Opinion | Apple's revamped iOS receives mixed reception from consumers

Apple’s overhaul of its mobile operating system, the most major re-design since the iPhone’s first release in 2007, was met with rather mixed reviews upon its Monday release.

The cleaner, simpler and more translucent look to the interface, flattened design and all new Control Centre pop-up menu, were lauded in reviews, but many others slammed the system for borrowing on innovations already developed by competitors like Android, such as live icons and wallpapers.

Additionally, the new facelift was criticised for being, well, "ugly" - an unusual criticism for a company long synonymous with beautifully designed hardware and software.

Jonathan Ive, Apple's senior vice-president of design, said iOS 7, which will be available as a free update this autumn, showed the firm's resolve in "bringing order to complexity" in its mobile operating system.

Among the improved features on iOS 7 will be Control Centre, Multitasking, AirDrop, Siri and iTunes Radio and a free internet radio service. A new "activation-lock" system has also been added to curb theft and and the compass app was given a major revamp.

A beta for iOS 7 was released by the company shortly after the announcement, which tech bloggers across the world quickly pounced on to get their two cents in.