Apple for the day

Jared Newman has a Time article about the new iOS:

The odds are looking good that Apple will ditch the textured, bubbly look of its iOS software in favor of something more modern. Citing “multiple people who have either seen or have been briefed” on iOS 7, 9to5Mac reports that the software for iPhones and iPads will sport a flatter look:

The new interface is said to be ‘very, very flat,’ according to one source. Another person said that the interface loses all signs of gloss, shine, and skeuomorphism seen across current and past versions of iOS. Another source framed the new OS as having a level of ‘flatness’ approaching recent releases of Microsoft’s Windows Phone ‘Metro’ user interface.

We’ve heard a similar story before. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of industrial design, was pushing for a flatter look across iOS.
A few questions come to mind:

Given that both Windows Phone and Android have pushed toward modern software aesthetics, this seems like a rare instance where Apple is following the pack. Can Apple flatten out iOS in a way that seems fresh and original?
How big of a shift will this be for users? Will user-interface elements work differently, or is this strictly an aesthetic change?
To what extent will the changes affect third-party apps, and how much work will they have to do to flatten out their own software?

We’ll likely find out on 10 June, when Apple kicks off its Worldwide Developers Conference. The company is promising an “in-depth look at what’s next in iOS and OS X” during the event.

Rico says he doubts that Apple will 'follow the pack'...