There are a few popular apps that already look like they were designed for iOS 7. Twitterrific 5 by The Iconfactory is one such example. Months before Apple unveiled iOS 7, Twitterrific started using the general design aesthetic Apple has now implemented across the entire OS. It’s almost like the makers of Twitterrific knew what was coming.
Following the unveiling of iOS 7 and Apple releasing the software in beta form to developers, Twitterrific’s downloads have spiked considerably, sending the app towards the top of the App Store’s charts.
Before iOS 7, Twitterrific had been ranked somewhere around 28-32 in the top paid social networking section of the App Store. Since Monday, the app has been sitting comfortably in the top five and even the second most downloaded position. Twitterrific designer Gedeon Maheux tweeted a screenshot of Twitterrific in the number two spot yesterday.
We reached out to Maheux to see if he thought the sudden spike in downloads had anything to do with iOS 7.
“It was designed with the same focus on content (not UI) that iOS 7 was”
“There’s no doubt in my mind that developers at WWDC have helped to spread the word about the app,” said Maheux. “I’ve heard from lots of them that its one of (if not the only) app they’re running on the developer preview that looks like it fits right in with the new system. It’s not perfect mind you, but it was designed with the same focus on content (not UI) that iOS 7 was, and so it’s not surprising that it looks like it belongs.”
Indeed, Twitterrific looks like it was made for iOS 7. The clean, minimalistic feel of the app meshes almost perfectly with Apple’s new software, while the design of other popular clients, like Tweetbot, doesn’t quite fit in yet. Most iOS apps will likely have to undergo a significant overhaul to look and feel like they belong in iOS 7 during the coming months.
The rise in Twitterrific downloads could also have to do with the fact that Twitter recently killed its old API, rendering the older version of Twitterrific obsolete. A combination of existing Twitterrific users migrating to the newest version and the unveiling of iOS 7 have helped the app climb the charts in a very short period of time.
“I’ve seen tweets from users saying they switched to us this week because other Twitter apps don’t seem to belong visually in the new iOS,” said Maheux. “This will change over time for sure as we get closer to the launch of iOS 7, but I think people are looking for apps that can shed light on what the new experience will be come this fall.”
