Custom UI for windows mobile

[ChethanR]

Do you think Microsoft will allow to change the UI based on OEM needs to attract their customers. Like some launchers in android.

Even I don't like my lollipop UI so installed nova launcher.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Abhishek Singh19]

They should allow this n animated live tiles with cartoon characters i would love to use

 

[Queen Kong1]

Yeah would be nice, tiles arn't everyones cup of tea

 

[ChethanR]

Yeah would be nice, tiles arn't everyones cup of tea

Ya true

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[ChethanR]

Super suggestion

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Kram Sacul]

It would be nice to have a Windows Phone theme skin.

 

[Musicman247]

Part of Microsoft's strategy is for the UI to be familiar to the 110+ million Windows 10 users on PC. Every time you open the Start menu it looks like the Windows Phone Start screen. If they allowed OEMs to change that, they lose the connection between the OSes, and that familiarity.

 

[IEhrgeizI]

Silly idea. It isn't Android and nor should it try to be.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[ChethanR]

Silly idea. It isn't Android and nor should it try to be.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

But still u are using android

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[anon(3463402)]

I love Windows because it's not di.ldo like Android, so this is very bad idea IMO.

 

[ven07]

Do you think Microsoft will allow to change the UI based on OEM needs to attract their customers. Like some launchers in android.

Even I don't like my lollipop UI so installed nova launcher.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

The short answer to this mind-boggling conundrum would be... wait for it... NO

Don't get me wrong, I understand that the live tiles don't work for everybody, but here's the secret... If you want sth to "work" for you, you'll find a way

Anyhu there was this rumor that MS has patented the rights for a phone/device that will allow users to choose which platform they want to use on it.. So who knows

 

[Krystianpants]

Windows UI is the most customizable UI out there. People fail to see the kind of things you can do with it. You just have to play around. I mean these 2 are so completely different and nothing crazy had to be installed to do it.

 

[gpobernardo]

Do you think Microsoft will allow to change the UI based on OEM needs to attract their customers. Like some launchers in android.

Even I don't like my lollipop UI so installed nova launcher.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

No, I don't think so. Those launchers in Android are a potential security risk and, if true, are certainly not welcome in the Windows 10 technosystem. Different operating systems cater to different types of users differentiated by their tastes, preferences and needs. It may be attractive to some to have extra customizable features, but I believe Windows 10 was designed to be a professional tool, not a toy - so if the customizations don't really contribute to the productivity of the user, such as extraneous animations, skins or shells, they may as well not appear in Windows 10 at all.

Also, if we're going towards discussions on market share, it would be wiser for a company to highlight the differences and benefits they have over a different platform rather than to adapt the features of a competing platform (if market share is already low given a strong brand identity (Windows 10), that share will vanish once the identity is lost).

Note that this is different from being able to run Android apps... that's not UI.

 

[bhtkb]

No, I don't think so. Those launchers in Android are a potential security risk and, if true, are certainly not welcome in the Windows 10 technosystem. Different operating systems cater to different types of users differentiated by their tastes, preferences and needs. It may be attractive to some to have extra customizable features, but I believe Windows 10 was designed to be a professional tool, not a toy - so if the customizations don't really contribute to the productivity of the user, such as extraneous animations, skins or shells, they may as well not appear in Windows 10 at all.

Also, if we're going towards discussions on market share, it would be wiser for a company to highlight the differences and benefits they have over a different platform rather than to adapt the features of a competing platform (if market share is already low given a strong brand identity (Windows 10), that share will vanish once the identity is lost).

Note that this is different from being able to run Android apps... that's not UI.

Though, it is sad that they completely adapted a form of Android UX in their own apps. Whenever I open the store app, I feel pain seeing how similar ( and uglier compared to 8.1) it is to playstore. Not to mention those circular loading animations and hamburger menus scattered everywhere :/

 

[mckoo]

No, I don't think so. The layout should be standardized, however you can customize the design such as background wallpaper, live tiles.
This is good to create familiarity.

 

[TechAbstract]

It would be interesting if Microsoft allows it. The OEMs have complained about it in the past and they want more control over the OS like on Android. I believe it would bring more OEMs to Windows 10 mobile. Microsoft has been preaching the same user experience across all Windows 10 devices. So the answer is no. It seems Microsoft is more interested in the enterprise market than the consumer market.

 

[MysticForce]

To be hoinest, UI is beautiful now with w10, so I don't have a need to play and change it.
But on Windows Phone 8 and 8.1 UI was big suffering.

 

[TechnoReact-Site]

windows ui is the most customizable ui out there. People fail to see the kind of things you can do with it. You just have to play around. I mean these 2 are so completely different and nothing crazy had to be installed to do it.

View attachment 114173

View attachment 114174

how?

 

[Krystianpants]

how?

Just messing with transparency and contrast settings and other stuff. You can even get a program like #tileart that lets you get transparent png files from bing images or google images and then apply them to tiles. There's even apps that change icons for you and let you create your own icons.

 

[gpobernardo]

Though, it is sad that they completely adapted a form of Android UX in their own apps. Whenever I open the store app, I feel pain seeing how similar ( and uglier compared to 8.1) it is to playstore. Not to mention those circular loading animations and hamburger menus scattered everywhere :/

If I remember correctly, the circular loading animations have been with Microsoft since Windows Mobile 2003, and has been improved through Windows Mobile 6.5.3... which puts Microsoft ahead of Android by at least three years. Even the hamburger menus are reminiscent of the old mobile start page in Windows Mobile. In fact, Windows Mobile had a huge market share peaking at 2007 - which was the year when Android and iOS were announced.

I can't comment in-detail on the UX/UI of Android and iOS because I haven't even accumulated 30 minutes in using an Android and an iOS device combined, even if 95% of those around me are using them. I also haven't tried the technical preview. I definitely prefer the UX/UI of Windows Phone 8.1 over its competitors - the live tiles, customization, etc. feel natural to me.

A quick survey of those around me had mixed reactions about Windows Phones - a lot were impressed (of course, I'm showing the L1020 and the camera), some didn't know what it was and there were some who were adamantly not in favor of it - the didn't like the interface, it was "confusing", they couldn't navigate, etc... In fact, my first Windows Phone was given to me for free because the original user (and those around her, including some tech guys) didn't understand how to use it, while it took me just a few minutes to figure everything out.

At the end of the day, it's a matter of preference. Being able to add customization options may be nice, but it should follow a standardized and brand-recognizable theme. It also should be implemented natively from the OS, not through some extra shell. It's always risky to choose between lowering* a company's standards to the expectations of the customers and setting a new standard which the customers will look for.

- I chose "lowering" in analogy with the Bell-curve distribution for population-related criteria.