Apps on Windows Phone are ugly and uninspired

[iamtim]

Does anyone actually use Facebook Paper? Would anyone actually admit to using it?

I do, it's my default Facebook app. The regular Facebook app - on any platform - is a pile of rotten dung and with Paper I don't have to have a separate app for Facebook and Messaging; it's still built-in to Paper.

And for what it's worth? Pretty much all the Microsoft apps are way better looking on iOS than on WP... OneNote, Office, Skype, for instance, all look better on the iPhone. Hopefully Microsoft will change that with Windows 10.

 

[colinkiama]

I do, it's my default Facebook app. The regular Facebook app - on any platform - is a pile of rotten dung and with Paper I don't have to have a separate app for Facebook and Messaging; it's still built-in to Paper.

And for what it's worth? Pretty much all the Microsoft apps are way better looking on iOS than on WP... OneNote, Office, Skype, for instance, all look better on the iPhone. Hopefully Microsoft will change that with Windows 10.

Lol Android users have our Xbox live app.

 

[EBUK]

I love the white on black screens, and the consistency between apps' interfaces. It makes using the phone more efficient. I don't have to waste time trying to find a button to perform action X because on WP the action X button is always the same.

It bugs me, though, that some MS apps have different coloured live tiles that don't adopt my background of choice. I have set my home screen background to dark grey, but Here Maps and Lumia Camera are blue and purple respectively.

 

[tapehead]

Gotta get Transparency Tiles.

 

[Stefan Holder]

The recent CBS local news app is a gorgeous example of an app done right on Windows Phone. Your argument is invalid. lol.

 

[Blacklac]

In this thread, I learn people will make justifications for anything...

 

[scandiskwindows9x]

in general bing apps are very nice and well done just move back and ahead and in general are nice than android ones, but would be desirable had some effects at least in entrance an app , metro design is simplistic but yet nice, do not get me wrong not in vain Android adopted their "material design" inspired in windows phone visuals but with some transitions and effects. the lives tiles too are nice sometimes can get monotonous but are nice to watch from a glance the tile news or sports or money for watch what i left pinned i wish the other apps like twitter had an descent live tile and at least some features additionals that the peer of android have.

 

[longcipher]

Let me sum up this whole discussion succinctly:

A majority of us on this forum think WP apps look great, hence we support the ecosystem.

You seem to think iOS apps are beautiful, so why not switch to an iPhone?

Honestly, what else needs to be said?

 

[oviedofreak82]

I wonder how many people are using other platforms in addition to Windows Phone. The Facebook app for iPad is a joke, especially after the most recent update that was released on 11/19/14. There have been so many complaints that it has an average rating of 2 stars. The fault lies with Facebook as they publish their app directly to Apple. The Twitter app isn't much better, it gets 3.5 stars. My point is in this discussion is that shows on other platforms, apps even the big name ones aren't always the greatest our very useable.

 

[TLRtheory]

I wonder how many people are using other platforms in addition to Windows Phone. The Facebook app for iPad is a joke, especially after the most recent update that was released on 11/19/14. There have been so many complaints.

The Facebook app sucks on all platforms. I've got it on my iPhone, my droids, and my Lumia and I hate it on every single one.

It's a shame, because it used to be really good on WP when it had it's own metro style look to it (and messaging that didn't require a whole 'nother damn app). I really wish they would've elaborated upon the version of FB that fit the Zune-style design language of WP.

 

[MDMcAtee]

Let me sum up this whole discussion succinctly:

A majority of us on this forum think WP apps look great, hence we support the ecosystem.

You seem to think iOS apps are beautiful, so why not switch to an iPhone?

Honestly, what else needs to be said?

This is the problem here. This type of attitude is exactly why this forum is getting a bad reputation.

Instead of trying to shut people up, why not try being more sensitive to the op's complaint.

Not everyone likes everything about WP and most all WP users would like to see some improvements on various things...

 

[Llordy]

I'd love to see you reveal some more of your thoughts on this. What would be the three things you'd change about the metro design language, or the Visual Studio templates, to make it easier for developers to provide more modern and better looking apps?

Thanks for your interest. Well the templates in Visual Studio are pretty bare bones, and they all look like the stock apps of the Windows Phone 7 and Zune era. Allot of people like those designs in the first place. Now four years down the road. and that same 'design style' hasn't changed to adapt to the changing form factors of Windows Phone devices. Now that there are large screened phones like the Lumia 1520 and 1320 it is not very efficient to have huge header texts that are taking up to 20 percent (%) of the screen estate.

I applaud the Xbox One Smartglass/MixRadio/tubecast apps for the use of the Modern text headers and panoramic menus without changing the experience of Windows Phone. Likewise the good use of colours in the backgrounds rather than the plain black and white make the OS apps look and feel vibrant and clean (depending in taste).

In most of the mainstream apps that Microsoft itself has published, such as the Garage Band apps and even the Microsoft Heath app, they have stopped using the aging designs of black or white backgrounds and pointlessly huge and inconsistent header text and titles. Rather the designs now are (or should be) more focused of device form factors, maintaining simplicity with out too many graphics, and exploring the dimensions which colour can give to an app.

Some may say the Microsoft went too far with the recent update to Onedrive, and that is reasonable as the app did look very similar to those on Android. I think that designs will soon be similar to full Windows 8.1/ Windows 10/ Xbox One.

 

[alvinphu]

More creative types generally use Apple Products, both developers and users. I prefer the more barebones functional style though. Kind of like comparing a macbook to a thinkpad (which I use).

 

[tapehead]

More creative types generally use Apple Products, both developers and users. I prefer the more barebones functional style though. Kind of like comparing a macbook to a thinkpad (which I use).

Art school student on Windows Phone. Just saying. ;-)

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Art school student on Windows Phone. Just saying. ;-)

Apple users want to know what's your GPA?

 

[MysticForce]

I like design of WP apps.
In the beginning they were strange to me, why so big letters.
Now everything looks more professional and elegant to me. Android looks as a toy to me (I am talking about start screens).
Don't get me wrong, I really think that android is better OS for most of the users but android OS design is kinda too colorful and childish.

So there you go, I like more WP desing for apps. So call me crazy :smile: :wink:

 

[tapehead]

Germans schools don't have a GPA, boo.

 

[brunoadduarte]

My main problem with WP is that it's too monochromatic and it translates into the apps. We could have more than black/white with another colour and still have a high contrast. And Start screen backgrounds don't cut it for me. As it stands now, I'd much rather have the possibility to customize the colour of all tiles while having no background (as in the tiles would be touching each other).

As for the apps, I have to agree that most in the store need some serious design overhaul. There are some really beautiful ones, like Oggl, Atmosphere, Wunderlist, Magnify, Poki and Cal. But the vast majority is just poorly designed. It's bad enough that there's very limited functionality and support on some of them. Even worse is if they're ugly. Now, I'm not gonna say that the iOS apps in that "top 10" link in the first page are greatly designed. Well, some of them are, but none is worthy of a top 10. If you want to see good and nicely designed apps for iOS (and OS X for that matter), this is the place to go.

Yes, there is inconsistency on iOS and specially on Android. But there are apps that make you want to use them just for the joy of looking at them. And WP is lacking in that category and it's one that is more important than you think.

 

[anon(8141431)]

"Windows 10 will fix everything"

 

[PeaceNik]

I personally like how some apps for iPhone are designed but there is little to no uniformity.

My favourite design language is definitely Android's Material Design but sadly it hasn't caught up with developers just yet, and I'm not sure if it ever will be.

Metro UI is nice and Windows Phone is the most cohesive platform I've come across, but I find the design mediocre at best.