Increased tiles for WXGA and 720p phones?

[shukuist]

This is a shame!!! What a stupid decision, that would drive some WP8 users out.

 

[Robert Crist]

This is a shame!!! What a stupid decision, that would drive some WP8 users out.

No it wouldn't. At 6-tiles across, as was stated, the tiles would be super small. You'd fat-finger tiles all the time and medium sized tiles wouldn't be able to fit the same amount of information as they do now. The People tile isn't a good example of what it would look like as there's no space between the individual segments. Imagine putting a few pixels of space in there. They'd be microscopic in terms of tile size.

You'll either hate Microsoft for the ability to add 6 tiles because they're unusable or you'll hate them for not giving you the option. At least without the option your functionality won't be gimped.

 

[Alon Rozenblit]

No it wouldn't. At 6-tiles across, as was stated, the tiles would be super small. You'd fat-finger tiles all the time and medium sized tiles wouldn't be able to fit the same amount of information as they do now. The People tile isn't a good example of what it would look like as there's no space between the individual segments. Imagine putting a few pixels of space in there. They'd be microscopic in terms of tile size.

You'll either hate Microsoft for the ability to add 6 tiles because they're unusable or you'll hate them for not giving you the option. At least without the option your functionality won't be gimped.

This is all personal preference... I don't have fat fingers, so I wouldn't have an issue with pressing the tiles, same as I don't have an issue pressing tiny buttons in games.
Regarding the displayed content on the tiles - if this feature would've been done by scaling, then the same amount of content would fit there, just in a smaller font.

I think they should add is as an option, let the users decide for themselves.

 

[SnailUK]

Regarding the displayed content on the tiles - if this feature would've been done by scaling, then the same amount of content would fit there, just in a smaller font.

But there's the problem.

Scaling will end up using the processor, thus slowing the scrolling. Maybe Microsoft tried it, and found some images on the screen didn't scale nicely, or the performance of the phones was adversely effected.

Do Microsoft really have to start writing a blog for every single feature they add, explaining why they added it in place A, but not B?

 

[adrian1338]

They let users decide for them selves. just get a 1080p. why are people trying to find everything bad no matter what they produce? why did you guys actually buy that product? hoping it would mature in its lifetime?

 

[ragz_m25]

I agree to this...keeping fingers crossed if da wxga gets the increased tiles...

I hope so, but for how far I have read only 1280x768 (or something like that) will be able to have 3 medium sized tiles next to each other

I have the HTC 8X with 1280x720

 

[ragz_m25]

Same here...

i updated to the GDR3 preview just now and no new tile sizes on lumia 920.

 

[SwimSwim]

No it wouldn't. At 6-tiles across, as was stated, the tiles would be super small. You'd fat-finger tiles all the time and medium sized tiles wouldn't be able to fit the same amount of information as they do now. The People tile isn't a good example of what it would look like as there's no space between the individual segments. Imagine putting a few pixels of space in there. They'd be microscopic in terms of tile size.

You'll either hate Microsoft for the ability to add 6 tiles because they're unusable or you'll hate them for not giving you the option. At least without the option your functionality won't be gimped.

Which is why a toggle would be wonderful. I'm not sure where they'd put such a button, but it'd be nice nonetheless. I have no problem with tiny tiles, need I mention that I want more?

 

[SwimSwim]

They let users decide for them selves. just get a 1080p. why are people trying to find everything bad no matter what they produce? why did you guys actually buy that product? hoping it would mature in its lifetime?

I want more tiles, but I don't want a big *** oversized phone...

I'm young, I would be able to see such small tiles. Again, I want options.

 

[adrian1338]

it is not about your age seeing tiles on the screen - it is about complexity in a small space. guess what windows phone was supposed to reduce?

 

[SwimSwim]

it is not about your age seeing tiles on the screen - it is about complexity in a small space. guess what windows phone was supposed to reduce?

That is actually a really good point, therefore, I concede.

 

[DJCBS]

Not as much shrinkage as you think. Take the People Hub and make it double-wide. You'll notice that all the flipping people icons are the same size as a small tile, and there are six across. I think it'd be nice to have this as a toggle-able option, let the user decided. I personally want more on my homescreen,

View attachment 46881

Actually they aren't. They're smaller. And don't forget they're all together. No space between the squares in the People Hub.
I'll try to post a side-by-side comparison so you can get an idea of what would imply 6 rows on devices the size of a L920.

 

[DJCBS]

Here's what you would end up with if they were to implement 3 rows of tiles on a screen inferior to 5" (Actually, I think that 3 rows would actually only end up on the 6" L1520).
On the left, the screen of a L920. On the right, the same screen with new sizes to fit the 3 medium / 6 small tiles.

(notes: 1 - the Wikipedia giant tile I just made for fun, based on the new sizes of W8.1.
2 - If you're wondering how I have those "special" WPCentral, IE, Facebook etc tiles...I used Skinery Themes for that )

 

[Blacklac]

See, that doesn't look bad at all. I would actually like a toggle to enable and disable that on my 1020. Its not like we are getting any information from the small tiles anyways, I would like to be able to have more of them. They are not too small so they'd be "fat fingered" even at that size.

 

[DJCBS]

See, that doesn't look bad at all. I would actually like a toggle to enable and disable that on my 1020. Its not like we are getting any information from the small tiles anyways, I would like to be able to have more of them. They are not too small so they'd be "fat fingered" even at that size.

It doesn't look bad when you look at it on a computer screen. Try opening the picture on your phone. The size you see on your computer will be even smaller. Fat people or people with fat fingers will be almost unable to use the small tiles and the medium tiles will make it very very hard to read anything on them.

 

[Blacklac]

It doesn't look bad when you look at it on a computer screen. Try opening the picture on your phone. The size you see on your computer will be even smaller. Fat people or people with fat fingers will be almost unable to use the small tiles and the medium tiles will make it very very hard to read anything on them.

I did use my phone... Haha. Like I said, a toggle would be nice. Obviously some want it, some don't. Probably a pointless conversation anyways.

 

[DJCBS]

I did use my phone... Haha. Like I said, a toggle would be nice. Obviously some want it, some don't. Probably a pointless conversation anyways.

Well, they could do it as an option, but that would only arrive with 8.1 because it would imply way more changes.
But I wouldn't hold my breath. Current phones 2 columns, phablets 3 columns. And that's it. Unless they abolish the pre-size of the tiles and allow you to resize the tiles at your will. But that's probably too much of an overhaul to be done.

 

[SwimSwim]

Well, they could do it as an option, but that would only arrive with 8.1 because it would imply way more changes.
But I wouldn't hold my breath. Current phones 2 columns, phablets 3 columns. And that's it. Unless they abolish the pre-size of the tiles and allow you to resize the tiles at your will. But that's probably too much of an overhaul to be done.

Not really, just involves downsizing the tiles of current devices. You're really making a mountain out of a hole hill here, it wouldn't be the big OS overhaul you think it'd be.

 

[DJCBS]

Not really, just involves downsizing the tiles of current devices. You're really making a mountain out of a hole hill here, it wouldn't be the big OS overhaul you think it'd be.

Actually I'm not. Just think a bit. To put three rows of tiles, they would need to redesign the grid of the OS. They would have to make it flexible to allow you to have 6 different tile sizes. Because if they would force these unusable new sizes on current devices, many people would be royally pissed.
So you either have them create a new grid, splitting the current UI in two: the 2 rows UI or the 3 rows UI (imagine Polaroid and Modern on 6tag); or they would need to make the tile sizes way more flexible to allow 6 different tile sizes: the 3 old sizes for people who prefer usable 2 columns, and 3 new tile sizes for people who want to smash together tons of tiny little tiles in 3 columns. In which case they would need to loosen up the current grid (if it was that simple and just a matter of pixels, developers would have already come up with an App to make smaller or larger tiles. They can't because MS has that blocked. And it's blocked for a reason ).
Either way it would involve a considerable UI change (3 rows of tiles on small devices would simply make small and medium sizes unusable as Live Tiles. They would be smaller than the tiles on the L620). So it would be 8.1 only. And honestly, I doubt Microsoft would go that route. It's a design nightmare, waiting to happen. And for that, it would be easier for them to ditch the pre-decided sizes and just let you ajust the tile to your favourite size using a pinch gesture (I can see them doing this on W8 eventually...).
For now, at best, I can see them bringing the XXL-tile from Windows 8 over on WP8.1. Don't hold your breath for 6 tile sizes on <5" devices.

 

[SwimSwim]

Actually I'm not. Just think a bit. To put three rows of tiles, they would need to redesign the grid of the OS. They would have to make it flexible to allow you to have 6 different tile sizes. Because if they would force these unusable new sizes on current devices, many people would be royally pissed.
So you either have them create a new grid, splitting the current UI in two: the 2 rows UI or the 3 rows UI (imagine Polaroid and Modern on 6tag); or they would need to make the tile sizes way more flexible to allow 6 different tile sizes: the 3 old sizes for people who prefer usable 2 columns, and 3 new tile sizes for people who want to smash together tons of tiny little tiles in 3 columns. In which case they would need to loosen up the current grid (if it was that simple and just a matter of pixels, developers would have already come up with an App to make smaller or larger tiles. They can't because MS has that blocked. And it's blocked for a reason ).
Either way it would involve a considerable UI change (3 rows of tiles on small devices would simply make small and medium sizes unusable as Live Tiles. They would be smaller than the tiles on the L620). So it would be 8.1 only. And honestly, I doubt Microsoft would go that route. It's a design nightmare, waiting to happen. And for that, it would be easier for them to ditch the pre-decided sizes and just let you ajust the tile to your favourite size using a pinch gesture (I can see them doing this on W8 eventually...).
For now, at best, I can see them bringing the XXL-tile from Windows 8 over on WP8.1. Don't hold your breath for 6 tile sizes on <5" devices.

Dude, first off, everyone is asking it be a toggle, so not everyone would be affected.

Second off, no new tile sizes necessary. It's as simple as the OS taking the already existent tiles, downsizing and then compressing them. Downscaling doesn't result in a quality loss, so it'd work just fine. And the grid already exists, for it's already embedded in GDR3 to automatically take action when it detects a device with a 5 inch+ screen. And yes, they haven't done so, because OS restrictions won't allow them to make tile sizes, because Microsoft doesn't want us to have a 3x5 grid unless you have a device with 5 inches of screen real estate or more.

It's not a design nightmare, it's simple downscaling (not difficult) and utilizing code that's already there. Sure, they could go your route and completely rewrite everything, reinventing the wheel several times... But they also can just use what's already there, give us a toggle, and we can be on our merry way. Why do you think they'd have to rewrite everything? It's already there, it's just a matter of them giving it to us (kind of like how Windows Phone 8 was announced to theoretically support up to 64 processor cores. More advance processor support has been there since day 1 of WP8, it's just that only GDR3 is allowing the OS to actually access anything beyond dual-core).