Old and new icon

You're referring to the "old" and "new" icons!

In the context of design, an icon is a small graphic element used to represent an object, concept, or action. Over time, design trends and technologies have evolved, leading to the development of new icon styles and standards.

Here are some examples of old and new icons:

Old Icons:

  1. Raster Icons: These are pixel-based icons that were commonly used in the early days of computing. They were often low-resolution, pixelated, and lacked detail.
  2. Windows XP Icons: The iconic (pun intended!) icons used in Windows XP, such as the "Recycle Bin" and "My Computer" icons, are still recognizable today. They were designed in the early 2000s and have a distinct, blocky appearance.
  3. iOS 6 Icons: The original iOS icons, introduced in 2012, were simple, flat, and lacked shadows. They were designed to be easily recognizable and scalable.

New Icons:

  1. Vector Icons: Modern icons are often designed using vector graphics, which allow for scalable, high-resolution images. This has led to more detailed and refined designs.
  2. Material Design Icons: Introduced by Google in 2014, Material Design icons are designed to be visually appealing, intuitive, and consistent across different platforms. They feature a mix of flat and 3D elements.
  3. Flat Design Icons: The flat design trend, popularized in the early 2010s, emphasizes simplicity, minimalism, and a lack of shadows. Flat icons are often used in modern UI design.

Some notable differences between old and new icons include:

These are just a few examples of the evolution of icons over time. As design trends continue to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative and visually appealing icon designs in the future!