What an engagingly written interview with a thoughtful designer. Two points stand out:
1. Unlike Apple, which apparently eschews formal user research, Google relied on "ethnographic research" to shape Android 4.0.
2. In between Apple's hyper-realistic UI and Microsoft's Spartan aesthetic, Google is trying to find a middle ground in Android 4.0 that facilitates new approaches and new experiences.
From the screenshots alone, it's hard to tell what it actually will be like to use Android 4.0. But it's great to see that Google is thinking so deeply about user experience.
> 1. Unlike Apple, which apparently eschews formal user research, Google relied on "ethnographic research" to shape Android 4.0.
I definitely think this idea has began to take a life of its own so to speak. I've read that Apple doesn't do Usability testing, doesn't do market research or user research. All of the points can be summed up with the "Apple knows best" idea. But, I'm sure Apple does user research - just not with a consultancy, or by asking users what they want. They focus on users' behaviour and their needs and incorporate it into their vision.
I don't think Google's core approach this time around is that much different from (what I presume is) Apple's approach. Google is using their ethnographic research to figure out what users do and what users need. I'd wager that Apple's own 'research' has focused on that all along.
It's quite a stretch to call Apple's UI "hyper-realistic". The core interface and main apps (safari, mail, phone, messages, camera) mostly consist of non-textured gradients. There's a hint of glass on the lockscreen and a fabric texture used at the "edges" of the UI (in the notification center and multitasking tray) and that's about it. If anything, it looks like they're aping Apple with the icon animations, text selection, abandoning their menu buttons and attention to system fonts.
Interesting how things change. Just a few years back it would have been impossible to associate the word 'spartan' with any tech company other than Google, let alone Microsoft (which more often than not ended up alongside 'gaudy' and 'tacky'. Like this, unfortunately: http://youtu.be/-F_ke3rxopc)
I heard rumours that google was doing 2 things in particular to deal with the version fragmentation issue for developer's sake:
* Enforcing a minimum hardware level, eg opengl es2 acceleration (eg no more cheap&slow androids that do the brand no favours)
* Making it so that software updates cannot by stymied by hardware makers and carriers any more, so that as soon as google makes a new version, anyone can update to it without needing to root their device.
I don't know about the first one, but at Google IO they announced they were getting all of their partners (major carriers & hardware manufacturers) to agree to support any new device with software updates for 18 months. They hinted it would be required to be a Google certified device.
I hope so. It's kind of aggravating to be able to download and install the SDK in a few minutes but not to install the OS on either of the two phones or the tablet I have.
I wish more than anything they would try to stop manufacturer customization. I recently learned that the "dialer" app on my Motorola Atrix is not the default Android one, which might explain some of its really odd behaviors that just drive me insane. The home screen, even the browser is modified (at least the icon).
I'm unsure about the first one, but the second one is no way can be true. Diplomatic problems aside, it's technically impossible. Google don't write the drivers for those phones, manufacturers/carriers do, so how in hell can Google sneak in alone without drivers?
Sounds like Duarte is bringing much needed focus on user experience.
I thought Honeycomb was garish and the futuristicity forced. This tones it down quite a bit, but also moves away from Apple's kitschy skeuomorphism. I like it.
Everything Matias said today about iOS is true but the bottom line is he's been on the job for a year, ICS was his baby and yet from what I gather it still stutters like Porky Pig in a helicopter.
Optimize your fonts and visual style all day long but at the end of the day the magic of the OS is dispelled if the OS doesn't respond to input properly. Jellybean I guess...
Not sure about ICS, but Gingerbread on the Galaxy S2 is completely stutter-free. It took a while for Android to achieve this: I used 10 Android (company-)devices in the last 12 month, and even the Nexus S with Gingerbread would sometimes show some lag when scrolling through large lists. It was otherwise a very responsive device, and the lag is hardly noticeable unless you directly compare it with an iphone or an Galaxy S2. But there was some lag.
The Galaxy S2 is perfectly smooth. I guess it's the combination of the multithreaded garbage collector that came with 2.3, the dual core processor, and a very fine Android implementation from Samsung that solved the problem.
I also think that Android does benefit a lot from every MB additional RAM, because it gives both the application scheduler and the garbage collector more room to manage app lifecycles.
While this is a fair criticism of Android as a whole, the lead designer has very little control over the performance of the OS. I'm sure that all the lagginess in Android bothers him at least as much as it bothers you.
Imagine how good Andoid could be if Google just built one phone. Just one frickin phone with incredible people like Duarte working on it.
All wood behind one arrow.
Yeah, it's not their general strategy. They are a software company commoditising hardware etc etc. But cannibalising that strategy could really make Android as great a product as Google Search.
It would also destroy their market share. I don't know if a price has been announced for the Nexus Prime yet, but for the sake of argument let's assume it's slightly more than the SGS II. Most people aren't willing to pay that much for a phone, no matter how awesome it might be. In addition they'd lose the customers who came to Android because they wanted a smaller phone, or a phone with keyboard or a phone that was IP67 certified or any of the other options that the Nexus Prime doesn't offer. I'm sure Google have considered the options and are much happier with a good product used by lots of people over a great product used by few people.
Android and iOS are looking more and more similar as time goes on. Android copies iOS... iOS copies Android. Sometimes Android is ahead with features, sometimes iOS. Eventually both OS's will reach a point of maturity with relatively equal features but with a distinct look and personality.
[+] [-] dporan|14 years ago|reply
1. Unlike Apple, which apparently eschews formal user research, Google relied on "ethnographic research" to shape Android 4.0.
2. In between Apple's hyper-realistic UI and Microsoft's Spartan aesthetic, Google is trying to find a middle ground in Android 4.0 that facilitates new approaches and new experiences.
From the screenshots alone, it's hard to tell what it actually will be like to use Android 4.0. But it's great to see that Google is thinking so deeply about user experience.
[+] [-] nchlswu|14 years ago|reply
I definitely think this idea has began to take a life of its own so to speak. I've read that Apple doesn't do Usability testing, doesn't do market research or user research. All of the points can be summed up with the "Apple knows best" idea. But, I'm sure Apple does user research - just not with a consultancy, or by asking users what they want. They focus on users' behaviour and their needs and incorporate it into their vision.
I don't think Google's core approach this time around is that much different from (what I presume is) Apple's approach. Google is using their ethnographic research to figure out what users do and what users need. I'd wager that Apple's own 'research' has focused on that all along.
[+] [-] saturdaysaint|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] magic_haze|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] foobarbazetc|14 years ago|reply
Matias should be replaced ASAP and the weird fascination with black/dark themes should be tossed into the trash.
[+] [-] chubs|14 years ago|reply
* Enforcing a minimum hardware level, eg opengl es2 acceleration (eg no more cheap&slow androids that do the brand no favours) * Making it so that software updates cannot by stymied by hardware makers and carriers any more, so that as soon as google makes a new version, anyone can update to it without needing to root their device.
Are these true does anyone know?
[+] [-] mikesaraf|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] anigbrowl|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] yesimahuman|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] llgrrl_|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] joebadmo|14 years ago|reply
I thought Honeycomb was garish and the futuristicity forced. This tones it down quite a bit, but also moves away from Apple's kitschy skeuomorphism. I like it.
I also really like the new typeface.
[+] [-] Steko|14 years ago|reply
Optimize your fonts and visual style all day long but at the end of the day the magic of the OS is dispelled if the OS doesn't respond to input properly. Jellybean I guess...
[+] [-] bookwormAT|14 years ago|reply
The Galaxy S2 is perfectly smooth. I guess it's the combination of the multithreaded garbage collector that came with 2.3, the dual core processor, and a very fine Android implementation from Samsung that solved the problem.
I also think that Android does benefit a lot from every MB additional RAM, because it gives both the application scheduler and the garbage collector more room to manage app lifecycles.
[+] [-] rboyce|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] beza1e1|14 years ago|reply
That's an interesting point of view.
[+] [-] nextparadigms|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] revorad|14 years ago|reply
All wood behind one arrow.
Yeah, it's not their general strategy. They are a software company commoditising hardware etc etc. But cannibalising that strategy could really make Android as great a product as Google Search.
Imagine.
[+] [-] Aissen|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dagw|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] binarray2000|14 years ago|reply
Can someone explain why? I'm not a mobile developer.
[+] [-] adestefan|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dave1619|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ugh|14 years ago|reply
(Android digs being cluttered and confusing, Apple digs being kitschy and fake. And I’m not happy about the direction each OS is going.)
[+] [-] cpeterso|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] temphn|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] anedisi|14 years ago|reply
[deleted]
[+] [-] AmazingBytecode|14 years ago|reply
[+] [-] LiveTheDream|14 years ago|reply
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history