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Android vs. iOSWhile using Android over the past couple of weeks i’ve noticed some things when comparing my top apps to iOS. Both iOS and Android, in different cases, choose different UI elements to do different things. I wanted to catalog some of them here.
Overall I’d say that mainstream Android apps have improved over time, and in many cases (Spotify, Evernote, NPR, and Amazon) I liked the Android versions better. Also with design trends moving to blocky designs and flat colors (like Windows 8) - Android looks more modern in a side-by-side comparison to its iOS counterpart.
If anything this shows that there are very few standard patterns that are used 100% of the time on each OS, but there is risk of confusion from someone expecting one thing - like they have an iPad tablet, but an Android phone - and getting different results when switching between devices.
vs.
NOTES» Android app cleaner, less hidden UI» iOS using skeuomorphic design» Android app more branded to Evernote
NOTES» Android using notch menu» I like the “now playing” placement on Android» Android has more branding
NOTES» iOS using more standard iOS components» I like the mixed search results from Android» Android has more branding
NOTES» Facebook tends to try to copy pixel for pixel
when they can.» Android version has a blocky design - which is
the current design trend (think Windows 8).
NOTES» Android using the “three dot” menu icon
where iOS uses the arrow» With Android you can more easily see the
number of likes/reposts
NOTES» iOS profile more visual - has news feed in a
different area» Android style, again blocky» Search more noticeable on Android» Android using the thin underline to show
selected nav item
NOTES» Twitter took the “move the iOS bar to the top”
shortcut for Android» More branding on Android» Seeing a lot of “pull to search” on iOS vs.
having a search UI element always visable on Android
NOTES» Very different layouts» On Android Google kept the Android specific
pattern to “notch” the username» Almost reverse - Android has a row of icons at
the bottom where the iOS does not. You could argue that the functionality is so different from standard iOS this bar would confuse on an iPhone.
NOTES» Cart and logo / nav flyout on Android is closer
to the Amazon website (brand patterns vs. OS patterns)
NOTES» More branding on the Android» Obviously trying to keep the apps very close
to the same design» Using the Android “>” logo as a back button
NOTES» Android has the standard back, search area,
and notches thats seen across many modern Android apps
NOTES» Very similar app across OSes» Android design tries to stay away from buttons
(Following the “Buttons are a Hack” philosophy?)
NOTES» Android has larger hit areas» Facebook moved the “three dot” menu to iOS» Apps are very similar
NOTES» Similar branding, but slightly different visual
placement of elements» This case, the iOS gets the left nav, and the
Android does not