Talk about the lack of Metro UI from the Application Launcher design

As the saying goes, there is nothing new in the sun. Http://www.aliyun.com/zixun/aggregation/29847.html "The appearance of the >metro UI seems to be a big subversion, but anything new is just another way of doing things." From the design of the Application Launcher, we can explore some defects and deficiencies of the Metro UI.

The so-called smartphone, is can expand the handset function through the software, the result is the software unceasingly increases, how manages these applications to become the question. The most common way is to make the application icon. How to manage application icons different systems are handled differently.

Generally, the application is displayed as an icon and placed on the launcher. The launcher behaves in a way that is based on the main screen as the initiator, a separate initiator, and two combinations.

The first is represented by IOS and the early BlackBerry system, where all application icons are placed on top of the desktop, which can be said to be the application launcher itself.

Special initiators such as WebOS design, display applications must first click on the initiator, it can be said that its desktop is not a container, but to host a wallpaper. The improved BlackBerry system has also taken a similar approach.

Android is a hybrid that can be either a desktop launcher or a separate launcher, but in general, the desktop is a common application icon and pendant. Due to the openness of Android, different operators and ROM developers have adopted different approaches, such as the domestic MIUI is the way to use IOS, no additional initiators, of course, in the folder operation, still inherited a slightly cumbersome way of Android.

A lot of combinations, tastes. Using the desktop as the initiator is the most efficient, but at the expense of the wallpaper, the benefit of the individual launcher is to keep the full wallpaper.

The initial design of IOS is not folder, the result is unable to classify, search is not easy. Global search may be more efficient, but users generally prefer the way they look directly.

After IOS evolved, add folders. In this regard, Apple has done a lot of work, so far, IOS for the Application folder processing is still the most efficient. Another option is that WebOS later added to the page to classify.

The folder appears very early, and there is a I still miss the design, is to hide the icon, keep the interface refreshing. IOS does not jailbreak is not able to provide this feature, Android at least the default launcher is not supported, why only the design of the BlackBerry System Designers think this is very necessary, it is indeed an interesting thing.

The above mentioned design is based on the icon. The problem with the icon is that it does not show content in real time. IOS is even worse because the notification system is poor, making it far behind Android/webos in the presentation of real-time information.

Microsoft's Windows Phone7 appears to be a great subversion, the active lattice window has caused countless praise, but any new things are a kind of inheritance of old things, and often bring new problems.

Metro UI Application Launcher is two pages, the first interface is the active lattice window, the second interface is a list of programs.

Look at the first interface first. Active lattice window: program icon 8206.html "> Live updated content, then look at the second interface." List of programs: all applications not categorized.

The first interface is similar to Android's desktop function: Program plus pendant. Just put it on the square. The so-called real-time update is similar to the function of pendant.

The second interface is similar to the Android launcher, except that the icon is replaced with a list.

Real-time updates are nothing more than a fresh pattern that attracts eyeballs and is not very functional. Like the Android pendant, the movable lattice window is just an add-on, because the function is limited and the scope is small, regardless of the nature of the movable lattice window and pendant.

On a small screen such as mobile phones, can not display more content, as an example of Android, many applications, although provide a pendant, the operation still needs to enter the application page, it plays a role in a reminder, can be replaced by the notification bar (Android/webos).

If you think about it, you'll find that the active grid window isn't even efficient. The active lattice window can either host the application or host the information displayed by the application, but not all applications need to be updated in real time. What happened to the results?

Phone/SMS services that do not need to be pushed constantly, IE browsers, or even no integrated Twitter, are displayed as an icon in the active grid window, which is inactive and takes up space. And, worse, phones and text messages stubbornly dominate most of the main interface (thanks to the new design of the mainstream smartphone), gradually eliminated the phone key) their activity is simply to show the number of missed calls and the number of missed messages, which is simply inherited from the IOS notification system design, and magnified.

And this way than the icon to increase the burden of flipping the screen. Imagine if you were a person who didn't like to update the message in real time on the main screen. Not "icon Ocean" but a lot of "the Sea of icons sitting in a boat". As the program grows, it will be a real disaster. Consider one more question, how is the program categorized?

The second interface also needs to be adjusted, which is actually a launcher similar to the Android drawer, showing the full application, as the application increases, how to find and categorize is also problematic.

Another problem is that Metro UI is poor, the initiator theme is only color adjustment, if the IOS is officially limited customization, Metro UI is designed to restrict customization, we have mentioned this content-oriented, give up the decoration of the design, making personalization difficult to show.

How the Metro UI solves these problems in evolution is a matter of concern.

Source: http://www.ifanr.com/39706