Pretty interesting. “Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) is our biggest redesign yet – both for users and developers. We’ve enhanced the UI framework with new interactions and styles that will let you create Android apps that are simpler and more beautiful than ever before. To help you in that mission, we’re introducing Android Design: the place to learn about principles, building blocks, and patterns for creating world-class Android user interfaces. Whether you’re a UI professional or a developer playing that role, these docs show you how to make good design decisions, big and small.”
am I wrong or has google gone way above and beyond the call of duty for an organization that doesn’t make money on this shit.
it seems to me that they have produced more than enough information for a person to create great software without buying a textbook
Considering that most (if not all) of the Android phones announced at CES will be shipping with Gingerbread instead of ICS, I’d say they still have a lot of work to do to solve the fragmentation issue.
Edited 2012-01-13 04:25 UTC
google doesn’t make those phones, and besides, what you said has nothing to do with what I said
They gained marketshare.
Now they are fixing the developer story to have people stay on the platform instead migrating the WP first moment it becomes economically viable.
Their problem is that ICS will mean anything to developer no sooner that in 2 years. It’s important to secure new developments are hooked to the platform but they are clearly leaving their flank left wide open for MS to assault now.
Beside focusing on ICS they should think really hard how to ease developing for multiple android versions while being prepared for taking advantage of ICS goodness. The poor reception of Honeycomb among devs haven’t learned them anything.
Edited 2012-01-14 21:12 UTC
I agree with your second paragraph. It is great that they are supporting the developers.
The first paragraph we disagree about. I think that Google makes a shit-tonne of money off of Android–indirectly. Nothing Google does is charity. Thankfully, their core business is well served by lots of stuff that also benefits the rest of us. Let’s hope that continues to be the case.
I don’t know how bad Android’s design inconsistencies are in practice, but this website is absolutely gorgeous and a joy to play with
One little thing to correct would be the menu on the right : while the clickable regions do follow the rectangular boundaries as expected, they are not advertised as such by hover feedback.
I mean, I know that hover feedback is all-fashioned and all, but I really don’t think that developers will be browsing this on a touchscreen device !
Edited 2012-01-13 06:53 UTC
It’s good that Google is doing this for developers, yet sad that no one will see the fruit of their labors for several years, based on past experience. The Google Nexus phone is the only phone that ships with ICS at the present time, while most brand new phones are 2-3 generations back. For a phone that is targeted at geeks and people who really like to tinker, it really is a sad state of affairs the way Google has allowed the carriers to do the tinkering instead of users.
Considering the uproar directed at Apple on this site over any little mundane thing, there should be a hue & cry from here that roars all the way to Mountain View, California!
Edited 2012-01-13 10:52 UTC
You mean, like the million times we lambasted the update mess on Android?
I know that updates and fragmentation are a problem if you are trying to make another iPhone (which seems to be where WP7 is going), but is it really that big a deal on android? I always just assumed android was a one size fits many drop-in phone OS. It looks a lot like the fragmentation we have in the linux distro world. I don’t see why google should force companies (which they can’t since you can download the open source version and roll your own without any help from google) into a small number of manufacturer/carrier customizations. The market is full of many, many phones, from niche ones to super powerful ones.
The only people, that I can see, that complain that android is fragmented are power users, which are generally the ones that a) buy nexus or b) put a 3rd party rom on their phones. While I dislike much of the above customization (I have an HTC, and Sense lasted almost an hour before I started using cyanogenmod), I think it is the manufacturers’ right as companies to re-brand anything they sell however they want.
Apple gets away with having the One True Phone because they own manufacturing from the ground up, and Microsoft is mimicking that, though with a little bit of freedom for the manu., neither of those approaches works for android, or google.
Besides, it is market dynamics. Shouldn’t the consumer get to decide what is best for them?
Of course that is just my opinion, I personally will only buy nexus and/or use cyanogenmod.
That is precisely the reason that Android is so successful.
You have a lot of hardware variety in terms of phone size,power,sensors and customizability. People appreciate the fact that you can make the phone yours. One Iphone looks pretty much the same as any other with android you can make the phone yours.
I don’t see these guidelines changing that. Merely making the interface functionality more consistent. It will not remove the ability to have different launchers,skins etc. ; It will just make them more integrated with each other.
From this site, yes, but from the tech press generally it has been pretty mild.
I’d be interested in hearing Thom’s opinion on these ui design choices.
You’ll have to wait until Cyanogen 9 is ready for my SII
.
Now that I think about it, it may take even longer than that, because in the end what it really depends on is developers following the guidelines.
Went through it. A great guide, explaining fundamentals of what should be used to develop a HQ Android application in device agnostic fashion. Something like this will result in a lot of Apps improved and better new apps that work on more devices, including tablets.
Problem is that it’s aimed at ICS Apps while 2.3, perhaps 2.2, is the current lowest common denominator. It’s not a big deal if you’re starting development now as upgrades in Q1 or Q2 are promised by most important Android manufacturers (still a lot of the older phones will be left in the dust though).