As you may know, the beta version of iOS 11 is out and fanboys all over the world have jumped at this opportunity to take the much-hyped operating system for a test drive. So far, the beta version is exactly what we expected it to be – buggy, but it has thrown up a few surprises – one in particular related to the redesigned Siri icon.
Yeah, yeah, I know – who the hell in India even pays attention to Siri itself, much less the icon. The virtual assistant is all pain and no gain for us. To get it to understand our accent requires way more patience and perseverance than we can muster, and that’s why we skip using Siri altogether.
But this news is less about Siri and more about what it could mean for the new iPhone’s design. And that’s why we’re interested.
Apple Insider, in conducting a test, spotted a different Siri Icon in iOS 11. They described it as an ‘animated, pulsing, and oscillating swirl’ that … and this is the interesting part … ‘renders in exactly same spot where a home button would be on an edge-to-edge iPhone without a customary home button in the bezel’.
Do you know what that means?
One, that some designer at Apple has a thing for Siri and decided to give it a more vibrant personality.
Or …
(More possibly) Apple is considering dropping the home button – one of iPhone’s most iconic features – in favour of a built-in virtual home key.
Which begs a few more questions:
Question 1: Why would they have a virtual home button?
Logical Answer: Because they are drastically changing the design of the iPhone.
Question 2: And, what does that mean?
Logical Answer: That we might finally get to see the ‘all-screen, zero bezel design’ that has been fodder for dozens of rumours this past year.
Wow, so much speculation!
But hopefully, it’s all in the right direction because, as September approaches, we can’t help but wonder what the much awaited iPhone 8 is going to look like. We’ve already been promised edge-to-edge AMOLED display and now … there’s news of a virtual home button.
Is Apple taking a cue from Samsung? The S8 has launched to rave reviews and the phone’s all-screen design is being hailed as revolutionary. That cannot have gone down well with Apple, especially since they like to assume whole and sole ownership to the title of ‘innovator par excellence’. However, Apple has had nothing to show for it these past few years. The iPhone’s design has remained virtually unchanged and the company has had to face a lot flack on this account.
The iPhone 8 presents the perfect opportunity to prove everyone wrong and we’re hoping Apple grabs it with both hands. If the rumours and signs are to be believed, we’re going to see a kick-ass device being launched in September, but until then … WE CANNOT CONTROL OUR EXCITEMENT!