There is minimalism, and there is minimalism. I completely get where the article is going, but the design aesthetic of the last 10 years, lead by companies like Apple, does not encompass all of "minimalism". Not by a long shot.

Yes, there is definitely a move away from the contrived set of glossy surfaces, bezels, curved corners, and plastic and chrome which characterise most Apple products recently. I think that's a good thing.

For example, look at this and tell me it doesn't make you drool:

It would have looked odd 10 years ago. Now, it looks futuristic again. More to the point, retro-futuristic. kleinbl00's comment about embracing the Akira (and Bladerunner) kind of thing definitely has legs. In a way, we've been living in a kind of Jetsons-esque world, a 50s american futuristic view, where everything is molded plastic and rounded and smooth.

I'm more than ready for beautiful lines, the stylings of 60s and 70s futureperfect and the minimalism of the 60s to take a hold.

Personally I'm refurbishing a flat right now, and I'm really taken with the 60s minimalist aesthetic - Eames and Wassily chairs, minimalist clean-lined leather sofas, large wood tables with interesting geometries, futuristic lighting. Here are a few examples.

Sandstone and blue and white colours. Natural material with clear lines. Carbon-fibre. It doesn't have to look like Akira, but it's going to be a new minimalism and be cool as hell.