Since I am a graphic designer and not a product designer, I work in 2 dimensions not 3. Meaning the final design is never going to be tangible, it's only on a surface or online. So I can only speak for the icon design of the new Apple product.
I have always appreciated graphic design created before the use of Photoshop or Illustrator. I love the flatness. I love the sincerity in its intentions. I love the fact that it remains true to its medium.
One of the true masters in branding and graphic design was Paul Rand. Rand as you may know, was also the designer hired by Steve Jobs to design his Next computer identity, seen below:
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2D - Examples of Paul Rand's work, all hand drawn, before the use of computers, all sharing the same 2 dimension quality (even NEXT with its elemental box design)
Every 20 years or so, design trends are always revisited. In fashion, something that was in vogue 20 years or so ago, comes back usually (hopefully) more refined and more elegant. Same goes with art and design. Each period is a reaction to the period that came before it, the only difference is the usage of technology and materials. But the core design aesthetic always remains the same. The design fundamentals and inspiration are still there. And so it goes. Case in point below. Once we got computers and amazing rendering software, the trend in graphic design became as 3 dimensional as possible. We had the urge to add realism to our flat surfaces.
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3D - Reacting to flatness - let's make those logos stand out
Now look at the Apple icons before on the left, and the icons on the right. With the new iOS7, they have reverted back to the two dimensional simplicity and clean design of decades ago - only just a little more refined.
What was old is new again
And just like that, Apple will once again change the way you look at communication design.
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