Apple’s new look: What the naysayers are saying

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You might not know it from reading Techmeme or Business Insider, but the reaction to iOS 7 was not overwhelmingly hostile. In fact, according to Synthesio, which monitors social media, the iPhone’s new look generated 172,000 comments online, and only 10% were negative.

“Criticism may not be agreeable,” Churchill once said, “but it is necessary.” So I’m collecting comments from the naysayers. If you spot one I’ve missed, put it in the comment stream. If it’s insightful — or clever — enough, I’ll pop it in the post.

• The Wall Street Journal‘s Paul Vigna: “Apple slapped a new interface on its iPhone, but that sleek new skin covers a lot of the same, unpopular features.”
• The Verge‘s Joshua Topolsky: “The icons are striking to see, and they’re the first sign that there are points of confusion and even missteps in Apple’s new approach.”
• The Atlantic Wire‘s Rebecca Greenfield: “It’s almost as if Apple got the memo about ditching skeuomorphism — many a joke was made during Monday’s Worldwide Developers Confference (sic) keynote about faux leather and felt — but didn’t pay any attention to the other grips (sic).”
• Circa CEO MattGalligan: “Am I alone in thinking the iOS 7 home screen icons look ugly, poorly balanced, and of an unattractive color palate?”
• Mad Money‘s Jim Cramer: “Is McDonald’s (MCD) out-innovating Apple (AAPL)? McDonald’s reported better than expected same store sales, up 2.6% when The Street was expecting 1.9%. Menu innovations are driving sales, with egg white McMuffins attracting more customers. Apple discussed making positive, incremental changes in its ecosystem, but there seems to be nothing exciting going on at the company. Until Apple becomes innovative once again, the stock is dead money. McDonald’s, on the other hand, is a buy.”
• Wired‘s Michael Copeland: “Apple’s flat design falls flat on Wall Street.”