The clock counted the sluggish seconds inching towards noon.

Noon comes in its own speed, but on Wednesday, Sept. 18, time seemed to drag by even slower than the school guest Wi-Fi, which is constantly heavy and finicky with student body usage.

Not much about this mid-September hump day was out of the ordinary; the Texas heat hadn’t breathed any particularly unbearable heat spells, nor has autumn dragged temperatures down past 85.

Except to every Apple enthusiast.

At noon sharp, the much-awaited, much anticipated iOS 7 software update for Apple products became available. Using the school’s Wi-Fi, some students in later lunches spent their 25 minute break from classes downloading and updating their iPhones, excited to see the new software on their screens.

However, some tech savvy students like senior Sean Hardin didn’t have to wait until Wednesday for the new software.

“Basically, the Apple test file was leaked in June, and I simply installed it through iTunes onto my phone,” Hardin says. “After doing so, I received updates as the file progressed to the final version of iOS 7, which everyone now has.”

But the sleek and colorful update was well worth the wait for those who didn’t know about the leaked software Beta.

“I like the new design,” junior Brandon Yarbrough says. “[I] like the way it looks. And it’s easier to navigate [in] some ways, like switching between apps.”

Indeed, Apple has made it easier for users to navigate the apps and access different tools from the lock screen.  But, like all things, it will take some getting used to. Some students don’t particularly like all of the changes. Specifically, Yarbrough says, the revamped calendar.

Aside from the calendar changes, there are those who flat out didn’t like Apple’s changes.

“I hated it at first because it looks so non-Apple,” senior Rachel O’Reilly says.

But as time progresses and the iOS 7 becomes the norm, students like O’Reilly have adjusted to the new software.

“Now that I’ve messed around with it a little it’s not so bad,” O’Reilly says. “At least it’s colorful!”

Even so, there are some users who raise an eyebrow at the striking similarities of other available software.

“I think it looks cool and is overall pretty, [but] it’s very similar to what Android and Windows have been doing for years. Although I’m an Apple fan-boy completely, I wish they would have been more original,” Hardin says.

The iOS7 is not the only mark Apple will leave on the world this week; Saturday is the official release date for the new iPhone 5s and 5c models, bringing sleek changes to Apple’s face.

One can only wonder (and search Apple’s iOS-7-similar website) about the extent of the possibilities of the new models and just what in the world Apple can roll out next.