macOS Tahoe Icons Are 'Dogshit,' Say Critics: Apple Design Hits an All-Time Low
macOS and iPadOS feature recent UI overhauls, most notably the controversial icons in macOS Tahoe. The underlying complaint is not just aesthetics, but functional degradation across sweeping OS changes.
The community is sharply divided. Critics brand the new icons as incomprehensible—'dogshit'—and argue they lack clarity. Meanwhile, defenders argue design must evolve, citing positive changes. Specific complaints target the implementation, with 'Dojan' calling the iPadOS multitasking system 'clunky' and inferior to old split-view methods. Furthermore, core system changes, like heightened security settings, are cited as creating instability, a point raised by 'CompactFlax' regarding long-term OS management.
The raw consensus is that the frequent, large-scale OS changes—from icons to core functionality—are damaging the user experience. The fault lines run between those who believe Apple has abandoned good design principles for novelty and those who feel the usability issues are systemic rather than confined to a single design element.
Key Points
The new macOS Tahoe icons are functionally poor and unclear.
The 'Anti-Icon' side argues they are fundamentally flawed; 'garretble' rated them poorly.
Poor implementation warrants feature removal.
'MimicJar' stated that if menu features are poorly implemented, they should be omitted entirely.
The shift from illustration to simple glyphs is necessary.
'Septimaeus' argued that complex illustrations fail where simple, distinct glyphs succeed.
iPadOS multitasking fails on small screens.
'Dojan' called the new system 'clunky' and less functional than previous split-screen methods.
Apple's design quality suggests an ending era.
'markz' made a pointed jab that the current design indicates Apple is past its peak design era.
Frequent OS overhauls compromise stability.
'CompactFlax' highlighted that sweeping changes, like security requirement shifts, create actual usability gaps.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.