Wallpapers and Live Backgrounds Feature for Windows Phone

[LumiaWorld]

Microsoft, I want to have this in my phone.

Concept picture by Bruno Arphenia

 

[X0LARIUM]

though I respect your individual preference, don't you think it looks too cluttered and confusing? #justasking

 

[OzRob]

I don't mind the background on the home screen, but I think it shouldn't propagate to the Apps screen (or anywhere else except may the lock screen). Also, with a few live tiles flicking around, even having a background on the home screen might get a bit much. Still, having the option to do it can't hurt.

 

[einztrigger]

Just give people options, those want to use it can pick any wallpaper or background they want, those that dislike it can turn off the feature

same as Android; not everyone use fancy background or live wallpaper, but the option is there for those interested

 

[AskaLangly]

How about parallax? I'd definitely set a tiled background for it: did that with Decor8...

 

[LumiaWorld]

For me, having more options is not bad at all. The greater the amount of the options given, the wider the consumers are catered. Just take this feature as an example... Through this, WP will not just cater the simple people but also the creative ones.

Regarding the app sccreen, I believe they can do something about it... They can make the image darker so that it will still remain clean-looking.

BTW, sorry for my English. I'm not that confident with my English skills. Haha.

 

[Gaichuke]

I hope this option is coming and before someone refuses to change current situation with some idiotic logic I'm hoping this should be an addition with current plain black and white background, so some idiots won't complain about loosing current plain black and white background....

Anyone who does not agree what this concept offers is automatically an *****? Nice attitude you have there, champ. There's a VERY sound reasoning behind not offering any custom wallpapers for the start screen but I'm sure you have heard of them before, you just refuse to understand or accept them.

I honestly don't see what the point is in this. The background picture is almost completely invisible in the Start screen, contributing only by adding unnecessary visual noise. The situation is better in the App list, but whatever aesthetic value the background picture has is severely restricted when the list of applications overlays it. Usually at this point someone pulls out the argument of choice, but why offer options that enable users to shoot themselves in the leg?

 

[vish2801]

Anyone who does not agree what this concept offers is automatically an *****? Nice attitude you have there, champ. There's a VERY sound reasoning behind not offering any custom wallpapers for the start screen but I'm sure you have heard of them before, you just refuse to understand or accept them.

I honestly don't see what the point is in this. The background picture is almost completely invisible in the Start screen, contributing only by adding unnecessary visual noise. The situation is better in the App list, but whatever aesthetic value the background picture has is severely restricted when the list of applications overlays it. Usually at this point someone pulls out the argument of choice, but why offer options that enable users to shoot themselves in the leg?

Looks like you didn't read my post chap....Having options is a good thing, not having and loosing potential customers is very very very bad thing. If you don't see the point, don't use it, nobody forces you to do so. And why do you think people will continue to use background image if they don't like it ?? How it's shooting themselves in foot ?? People aren't moron as you think. You know such attitude like "I don't see a point and having this feature is shooting themselves in foot so it shouldn't be there." is actually portraying you fanbois very very bad.

 

[Gaichuke]

Having options is a good thing, not having and loosing potential customers is very very very bad thing.

Having bad options available is a very bad thing. I'm not arguing that there's anything wrong in having choices, I'm only arguing that ability to have custom wallpaper is a bad option and as of such should not be implemented. Especially when they can scare potential customers away when someone has put a poor picture of their cat as their wallpaper making the Start screen look like complete crap:

"Windows Phone looks like THAT? It looks like rubbish!"

It would be detrimental to the user experience (even if the user doesn't realize it) AND could possibly be detrimental to the platform itself too.

 

[krishna6233]

I would like to see the lockscreen get replaced with wallpaper so that i can add shortcuts there instead of going to start screen for making a call !!!

 

[LumiaWorld]

Having bad options available is a very bad thing. I'm not arguing that there's anything wrong in having choices, I'm only arguing that ability to have custom wallpaper is a bad option and as of such should not be implemented. Especially when they can scare potential customers away when someone has put a poor picture of their cat as their wallpaper making the Start screen look like complete crap:

"Windows Phone looks like THAT? It looks like rubbish!"

It would be detrimental to the user experience (even if the user doesn't realize it) AND could possibly be detrimental to the platform itself too.

I disagree with this one.

This is not a bad option. Through this, we can customize our Lumias/Windows Phones further. We can make them more unique than ever.

You know, it just depends on the user. As a user, you ALWAYS want your phone to look GOOD.

Actually, wallpapers can make our start screens a lot more beautiful if we just pick the RIGHT one.

Have you seen the ambiance feature of Sailfish from Jolla? That's what I am talking about. Matching the colors altogether to create a beautiful, clean, and consistent UI.

 

[LumiaWorld]

I would like to see the lockscreen get replaced with wallpaper so that i can add shortcuts there instead of going to start screen for making a call !!!

I agree with this. I hope we can pin some small sized tiles in the lockscreen... Hmmm... I guess 5 tiles are enough. Oh, by the way... We are not replacing the start screen here, okay?

 

[LumiaWorld]

Duplicated post.

 

[OzRob]

Having bad options available is a very bad thing. I'm not arguing that there's anything wrong in having choices, I'm only arguing that ability to have custom wallpaper is a bad option and as of such should not be implemented. Especially when they can scare potential customers away when someone has put a poor picture of their cat as their wallpaper making the Start screen look like complete crap:

"Windows Phone looks like THAT? It looks like rubbish!"

It would be detrimental to the user experience (even if the user doesn't realize it) AND could possibly be detrimental to the platform itself too.

Umm...and who are you to judge what people think looks like rubbish. We are really discussing aesthetics here, and as such there's no definitive right and wrong. One person's idea of cluttered, busy, OTT home screen may be someone else's vision of the perfect phone interface. If someone wants a picture of their cat as background to their home screen, who's to judge it. As long as it works for the owner, it's fine. One could equally argue that have having a plain, flat, boring black background that can't be changed, with flat, square tiles on it, will be a turnoff just as much as a cat.

As others have said, make it an option. If you don't want to use it, don't.

 

[vish2801]

Having bad options available is a very bad thing. I'm not arguing that there's anything wrong in having choices, I'm only arguing that ability to have custom wallpaper is a bad option and as of such should not be implemented. Especially when they can scare potential customers away when someone has put a poor picture of their cat as their wallpaper making the Start screen look like complete crap:

"Windows Phone looks like THAT? It looks like rubbish!"

It would be detrimental to the user experience (even if the user doesn't realize it) AND could possibly be detrimental to the platform itself too.

What's wrong with you buddy ?? If someone keeps his/her mobile in such a way that he/she likes it but someone doesn't and that would have deleterious effect on people's mindset ?? LoL....I don't wanna argue with you further....

 

[vish2801]

Umm...and who are you to judge what people think looks like rubbish. We are really discussing aesthetics here, and as such there's no definitive right and wrong. One person's idea of cluttered, busy, OTT home screen may be someone else's vision of the perfect phone interface. If someone wants a picture of their cat as background to their home screen, who's to judge it. As long as it works for the owner, it's fine. One could equally argue that have having a plain, flat, boring black background that can't be changed, with flat, square tiles on it, will be a turnoff just as much as a cat.

As others have said, make it an option. If you don't want to use it, don't.

Exactly, my frd asked me after buying 820 that can't we change the background further, something like more color or a wallpaper, this white and dark theme is very limited and I want something more. Now, why can't we take care of such users when we have no problem with so called security, sand box to provide this simple feature ??

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

[Gaichuke]

Umm...and who are you to judge what people think looks like rubbish. We are really discussing aesthetics here, and as such there's no definitive right and wrong. One person's idea of cluttered, busy, OTT home screen may be someone else's vision of the perfect phone interface.

But there is a definite right and wrong in WP context. When the background makes it harder to perceive where the actual content begins and ends or when the background makes the app list less legible then it has clearly deviated from its original purpose and absolutely has become worse. And as I said, given the relatively unknown position of WP it makes sense to enforce that the UI is seen as originally intended to make sure there's no negative perception to the platform from curious user choices.

Actually, wallpapers can make our start screens a lot more beautiful if we just pick the RIGHT one.

It's certainly possible, but that's still many magnitudes harder to achieve than making it look way worse. I could agree with subtle pattern choices for BG that have been approved by WP design team. That would give more customization options, right?

 

[LumiaWorld]

This render looks good. I hope we can have this feature soon.

Picture c/o AngryNil (TheVerge)