Microsoft does care about design. It is just that they don't understand what is good design. Some parts of Windows 10 has atrocious design. For example if you have multiple overlapping Command Prompt windows open, and they are filled with text, it is very hard to see where one window ends and another window starts, because the window edges are extremely thin. Drives me crazy on a daily basis.

Google and Apple are not much better. Neither have upgraded to Flat 2.0 [1] although Apple is slowly moving in that direction in the post-Jony-Ive era.

Apple's name used to be synonymous with good design. But that was back when Jobs was still around.

[1] https://www.nngroup.com/articles/flat-design/

> Google and Apple are not much better. Neither have upgraded to Flat 2.0 [1]...

[1] "Google’s Material design language is one example of flat 2.0 with the right priorities: it uses consistent metaphors and principles borrowed from physics to help users make sense of interfaces and interpret visual hierarchies in content."

Design is much more than flat vs skeuoumorphic. In fact, this debate (despite its publicity) is of little concern to designers. We are often more focused on how things work, not just how they look. Also, usability (what NNG tests) is but one aspect of design (an important one nonetheless).

As a designer, I feel truly inspired by Apple’s UI even today. Google tries to get design but their company goals do not place user experience on as high a pedestal as Apple, and they are always a little behind.

My two cents.

But how things look has to reflect how they work. This is what many designers today are missing. Without it things become hard to figure out. Also, this is the aspect that designers have most control over. Most designers don't have the skills needed to go deeper into how things work.

I like some of their design. It's flat but "lit" better than Apple's flat. And unlike past UI guides, Microsoft seems to be actually following it for their own apps.

Any time Microsoft tries to do anything boldly different with Windows, they are meet with screeching howls from millions of users.

Yeah because it's usually boldly terrible and inconsistent.

> On the hardware side, their Surface line is beautiful. But the modern Windows UI/UX is...uninspired and sterile. So is Edge, Explorer, and Office suite.

Ironically, their hardware is the one of few good things about them, but even that is starting to slip now IMHO.

For example, their last month Surface update. It seemed them going absolutely crazy with "details," but half an hour into the event and you can start see how poorly thought through the design was.

Just like Apple's early product, they are very "substance over essence." They add a lot of fancy features, but they themselves have poor idea what for they are.

I guess it's a matter of personal taste but I actually love the new Windows 10 UI/UX. It's very simple and clean. I love the new line icons style as well.