Skeuomorphism: when icons still had a story to tell

We live in a world that’s been completely digitalised. Almost every electronic device has a screen, and most of them can be controlled at the tap of a finger. You’ll find touchscreens in anything from smartphones to train station ticket machines to modern ovens. But believe it or not, there was an era when the GUI, or Graphical User Interface, didn’t exist.

Right up until the late 70s, computers were operated entirely by text input. You had to know exactly what each command did in order to navigate the device. They weren’t exactly accessible.

It wasn’t until the early 80s that the first graphical user interfaces began to appear, with early examples including Xerox Alto and Lisa OS, Apple’s first mouse-controlled operating system.

When the first GUI came on the scene, the brilliant minds behind early PCs were faced with a completely new challenge: what should a user interface actually look like? How do we make the operating system as easy to understand as possible? The answer: skeuomorphism!

Skeuo-what?

The term «skeuomorphism» is derived from Greek, roughly combining the words for «object» or «utensil» and «shape». Basically, a «skeuomorph» is something that takes on the shape of something else. By the way, here’s how to pronounce it.

The concept of something new imitating something old existed long before the first user interfaces. Take chandeliers with electronic candles, for example. You could just as easily design a chandelier using simple lamps instead of candles, but we’re not used to that.

But back to user interfaces. Apple in particular, under Steve Jobs’ leadership, was a major pioneer in the field of skeuomorphism. Very early on, the floppy disk icon appeared as a «save» symbol on Apple computers. And when the first iPhone saw the light of day, things really began to take off.

Skeuomorphism is everywhere

The first few versions of iOS, Apple’s mobile operating system, were virtually overflowing with skeuomorphic designs. Almost every icon on the home screen had some reference to a real-world object. There was the Mail app, still represented by an envelope today. Then there were the Contacts and Notes apps, symbolised by a hyper-realistic address book and notepad respectively – complete with binder rings and torn paper.

But it wasn’t just individual icons that fell in line with the skeuomorphism trend back then. You could generally find a lot of paper-, leather- or metal looks in operating systems. There were also numerous button icons which, with their shading and bulging appearance, looked like you could press them through the display.

One of my favourite examples of skeuomorphism is the shutter sound made by the iPhone camera. The iconic click of an old-style camera has remained part of the iPhone operating system to this day.

Skeuomorphs have also crept into the language we use in daily life. To this day, you rearrange PC programs on your «desktop». Just like in the real world, you’ll most likely have various documents in different folders on your virtual desk. And, as is also true of real life, you’ll throw them in the wastepaper basket once you’re done with them.

The flat design era

Skeuomorphic design, however, isn’t quite as obtrusive as it used to be. Apple’s introduction of iOS 7 in 2013 is the best example of this. Not only did it bring about the most significant aesthetic change in user interface design, it also ushered in the beginning of the end for skeuomorphism.

Since then, we’ve seen much more simplified designs on our home screens – some of which are slightly abstract. With the term «flat design» being on everyone’s lips, much of Android’s interface took on a flatter, more minimal look in subsequent years.

Even so, skeuomorphism’s unlikely to disappear entirely.

Skeuomorphism is dead, long live neumorphism!

Trends come and go, and OS design isn’t immune to that. While flat designs have been pretty much ubiquitous for the past ten years, the pendulum now seems to be swinging back again. In fact, the movement has already been christened «neumorphism».

In a manner of speaking, the style aims to combine skeuomorphism and flat design. Icons, buttons and other elements remain abstract instead of hyper-realistic, but are given a little more shape. We’re also seeing the reemergence of curves, shadows and recesses in UI design.

Apple’s also aiming to be at the forefront of this design movement. Alongside the Vision Pro, it showcased Vision OS, which was packed with neumorphic designs.

Frosted glass-style elements seem to be finding their way into Apple’s other operating systems too. It remains to be seen whether neumorphism will also find its way into the mainstream. But if the past is anything to go by, I’d certainly think so.

Can you think of other everyday examples of skeuomorphism? Let me know in the comments!