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The North Wind

The North Wind

The North Wind

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Mackayle Weedon
Mackayle Weedon
Social Media Editor

My name is Makaylee! I am going to be a senior majoring in Social Media Design Management. I am apart of the Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority chapter on campus! I love thrifting, photography, skiing and going...

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The North Wind is an independent student publication serving the Northern Michigan University community. It is partially funded by the Student Activity Fee. The North Wind digital paper is published daily during the fall and winter semesters except on university holidays and during exam weeks. The North Wind Board of Directors is composed of representatives of the student body, faculty, administration and area media.

PROFILE — Katie Buhrmann is a 2022 alum of NMU and the executive administrative assistant in NMUs Office of Institutional Effectiveness. She recently self-published her first book of poetry. Photo courtesy of Katie Buhrmann
Alumni Katie Buhrmann explores South Korea through language
Katarina RothhornMarch 28, 2024

Apple’s iOS 7 for iPhone best yet despite drawbacks

Apple has done it again.

No, not make another smartphone, but the multinational corporation has made drastic changes to its newest operating system.

iOS 7 was released on Wednesday, Sept. 18, replacing iOS 6, which was released a year earlier.

Facebook was inundated with status updates and “#iOS7” was trending on Twitter. Apple has done some things right in their latest effort to keep software up-to-date, but they have also made changes that are inconvenient and less-than user-friendly.

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iOS 7 is not just a new operating system, it totally revamps the iPhone’s display. Users I know have said they absolutely love the new display and appearance while others call it childish, saying the apps look like cartoons.

It can also be hard to read the time on the lock screen because of the removal of the black bar behind it.

But despite the childish appearance of iOS 7, the double-click feature to close running apps is much more effective. It allows a user to see a screen preview of the open app rather than just seeing the icon. It allows users to preview what was last seen, and the apps seem to open faster.

Another thing Apple seemed to get right in regards to its apps is the option for automatic app updates. Instead of seeing the annoying number badge on the “App Store” icon, users now have the option to have their apps update automatically. Users even get the option of having their apps update either when on their cellular network or only when connected to Wi-Fi.

The new appearance does offer a brighter display with a new all-white keyboard for messaging as well as an Android-look to the message bubbles. While the change to the message bubbles may seem small, it is still one users will have to get used to.

One major difference that was left out of iOS 7 is the Facebook/Twitter integration that used to be in the iOS 6.1.3 update. The Facebook/Twitter integration allowed users to swipe down from the top of the screen to quickly update their status or tweet. And it hasn’t just been moved, like some of the iPhone’s other features; it’s been completely removed.

While it was mostly just a convenience, it was one that many utilized. Now users have to spend extra time opening the app just to update their status or tweet. Hopefully the social media integration is something that Apple will incorporate into a future iOS 7 update.

Despite the poor decision on Apple’s part to nix the Facebook/Twitter integration feature, iOS 7 now has a control bar that can be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. Everyone was able to finally delete that pesky Flashlight app as Apple finally had the sense to integrate one into its newest iOS update.

The camera also saw its own facelift as users can now simply swipe over on the screen to go from the camera to video, and pictures can now be taken in a square shape.

The most valuable update users are buzzing about is iTunes Radio. iTunes Radio is much like Pandora or iHeartRadio in that the user can create their own station based on a song, artist or genre. Like iHeartRadio, users can select whether they want music “hits,” “discovery” where songs that aren’t as popular will pop up or “variety,” which mixes “hits” and “discovery.”

While critics said iOS 7 was going to slow down the iPhone, it’s difficult to say that it does. In fact, the iPhone’s response time to opening apps and running them seems quicker than any other iOS ever offered.

And in respect to appearance, it could be said Apple is attempting to have more of an Android look to the iPhone but in their own way.

Despite the major changes, after using iOS 7 for a few days and messing around with the different features and new upgrades, I realized it’s the best thing Apple has done for its users yet in the realm of available operating systems.

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