Comparison of interactive design between Android wear and Apple Watch

Apple November 18 officially released the WatchKit development tool, unveiling the Apple Watch Interactive logic and many UI element details. Although the current Apple Watch is not yet released, with official materials, we have been able to more specifically feel and imagine the Apple Watch user experience. How does Apple differ from Google in design philosophy and interactive logic, compared to Android Wear, which has already been sold?

Two companies although the final results of different scenarios, but the product design of the starting point and principles are very similar. They all emphasize personalized push, simple layout, lightweight and short interaction. All think that smart watch should not become a user of another source of information interference, but should allow users to better immerse in the physical world, both forever online, and avoid the "head of the family" type of information slaves. To sum up, Apple Watch and Android Wear interactive design in common: intelligent push, lightweight interaction, Gao I read.

Apple Watch: Personalized, holistic, light interactive

Apple Watch is the most "personal" device in history, allowing users to get the most personal data in the simplest possible way. You just have to "glance" at the wrist to control all the information, eliminating the hassle of frequent phone calls. Apple highlighted the three-point interaction principle:

Personalized (Personal): Because the watch is the most close to the human body, the most "no sense" of intelligent equipment, so naturally have to act as a personal and virtual world Interactive portal potential. When the user lifts his wrist, the Apple Watch automatically presents information reminders and personal health data.

Integrity (Holistic): Starting with IPhone5 and IOS7, Apple began to pursue the integration of hardware and software to the ultimate experience. The retina Retina screen, the rounded pebble-shaped crust, the digital crown [digital Crown] and the built-in taptic precision vibration engine are all further practices of this concept on the watch. Apple advises developers to use a black background when developing a watch app, and to try to lay out the UI elements to the edge of the screen to visually blur the boundaries between the screen software and the shell hardware.

Light interaction (Lightweight): Apple believes that the interaction on the watch should be quick and easy without complex input and manipulation. By lifting the wrist, the reminder automatically appears, the wrist is dropped, the reminder automatically disappears, and the user does not need to interact with the additional touch. The scanning interface [glance] focuses all important information in a single screen and provides a quick operation portal for further interaction in some scenarios.

Google Android Wear: Automatic trigger, fast browsing, intelligent search

Android Wear's design logic is similar to Apple's, with a slightly different design vision:

Automatic triggering (launched automatically): Andorid wear can push the most relevant information content to the user in the form of a card at the most appropriate time, by identifying the time, location, and user's physical state.

Fast Browsing (glanceable): Google believes that users ' access to information on an Android watch should be as elegant and accurate as the traditional watch-time, with only a glimpse of the corner of the eye and everything in control. Only in this way, users can return to real life more quickly, live in the present, enjoy life every moment.

Intelligent Push and search (suggest and Demand): Based on the Google Now engine, Android watches are trying to be the user's most portable intelligence assistants. Google's account service system can learn the preferences of users, only to push the most relevant and timely information. Unfortunately, Google's services are currently unavailable in mainland China, greatly reducing the usefulness of Android watches.

0 interrupts (Zero or Low Consortium): Most of the time Android Wear will automatically identify your needs, help you automatically enter content, users only need to confirm or cancel. The UI elements use large clicks, big slides and gesture recognition, and do not require precise touch operations. Google has an interesting analogy, saying that every time you push a message to a user, it's like someone in real life who suddenly pats you on the shoulder, it's a very intimate act. But if such behavior is abused, users will soon get bored and discard you (Android wear can customize which apps have permission to push messages to the hands table).

UI interaction Architecture: Android "two-dimensional card" vs Apple "stereo Space"

The design style of the Android watch system continues the principle of Google material, with its distinctive colors and emphasis on the card-style interactive structure. The Android system uses situational cards [contextual Cards] push, and the cards fall into two main categories: one is the standard notification card [bridge notification], which provides only information without further interaction. such as SMS, weather, news and so on; the other is an executable card [actionable cards/contextual notification], such as a timer that can be paused at any time, music playback controller, etc.

A clickable button is embedded on the card, which allows the user to make further quick interactions in addition to reading; When the same program pushes multiple messages to the user, the information is automatically grouped into stacked cards [card Stacks], which users can click to expand or fold. When users have active search requirements, you can also search by voice queries or by selecting prefabricated shortcut commands from the command list, which Android calls a Clue menu [Cue Cards].

So the question is, so small screen, so many cards, how users browse and choose? To this end, Andrew developed a 2D pickers [two-dimensional selection] of the law, that is, vertical and horizontal sliding between different kinds of cards quickly switch between. Sliding from right to left can go into a specific application card details for further action, such as viewing details, quick response, open on the phone and so on. Sliding from left to right is to return the previous card until the exit returns to the default dial interface. Once the card exits, the automatic deletion is no longer present.

Of course, in addition to the scene card and Cue menu, Android also gives developers the possibility of "immersive" interaction, and if the developer deems it necessary, it can provide the user with access to full-screen interaction.

Like Android, Apple also offers a card-style page pattern [page-based]. Users can switch between different pages. This way is simple and clear, but when the number of pages, frequent switching back and forth will also affect efficiency. So Apple advises developers to reduce the number of pages as much as possible.

The hierarchical pattern [hierarchical] is the biggest difference between Apple and Android. In the hierarchy mode, through the menu navigation bar to guide users to quickly find the appropriate function, users can click the upper left corner of the return button or from the left edge of the screen to the right to return to the previous level of the interface. As you can imagine, this pattern is more efficient than a flat page pattern for a relatively complex user scenario.

In addition to this, Apple provides a pressure-sensitive [Force Touch] operation that is equivalent to giving a shortcut menu to the same interface. In a particular interface, the shortcut menu appears as long as your finger presses the screen. This ensures the simplicity and completeness of the interface layout and does not affect the efficiency of the single finger operation. Another bright spot is through the quick Touch Digital Crown [Digital Crown], the user can browse in the different app and the level interface and carries on the Zoom-in-and-out type scaling operation, further enhanced the interaction spatial level sense.

Human-Computer Interaction: Android "Less is more" vs apple "software and hardware Integration"

Google's Android Wear operation emphasizes simple gestures, such as sliding up and down, clicking, etc. The user basically does not need to do too complex and precise clicks to be able to do most of the interaction. Gesture Induction: When the user's wrist is raised, the screen will automatically light up, after a period of time automatically extinguished, this is through the built-in gravity and angle sensor implementation. This design looks very ingenious and humanized, but the actual use of the experience is not satisfactory, the false trigger or not trigger the situation occurs.

The good news is that you can avoid this annoyance by setting up the screen Hibernate mode, but this will affect the standby time accordingly. Another practical gesture is to cover the entire dial with the palm of your hand, and the system will return to the home page and extinguish the screen, which is accomplished by an optical sensor on the case. This gesture is supported by Moto360,lg G Watch and Asus ' Zen Watch, especially in Asus Zen Watch, where a phone calls to cover the dial to mute the phone quickly, which is useful in meetings and classes.

The power of Android wear is the built-in Google Now smart voice engine. Any time the user simply says "OK, Google" or wakes up by clicking on the screen and speaks its own needs, Google will return the relevant search results or start the relevant program. Unfortunately, the current Android Wear does not support Chinese, Google's services are not available on the mainland. The good news is that users can go out and ask the Andorid wear version to implement similar functionality.

Apple is more interactive than Android. In addition to supporting basic interactions with Android and the Siri Voice helper, the Apple Watch offers several novel and unique ways of interacting with pressure-touch, digital crown, taptic vibration engine, etc. Pressure touch allows users to easily wake up the shortcut menu; The digital Crown gives a new meaning to the classic operation semantics of the Watch, which facilitates the user to quickly browse long content, pinpoint and zoom, and avoid the occlusion of the finger on the screen; The Taptic engine can give users precise and subtle vibrations, Give users a more intimate experience in different scenarios, such as heartbeat transmission.

In addition, even the same gesture, Apple's consideration is more detailed. Apple Watch can display varying levels of detail based on the length of time the user's arm is raised. When the user's wrist is just lifted, the watch automatically lights up and displays short notice [shorter look], at which point the interface only the most concise information, and when the user's wrist continues to lift, the short notice will automatically switch to long notice [long look], the same reminder details to further expand, Provides buttons to enable users to interoperate further.

Summary: Android is easy to use vs. Apple is rich and powerful

Change your phone for a watch? Change?

In comparison, the two major design concepts are basically the same, but the specific solution is different. Android's interactive logic is straightforward, the style tends to be flat, and the Apple interaction is relatively rich, emphasizing spatial layering. Apple's slightly more complex interactive approach, although it has some learning costs, may be more efficient after the habit. I am more looking forward to Apple's interactive system. Of course, each of the radish greens each of their own, which is weak, still waiting for the real machine experience.

Another sad reminder is that at present these two systems are not compatible with the watches, Android and Apple users if they really like each other's watch, I am afraid it is necessary to change a mobile phone. The only certainty is that in the future, when the fruit powder and the android powder are black, there is another slot.

Independent smart watch? No, it is a more convenient interface for information interaction.

At present, Google and Android watches are essentially a display of information interface, most of the data operations are carried out on the phone. Developers need to embed a watch-enabled expansion pack in mobile apps. In practice, users start the program on the watch, and then use the Bluetooth and watch Management module (Apple is WatchKit Extension, Android is Google Play service) to call the corresponding program on the phone to perform background operations, and then return the results on the hand table to display. In other words, now the smart watch, if left the phone and Bluetooth connection, it is no longer so "smart".

Why do two companies adopt this approach? We consider both technical constraints and commercial considerations.

The first is to reduce the watch power consumption, extend battery endurance. Endurance is the focus of the current user on wearable equipment. Moto 360 and LG G Watch are currently measured in standby time at approximately one day and a half. Apple CEO Cook also hedged the indirect admission that the Apple Watch may not be on standby for more than 1-2 days. Under such constraints, the battery can save a little bit.

The software function is light, also beneficial to "test water" and verify the market. Smart watch as a new category, has not yet been tested by the market and users. How many users are willing to pay the bill, the market can gradually mature, are still unknown. Instead of being a all-inclusive, it's better to be a lightweight pathfinder first.

But Apple has also left a back for itself, saying it will provide development tools for watch-native software (Native Apps) later next year. In other words, in technology and architecture, Apple has reserved the interface to develop the native app of the watch. But the premise of opening this interface is that the new category of smart watch is recognized by users and the market. If the future bottleneck of battery power consumption can be solved, the habit of users to wear smart watches is gradually formed, it is necessary for smart watches to be more and more independent of the existence of mobile phones, it is necessary to allow more local application of watches.

Reflection: Is there a third possibility?

Perhaps Apple and Google's efforts are not in your discernment. So, there's no other choice? Of course not! If you like long standby, simple and reliable, you can choose Pebble Watch. Its electronic ink pixel breeze is simple and lovely, while compatible with Android and iOS SMS email reminders, standby can be up to a week, is the otaku selling Meng sharp weapon; If you are a sports and data control, you can try the latest Microsoft Sports hand ring. Although ugly, but omnipotent. With n sensors and simple mobile phone information push function, give you full control of the pleasure; If you think the smart watch must be independent of the phone, you can try Samsung's Gear S, super curved surface screen, with the Internet function, can call anytime, anywhere, forcing the lattice; if you reasoning, Or like the traditional watch modeling, you can pay attention to the activity of Withings, may be able to meet the conservative stuffy your "Yan control" Desire ...

In the conversation with the user, we also found that, in fact, the exchange of watches does not necessarily have to be so "light". Many users are actually more willing to "play" watches, such as a variety of personalized dial, add "anti-Human" input method, play games on the watch.
Looking ahead, there are still a lot of potential for smart watches, such as body sense games for gesture development, such as taking watches as a portable controller, interacting with more and more intelligent devices, controlling smart cars, managing smart home devices, and so on. Perhaps the future smart watch can really replace the mobile phone, become the "go to the app" of the next Internet/Internet portal ... The more excited I am.