The task of implementing the new UI design in Android

[Raamakrishnan A]

While many of us have already realised that, what Google is now doing to Android, has been the roots of Windows Phone since its introduction, implementing the new design isn't going to be an easy task.

Right from the beginning of Windows Phone, there has been excessive emphasis on design language, typographies, chromeless apps and all with a single word "Metro", now "Modern". WP developers have become proficient with the design language and it is going smooth for them now. When I tried to become a developer, I read the whole design guidelines of WP. I cannot believe how strongly worded it was. Yes, huge support was provided by the people at MSDN, the Silverlight community and Coding4Fun community, without which many apps now present wouldn't have born. If you start something new, you will get the advantage of it. And that is what WP got.

Some of the problems that I can think of, which Android might face with this design overhaul:

• As far as I know, designing for Android isn't an easy task. I don't think they have a markup language easier than XAML.
• Android developer community is very large. Making everyone to adopt to the new UI isn't going to be easy.
• Android apps are huge. Most of them don't even follow the simple guidelines that Android now has. Can Google expect a change from these apps?

P.S.: I know to develop apps for Windows Phone but I haven't published one. I know very little about developing for Android. I wrote this post after reading Google Design . Please correct me if I am wrong. I am happy to hear from you.

 

[Craigtrain]

It's not easy to open a discussion about Android design here, and in an effort to keep your well written post from going unanswered, I'll add a couple of my own thoughts that are hopefully relevant to your post.

But first, I'm not sure about one of your opening statements..

what Google is now doing to Android, has been the roots of Windows Phone since its introduction

Do you mean adhering to a specific design language when building apps? perhaps you could add some clarity.

Right from the beginning of Windows Phone, there has been excessive emphasis on design language, typographies, chromeless apps and all with a single word "Metro", now "Modern". WP developers have become proficient with the design language and it is going smooth for them now.

Yep, there are many examples of beautiful Windows Phone apps that stick to the Modern design language. But like Android, not all developers follow these guidelines, and their apps are not a joy to use. It's something we must put up with though from time to time, because we need the added utility that these apps provide to our lives.

When I tried to become a developer, I read the whole design guidelines of WP. I cannot believe how strongly worded it was. Yes, huge support was provided by the people at MSDN, the Silverlight community and Coding4Fun community, without which many apps now present wouldn't have born. If you start something new, you will get the advantage of it. And that is what WP got.

Windows Phone, iOS and Android all have large developer communities and portals that can provide help and support for your ideas. I believe Android benefited largely from their use of Java, as it was a popular programming language that many developers already knew how to code for.

Some of the problems that I can think of, which Android might face with this design overhaul:
As far as I know, designing for Android isn't an easy task. I don't think they have a markup language easier than XAML.

I don't think you've really looked into this. Even if you do not have an interest in building applications for Android, you should download the SDK and see how easy it actually is: Android SDK | Android Developers

[*]Android developer community is very large. Making everyone to adopt to the new UI isn't going to be easy.

Android's Material Design UI won't be a drastic change to what many of the best Android developers are already creating. Look here and see for yourself: Android Niceties

[*]Android apps are huge. Most of them don't even follow the simple guidelines that Android now has.

This comment is hyperbole, and not true at all. I understand the negative stigma that permeates around Android here at Windows Phone Central, and I'm not here to change minds or stress my beliefs, so I'll stop at that.

P.S.: I know to develop apps for Windows Phone but I haven't published one. I know very little about developing for Android.

If this is true, then how did you come up with this?

As far as I know, designing for Android isn't an easy task. I don't think they have a markup language easier than XAML