coloring, according to 9to5Mac.
• The Home Screen won't change all that much, but Apple's icons will lose their current shiny look.

Apple is expected to show off iOS 7 at the Worldwide Developers Conference next month. The company's keynote address, when new products and updated features typically are unveiled, is scheduled for June 10.

This story has been updated throughout the morning.

iOS through the years (pictures)

+34 More

See all photos