Android UX Head says he feels he's only 1/3 of the way with Android polish

[Calidude]

I found this article at Android Police interesting:

The author goes into all the ways Android needs to be polished (and I definitely agree that this open source project has functionality but needs polish) and he got Matias Duarte, former designer of WebOS and now head of Android UX experience to comment the following:

It's true, we still have a lot of work to do. Personally I feel like I've gotten only about a third of the way to where I want to be with regards to consistency, responsiveness, and polish.

Better get back to work!

http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/09/18/ux-things-i-hate-about-android/

I dunno about you guys, but the fact that the UX guy behind Android goes out of his way to admit publicly on some blog article regarding Android's shortcomings and say that he's not even half done with the product's overall polish is just reassuring and intriguing.

 

[zbarvian]

I like this. That means that hopefully Android will be as responsive and polished as iOS one day, which would be awesome.

But it also refutes all those fanboys who claim that Android and iOS are equal on that regard.

 

[Oohara]

Given how big of a step forward Jelly Bean/Project Butter is in this regard, I think we're in for an exciting future.

 

[lowbelly]

I just saw android's answer to the end-of-list bounceback, the glow thing. Just doesn't do it for me!

 

[blackhand1001]

I just saw android's answer to the end-of-list bounceback, the glow thing. Just doesn't do it for me!

I like the glow. Its been around for a very long time.

 

[jeffe]

I just saw android's answer to the end-of-list bounceback, the glow thing. Just doesn't do it for me!

The glow thing wasn't mentioned or shown in the article..just for anyone who might be confused.

 

[cotak]

Its a good thing. A duck that stay still is one that's going to get hit. And RIM can learn a lot from Android. They sort of gotten away from the in motion part of their name. They seem to be more Resting In Mediocrity now a days.

 

[G51989]

Its a good thing. A duck that stay still is one that's going to get hit. And RIM can learn a lot from Android. They sort of gotten away from the in motion part of their name. They seem to be more Resting In Mediocrity now a days.

I think RIM does a good job with this classic devices btw, some people still love the crackberry, as a BASIC smartphone I think they are great machines.

But as far as Android Polish goes? I would say Jelly Bean is every bit as polished as iOS.

So who know where android will go in the future.

----------

I like this. That means that hopefully Android will be as responsive and polished as iOS one day, which would be awesome.

But it also refutes all those fanboys who claim that Android and iOS are equal on that regard.

I do think Jelly Bean ( thanks project butter! ) is every bit as refined as iOS imo, ( Yes, I carry both in my pocket, every single day, work phone and a personal phone ). Because iOS...what is there to polish? Its just an App Launcher.

 

[Calidude]

But it also refutes all those fanboys who claim that Android and iOS are equal on that regard.

Yeah I have to admit, anybody who says that is a hardcore fanboy. Android polish is one of the obvious things that needs work.

----------

But as far as Android Polish goes? I would say Jelly Bean is every bit as polished as iOS.

No, just no. Why are you doing this? Come on. Don't do that. You know that's not true. Don't sink to that iOS fanboy level.

 

[Vegastouch]

I do think Jelly Bean ( thanks project butter! ) is every bit as refined as iOS imo, ( Yes, I carry both in my pocket, every single day, work phone and a personal phone ). Because iOS...what is there to polish? Its just an App Launcher.

Me too. Dont know what zbarvian is talking about. Its as responsive, even a bit faster and has a lot more options and beter functions. Not to say the Iphone i sbad. Ill never say that, i like them but they should be able to do more simple things instead of having to wait years to get stuff...such as MMS and copy and paste that took two years. Be able to attach a file to email, etc.

 

[Calidude]

Me too. Dont know what zbarvian is talking about. Its as responsive, even a bit faster and has a lot more options and beter functions.

You guys are just proving that you didn't read the article and you don't know what "polish" means.

I support anybody who bashes iPhone on its like of options and functions, but polish is NOT an advantage that Android has over iOS.

 

[G51989]

You guys are just proving that you didn't read the article and you don't know what "polish" means.

I support anybody who bashes iPhone on its like of options and functions, but polish is NOT an advantage that Android has over iOS.

I read the entire articular thank you very much.

In my opinion, iOS is nothing more than the App Drawer. Its a launcher, that's it. How hard is it to make a fluid OS that doesn't do anything?

Imo, iOS was awesome on my 3GS, I loved it for 2 years, then when I went android I realized.....iOS is complete garbage.

Don't get me wrong, for people that need their hand held, its great. These are probably the same people who don't know how to change their backround in Windows, or OSX. And for them its fine,. I'll take a real OS.

Don't get me wrong tho, I am agnostic to brands. If Apple can put out out a killer feature ( No, Siri doesn't count. its garbage and useless, but I'm not biased, Googles version is just as terrible. ). I would have bought a iPhone5....

iPhone 5....
Smaller display than flagship android
slower hardware than flagship android ( don't post iPhone 5 benchmarks, the flagship android phones with JB rape the iPhone )
worse OS with no options to customize
worse battery life, ( ( COULD be proven wrong, but the iPhone 5 has a bigger display with the same battery power as the 4S, not a good combo )

iOS, what is there to Polish again?

 

[Calidude]

iOS, what is there to Polish again?

Listen, I agree with you completely. It's easy to polish an OS that has relatively few options and features, but the fact remains that that is precisely why iOS is still more polished than Android.

 

[G51989]

Listen, I agree with you completely. It's easy to polish an OS that has relatively few options and features, but the fact remains that that is precisely why iOS is still more polished than Android.

Thats the thing, iOS ( no I dont hate it, I owned an iPhone for a long time ) isn't an OS, its just an app Launcher, I find it subpar compared to ICS and JB, but a huge margin.

 

[Calidude]

Thats the thing, iOS ( no I dont hate it, I owned an iPhone for a long time ) isn't an OS, its just an app Launcher, I find it subpar compared to ICS and JB, but a huge margin.

Yeah, but its a polished app launcher you must admit lol.

 

[b24pgg]

iOS is nothing more than the App Drawer. Its a launcher, that's it.

Exactly my thought as well.

 

[matttye]

I like this. That means that hopefully Android will be as responsive and polished as iOS one day, which would be awesome.

But it also refutes all those fanboys who claim that Android and iOS are equal on that regard.

No it doesn't. It just means that the head designer is striving for improvement whatever the current state of Android is, be it as good as iOS, better, or not as good.

My opinion is that iOS is more polished than Android, but this article doesn't refute diddly squat.

 

[iphonefan74]

In my opinion, iOS is nothing more than the App Drawer. Its a launcher, that's it. How hard is it to make a fluid OS that doesn't do anything?

Exactly

 

[Oohara]

No, just no. Why are you doing this? Come on. Don't do that. You know that's not true. Don't sink to that iOS fanboy level.

Oh god I share your frustration. Being an Android fanboy, claiming that it's a perfect OS and better than iOS in PRECISELY the department where Apple are clearly ahead... This is exactly the attitude that puts people off from Android. And makes them cling even harder to their iPhones.

People, just read the freaking article! A whole array of inconsistencies and ugly spots in Jelly Bean are meticulously pointed out and explained by the author, and the head of Android design at Google has even posted a comment himself to admit that these need fixing! Having read this, how can you possibly claim that Android does not need polishing??

Personally I had found iOS lacking for some time but it was not until Jelly Bean that I began to really accept Android as an alternative. Because it's only with JB that Android phones have begun feeling as smooth as iPhones have for a long time. I don't care if iOS sacrificed some under-the-hood performance to keep the interface snappy - for me that's one example of "polish" that actually is important. Having to deal with a laggy or inconsistent UI is just too frustrating for me to be able to appreciate anything else the phone can do.

And Android has far to go still until it will feel as sharp as iOS does, no matter how inflexible or one dimensional Apple's OS may be. The fanboys refuse to admit it, but I'm happy at least the people in charge at Google are in touch with the truth...

 

[onthecouchagain]

I like this. That means that hopefully Android will be as responsive and polished as iOS one day, which would be awesome.

But it also refutes all those fanboys who claim that Android and iOS are equal on that regard.

Ios 6 runs even smoother than iOS 5. Therefore it refutes that ios 5 was ever smooth. Using your logic.

There's always room for improvement with everything. Android can definitely get better. I rather stick with the OS that isn't afraid to make drastic improvements. Apple will never make drastic changes to the OS for fear of leaving legacy devices out of the loop and fear of greater fragmentation.

 

[zbarvian]

Ios 6 runs even smoother than iOS 5. Therefore it refutes that ios 5 was ever smooth. Using your logic.

There's always room for improvement with everything. Android can definitely get better. I rather stick with the OS that isn't afraid to make drastic improvements. Apple will never make drastic changes to the OS for fear of leaving legacy devices out of the loop and fear of greater fragmentation.

I'm running iOS 6, it runs slightly faster, but not much smoother. You can say that Android has been just as polished, smooth, and responsive as iOS all along, but it's simply not true. Hopefully it will match or exceed iOS in the future, but for the moment iOS still wears the crown in those regards.

 

[kdarling]

Every UI can improve. It's the nature of the beast, especially as users get more experienced.

The first step in improvement is to know it's needed. The second step is to decide a direction and head towards it.

At least the head Android designer acknowledges he has more work to do.

Apple executives cannot even decide amongst themselves about major UI factors such as whether or not to continue using skeuomorphic themes.

Fortunately, people can get used to almost anything.

 

[cynics]

Yeah, but its a polished app launcher you must admit lol.

This guy is just an Apple fanboy trolling the alternatives to iOS forum!!!!!!!

Sorry couldn't resist hahah