seen it all. Yet, when Apple launches a new product, society seems hysterical. We live in a world where we are able to do everything with the help of a digital platform. Our groceries, errands, keeping in touch with our family, and even some doctor’s appointments can now be done easier than ever, being only a few clicks away from us.
In the past few years, Apple has become an example for UI/UX designers. The quality of their products, innovative designs, and especially their brand experience only reflect their design strategy's success. The truth is that it’s not just designers who look up to Apple’s design strategy. Consumers, managers, and even competitors have drawn inspiration from how Apple created its products.
And, this doesn’t seem shocking as Steve Jobs stated that “I want Apple's design to be not just the best in the computer industry, but the best in the world”.
Yet, when we talk about new technology we need to also keep in mind that the UI UX design of a digital platform such as a web or app design is the one that has the ability to step up the game. Think about it – regardless of any feature of the digital product, it needs to deliver a good user experience. It creates an environment where any possible user has the ability to navigate freely and flawlessly throughout the web or app design. And, this is where Apple’s UI UX design always seems to excel.
So, Which are the UI UX Design Trends that Brought Apple’s Design to Success?
1. Minimalism
One of the best UI UX design trends is its simplicity. Apple’s core design principle is simplicity. But simplicity is more than just their minimalist design and neutral color palette. Yes, Apple’s UI elements go beyond trends – making their design look timeless.
However, their commitment to simplicity has also extended to the user experience. So, they took simplicity and usability to a whole new level. They removed unnecessary clutter, focusing on clarity and elegance, enhancing overall usability. In other words, their UI/UX design is complex but in a well-designed interface. Remember – less is more!
2. Small Details
Little things always matter. Regardless of the industry we might think of, small details are the ones that make the difference, and Apple UI UX designers know it. Apple’s web or app design pays great attention to all that a designer can think of – typography, spacing, corner radius, or color are just a few of them. All those details have the overall purpose of creating an environment where a good user experience could exist. After all, a good user experience is what every designer desires. This UI UX design trend helps Apple to create a clean and visually appealing design.
3. Gesture-Based Design
A gesture-based web or app design is another UI UX design trend that made Apple’s design stand out. Physical buttons are already less and less encountered, a gesture-based design being the future. And, a design that is adapted to gesture-based needs is what Apple’s team thought about. No one likes a design that has buttons that are hard to reach, so be careful when designing and think about the natural gestures that a potential user has when navigating your UI UX design. Think about all the actions that a user can make, about tap buttons, pinch, swipe, and adapt your UI elements accordingly in order to create a good user experience.
4. Accessible Design
An accessible design is a must-have for a good user experience. It offers us knowledge and creates options, which is what creates a great user experience. It depends on both UI design and UX design that later can influence the whole outcome and time users spend on our design.
Think about it – a book that only looks like it can be read, but it isn’t as useless as a web or app design that can’t be navigated. Imagine reading a book. The cover, the fonts, and every element used need to be optimized in order for seamless navigation, in our case reading. Even more so, imagine this book is not arranged in a natural and normal way. If it doesn’t follow a natural course of chapters and is arranged in an unknown order. In this situation, accessibility levels are falling rapidly and your reader is losing all interest. This can happen with your UX UI design as well if you don’t deliver a design that is easy to follow or deductible. And, Apple knows it and applies this UI UX design trend in order to get so far.
5. Human-Centered Design
When we think of another UI UX design trend that helped Apple's design stand out and get recognition we can see to this day is a human-focused design. We should stay as far away as possible from overcomplicating a design. A good user experience is generated when the user can have an intuitive journey and can navigate swiftly your app or web design. We must always design with our customers in mind.
When entering your UI UX design, anyone should be able to understand the usability of your digital platform. Think about a recipe, you don't bake the cake before mixing the ingredients, as you don’t give a review before Bing the product. So, create a design that is focused on the user's needs and intuition.
6. Anticipate Your Next Move
The society we live in today is constantly changing. New technology always breaks the news and so, needs our design to adapt. In order to stay on top of everything we need to be prepared and adaptable. You don’t design only for the present moment, but also for the future. Even more so, thinking about the future is not just an option – it has become a must. And, what made Apple different from its multiple competitors is its ability to anticipate what we would want before we even knew it ourselves.
“In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer. It’s interior decorating. It’s the fabric of the curtains of the sofa. But to me, nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a human-made creation that ends up expressing itself in successive outer layers of the product or service.” – Steve Jobs.