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Android and Wear OS are getting a redesign

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Re: Android and Wear OS are getting a redesign

#3

Post by awill »

So many people I work with (in tech) were on Android for years, and all eventually switched to iOS.

My biggest issue with Google is they aren't convicted in anything they do. They just guess, or try 5 different things, and see what sticks. That makes it a mess for users, as the UX constantly changes.

I also can't understand why Google decided a circular face made sense for Wear. It's good for analogue watches, and garbage for everything else. Try reading a message where words are either cut off, or you're stuck basically using a square inside the circle. It makes no sense other than because Google didn't want to 'copy' Apple with the rectangular shape.

Re: Android and Wear OS are getting a redesign

#6

Post by saubeidl »

I wish Google would stick with a design paradigm for a bit for once.

It's not just their own apps that need updating, it's everyone else's, too. Most of which will never happen, so users are stuck in a hodgepodge of several generations of different design paradigms.

Material was fine. So was Material 2. So was Material 3. So is Material 3 Expressive, I guess. Just stick with something!

Re: Android and Wear OS are getting a redesign

#7

Post by jsnell »

> You can now customize Quick Settings to squeeze in more of your favorite actions like Flashlight and Do Not Disturb.

I feel I'm missing something. Hasn't customizing the quick settings been possible forever?

In fact the only thing preventing me from having the single tap Do Not Disturb in the quick settings is that these same UX people removed the option in the latest version of Android, and buried it in a "Modes" menu for no reason at all.

Super happy to have that back, but good grief, trying to pitch a rollback as an innovative new feature is pretty audacious.

Re: Android and Wear OS are getting a redesign

#8

Post by bsimpson »

awill wrote: post #3

So many people I work with (in tech) were on Android for years, and all eventually switched to iOS. My biggest issue with Google is they aren't convicted in anything they do. They just guess, or try 5 different things, and see what sticks. That makes it a mess for users, as the UX constantly changes. I also can't understand why Google decided a circular face made sense for Wear. It's good for analogue watches, and ga…

Google gave out the HTC Evo at I/O in 2010, which was what got me to switch to Android.

At the time, it had a much bigger screen than an iPhone and gave you more control over the device. It could play Flash games/apps, and let you use the apps/keyboards/etc you wanted without a company's blessing.

Apple is a lot more open now than they used to be, in ways that might have driven power users to Android before.

Re: Android and Wear OS are getting a redesign

#9

Post by ndneighbor »

The number one issue I have with Android is that while this looks cool, because of the fragmentation of the OS delivery between vendors- I have no idea which phone or timeframe when I could see the rollout of Material 3 Expressive.

More than 10 years later, shopping for an Android phone with the latest OS is a nightmare. Android leadership keeps on getting shuffled around, Google changes priorities every 6 months it seems. Despite Apple flubbing the ball on AI, at least I know that the phone will be supported for at least 4 years.

They will need to improve on their ecosystem commitments if they'd like people like me to switch back.

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