The launch of Apple’s iOS7 highlights an emerging digital design trend: flat design. Flat design is a minimal approach to website and app design with a focus on useability. It strips back unnecessary design frills such as 3D elements (gradients, bevelled edges and shadows) to give a flat, 2 dimensional look and feel.
Strong contrasting colour, space and bold typography are key components of flat design best illustrated in the website examples below.
Examples of Flat Design websites
Ironically, Microsoft is ahead of Apple in the flat design trend. Microsoft implemented a compete restructuring of their operating system with the launch in 2012 of Windows 8. The principles of flat design dominated the redesign of the Windows user interface. Unfortunately the re-design has been a complete flop for Microsoft but that is another story.
The Windows 8 interface
