Android also going flat!

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CHANG3D

Supreme [H]ardness
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Major UI revision is coming. Thanks to Microsoft, all three of the most popular mobile platforms are going flat.

Android_Moonshine_Fan_Cut_Wide.jpg
 
Still has 3D, shadows and unique icon shapes so it's not ran-over-by-road-roller flat and psychedelic cookie-cutter fugly like iOS 7:

default-app-icons-ios-7.png
 
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Quick glance of the proposed icons I can easily associate with what it's for except for the rolodex looking icon for calendar. I hope Google does something about that.
 
I don't get this flat crap, I hate it, it looks like we are going back to 90's styled websites. It's a step backward in design.
 
I don't care, as long as it launches my apps it could look like a picture of poop for all I care.
 
They're all copying Metro with nine of the elegance of Metro. Android actually went flat with ICS.
 
And exactly how is something that is "tall or high" enough to cast a shadow considered "flat"??

Every single "proposed" Android icon has at least one shadow. Are everyone's eyes poor enough that they are incapable of seeing this?

FWIW, NONE of iOS' default icons have shadows.
 
Uhhhhhh not sure you have any idea what "flat" means.

Most of these icons have depth, perspective, and shadow. They're the opposite of flat.
 
Going flat or flatter than it currently is. I think that's pretty obvious.
 
CHANG3D said:
Going flat or flatter than it currently is. I think that's pretty obvious.
Click to expand...

Oh, like the calendar icon which went from being flat with a small upturned corner to the entire top half rotating out of the screen toward the user? Or the Hangouts icon which went from totally flat to extreme shadow under the quote marks indicating significant depth? Or the Youtube icon which went from completely flat to having a deep shadow? Or the G+ icon which gained depth and perspective with the shadow?

Yeah. No. Android is not getting flatter. It's actually getting LESS flat.
 
MrCrispy said:
They're all copying Metro with nine of the elegance of Metro. Android actually went flat with ICS.
Click to expand...

If you're calling metro elegant perhaps you would enjoy a fine meal at the waffle house while the rest of us head to The French Laundry.
 
It's disingenuous to give anyone else credit but the original documented forefather of the flat UI to Xerox PARC. Everything else since then from Microsoft, Commodore, Atari, Apple, etc. have been based on that.
 
It's pretty say when the biggest topic of discussion in mobile phones becomes the perspective of the icons.
 
What do the major news and reviews organization call this transformation from current android to proposed? Flat.

mi7chy said:
It's disingenuous to give anyone else credit but the original documented forefather of the flat UI to Xerox PARC. Everything else since then from Microsoft, Commodore, Atari, Apple, etc. have been based on that.
Click to expand...
let's thank the cavemen for their cave drawings and making fire. Everything is based on that.
 
It's reasonable to say that this is flatter -- some of the bigger 3D and skeuomorphic elements are going away, even if this isn't a wholesale shift.

It's also reasonable to say that Microsoft and (eventually) Apple got the ball rolling on this trend, but that doesn't mean that it's a bad thing. Fanpeople on all sides act as if borrowing a basic interface concept is a cardinal sin. It's not; it only becomes a problem when a company doesn't make an attempt at putting its own spin on a concept. Google is clearly not going the exact same route as everyone else.
 
QwertyJuan said:
Links?
Click to expand...
http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/382845,preview-android-45.aspx
http://blogs.computerworld.com/android/23785/googles-flat-android-plan-not-just-about-apple
http://pocketnow.com/2014/04/14/google-app-icons
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...Android-flat-makeover-similar-Apples-iOS.html
http://www.phonedog.com/2014/04/14/...ct-will-reportedly-refresh-android-app-icons/
http://androidandme.com/2014/04/new...app-icons-more-in-line-with-web-counterparts/
http://www.gizbot.com/apps/google-leak-shows-improved-android-calendar-with-new-ui-016611.html
http://androidspin.com/2014/04/15/project-moonshine-come-life-project-hera-launcher-theme/
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/g...to-reportedly-get-a-moonshine-makeover-509430
http://www.androidheadlines.com/201...available-in-project-hera-launcher-theme.html

How many more do you require? Google "Project Moonshine"

Flat also means flatter colors instead of using vibrant colors.
 
I don't get why they'd want to look like a shit apple device, thank god for customization
 
CHANG3D said:
http://www.pcauthority.com.au/Feature/382845,preview-android-45.aspx
http://blogs.computerworld.com/android/23785/googles-flat-android-plan-not-just-about-apple
http://pocketnow.com/2014/04/14/google-app-icons
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet...Android-flat-makeover-similar-Apples-iOS.html
http://www.phonedog.com/2014/04/14/...ct-will-reportedly-refresh-android-app-icons/
http://androidandme.com/2014/04/new...app-icons-more-in-line-with-web-counterparts/
http://www.gizbot.com/apps/google-leak-shows-improved-android-calendar-with-new-ui-016611.html
http://androidspin.com/2014/04/15/project-moonshine-come-life-project-hera-launcher-theme/
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/g...to-reportedly-get-a-moonshine-makeover-509430
http://www.androidheadlines.com/201...available-in-project-hera-launcher-theme.html

How many more do you require? Google "Project Moonshine"

Flat also means flatter colors instead of using vibrant colors.
Click to expand...

So a whole bunch of shitty computer and gadget blogs used the word flat. They don't know what it means either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_UI_Design

"Flat design refers to a style of interface design which removes any stylistic choices that give the illusion of three-dimensions (such as drop shadows, gradients, or textures).,[1] and is focused on a minimalist use of simple elements, typography and flat colors."

These icons make extensive use of three-dimensional attributes such as shadows, textures, and perspective.

Compare these logos, with clearly 3-dimensional elements such as folded maps, flipping calendar, and deep shadows with these actually flat UI examples:

0011.jpg


flat-ui-kit-html-psd.jpg


p17nrc8e25cmr1ln21qn74c63q65.jpg


modern-ui-metro-style.jpg


Those blogs don't know what they're talking about. They are parroting buzzwords other people used and clearly don't know anything whatsoever about design.
 
There's more to a UI than just icons but from what I've seen so far nothing can be as flat and fugly as iOS 7 on my iPad2 even Windows Phone 8.
 
I see the new icons to be clearly flatter than the current icons. Just because it's not completely flat, it's still flatter than it ever was.
 
Eh, not sure why this is thread-worthy or worth talking/debating about. Esp. considering you can easily change the icons to whatever preference you have in Android. I also doubt Microsoft had any influence on the design change either.
 
Its amazing an icon is worth so much debate, rather than actual functionality. We're all a bunch of useless wankers with nothing better to do :D
 
Boy, it sure is good English is the most unambiguous language in the world. Where words like "flat" have but one meaning. Otherwise we might end up with whole books dedicated to pedantry with semantics.
 
blitzkommando said:
Boy, it sure is good English is the most unambiguous language in the world. Where words like "flat" have but one meaning. Otherwise we might end up with whole books dedicated to pedantry with semantics.
Click to expand...

In the design world, "flat" has a pretty specific meaning.

On [H], the word "disc" has a pretty specific meaning when used in the context of computers.

The only "flat" thing about any of these icons is that a couple of them lost their gradients. That's it. Almost all of them however have increased depth, perspective, and shadow. These icons are no way more flat. It's possible the overall OS has gone flatter in some respects, but these icons are absolutely not more flat.
 
Colors are more flat... And only few increased shadow. Aside from the Google+ icon and arguably the calendar icon, which icon are you saying that has more "depth" ?
 
not liking this new flat trend for mobile OS's, at least Android lets us customize the hell out of the UI
 
I like a lot of modern flat UI, which typically is simplified and looks crisp.

That said, these mobile UIs are not that. iOS 7 has a terrible color palette IMO and does not make certain elements clear enough to use. I fear this will be the same for Android.
 
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