Discussion:
[whispersystems] Why is the interface different between Android and iOS?
#359
2016-01-11 16:04:09 UTC
Permalink
hey,

Signal is not the same on iOS and Android because those two are
different ecosystems with different basic principles and rules. the
design rules on Android is called Material design and on iOS Human
interface and they are different. that means that apps on Android should
follow Material design rules to look similar and also to have similar
user experience. and iOS apps follow Human interface rules. developers
are not forced to design Android apps following Material design on
Android (i don't know about iOS) but an app would look very strange if
it's done some other way and people would also get confused why basic
things are done totally differently on one app then on all others. and
the same goes with iOS. so it's actually ok that UXs are not the same on
both systems and they would probably never be. but the logic is pretty
much the same.

the only thing that actually is a bit strange is that Signal logo
differs so much between Android and iOS/Desktop.


- jure
I've just managed to convince someone to install Signal, but because
the interface is different and I'm not with them right now, I couldn't
help them figure out how to send messages...
Well, while I was writing this, they just sent me a message; the
problem seems to have solved itself, but they don't know what they did
different. It is still an issue that the interface is not consistent
between OS's, people shouldn't need to waste time with web searches
just to explain to someone how to do the same thing they know how to
do on their own devices with the same app.
Stephen Michel
2016-01-11 17:44:50 UTC
Permalink
I recently had the same issue: convinced someone (relatively tech illiterate) to install signal, and they did not know how to send a message.

Turns out they clicked the plus button correctly. They saw the list of names with phone icons next to each, understood that those icons would initiate calls, and were uncertain where the icon to send a text message was.

Hopefully this is useful information for the Signal-iOS dev(s).
Hm, seems there might still be a hitch there, since this person
couldn't
send a message at first even though they had an iPhone for quite a
while...
Post by #359
hey,
Signal is not the same on iOS and Android because those two are
different
Post by #359
ecosystems with different basic principles and rules. the design
rules on
Post by #359
Android is called Material design and on iOS Human interface and they
are
Post by #359
different. that means that apps on Android should follow Material
design
Post by #359
rules to look similar and also to have similar user experience. and
iOS
Post by #359
apps follow Human interface rules. developers are not forced to
design
Post by #359
Android apps following Material design on Android (i don't know about
iOS)
Post by #359
but an app would look very strange if it's done some other way and
people
Post by #359
would also get confused why basic things are done totally differently
on
Post by #359
one app then on all others. and the same goes with iOS. so it's
actually ok
Post by #359
that UXs are not the same on both systems and they would probably
never be.
Post by #359
but the logic is pretty much the same.
the only thing that actually is a bit strange is that Signal logo
differs
Post by #359
so much between Android and iOS/Desktop.
- jure
I've just managed to convince someone to install Signal, but because
the
Post by #359
interface is different and I'm not with them right now, I couldn't
help
Post by #359
them figure out how to send messages...
Well, while I was writing this, they just sent me a message; the
problem
Post by #359
seems to have solved itself, but they don't know what they did
different.
Post by #359
It is still an issue that the interface is not consistent between
OS's,
Post by #359
people shouldn't need to waste time with web searches just to explain
to
Post by #359
someone how to do the same thing they know how to do on their own
devices
Post by #359
with the same app.
--
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
L e
2016-01-16 21:35:00 UTC
Permalink
there are no ios developers at the moment
From: ***@tufts.edu
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2016 18:44:50 +0100
To: tiagotiagot+list.riseup.net-***@gmail.com; ***@osmocudo.net
CC: ***@lists.riseup.net
Subject: Re: [whispersystems] Why is the interface different between Android and iOS?

I recently had the same issue: convinced someone (relatively tech illiterate) to install signal, and they did not know how to send a message.



Turns out they clicked the plus button correctly. They saw the list of names with phone icons next to each, understood that those icons would initiate calls, and were uncertain where the icon to send a text message was.



Hopefully this is useful information for the Signal-iOS dev(s).

On January 11, 2016 5:14:37 PM GMT+01:00, TiagoTiago <tiagotiagot+list.riseup.net-***@gmail.com> wrote:
Hm, seems there might still be a hitch there, since this person couldn't send a message at first even though they had an iPhone for quite a while...

On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 2:04 PM, #359 <***@osmocudo.net> wrote:





hey,


Signal is not the same on iOS and Android because those two are different ecosystems with different basic principles and rules. the design rules on Android is called Material design and on iOS Human interface and they are different. that means that apps on Android should follow Material design rules to look similar and also to have similar user experience. and iOS apps follow Human interface rules. developers are not forced to design Android apps following Material design on Android (i don't know about iOS) but an app would look very strange if it's done some other way and people would also get confused why basic things are done totally differently on one app then on all others. and the same goes with iOS. so it's actually ok that UXs are not the same on both systems and they would probably never be. but the logic is pretty much the same.


the only thing that actually is a bit strange is that Signal logo differs so much between Android and iOS/Desktop.



- jure






On Mon, Jan 11, 2016, at 16:38, TiagoTiago wrote:

I've just managed to convince someone to install Signal, but because the interface is different and I'm not with them right now, I couldn't help them figure out how to send messages...



Well, while I was writing this, they just sent me a message; the problem seems to have solved itself, but they don't know what they did different. It is still an issue that the interface is not consistent between OS's, people shouldn't need to waste time with web searches just to explain to someone how to do the same thing they know how to do on their own devices with the same app.
--
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
Bernard Tyers
2016-01-18 16:04:21 UTC
Permalink
Designing an interface that is consistent with the OS design and follows
the interface standards is the best approach when designing a user
interface.

The main reason why you would not follow this is if there is research to
evidence that the majority Signal users use Signal on multi-devices.

An example (from memory) of this is the Financial Times mobile and web
apps - they've chosen to design the interfaces of their all mobile apps
to follow their website design.

If Android user is helping an iOS user to do something on their device,
and doesn't know what to do that's a different issue - not an interface
design issue.

Bernard
Post by Stephen Michel
I recently had the same issue: convinced someone (relatively tech illiterate) to install signal, and they did not know how to send a message.
Turns out they clicked the plus button correctly. They saw the list of names with phone icons next to each, understood that those icons would initiate calls, and were uncertain where the icon to send a text message was.
Hopefully this is useful information for the Signal-iOS dev(s).
Hm, seems there might still be a hitch there, since this person
couldn't
send a message at first even though they had an iPhone for quite a
while...
Post by #359
hey,
Signal is not the same on iOS and Android because those two are
different
Post by #359
ecosystems with different basic principles and rules. the design
rules on
Post by #359
Android is called Material design and on iOS Human interface and they
are
Post by #359
different. that means that apps on Android should follow Material
design
Post by #359
rules to look similar and also to have similar user experience. and
iOS
Post by #359
apps follow Human interface rules. developers are not forced to
design
Post by #359
Android apps following Material design on Android (i don't know about
iOS)
Post by #359
but an app would look very strange if it's done some other way and
people
Post by #359
would also get confused why basic things are done totally differently
on
Post by #359
one app then on all others. and the same goes with iOS. so it's
actually ok
Post by #359
that UXs are not the same on both systems and they would probably
never be.
Post by #359
but the logic is pretty much the same.
the only thing that actually is a bit strange is that Signal logo
differs
Post by #359
so much between Android and iOS/Desktop.
- jure
I've just managed to convince someone to install Signal, but because
the
Post by #359
interface is different and I'm not with them right now, I couldn't
help
Post by #359
them figure out how to send messages...
Well, while I was writing this, they just sent me a message; the
problem
Post by #359
seems to have solved itself, but they don't know what they did
different.
Post by #359
It is still an issue that the interface is not consistent between
OS's,
Post by #359
people shouldn't need to waste time with web searches just to explain
to
Post by #359
someone how to do the same thing they know how to do on their own
devices
Post by #359
with the same app.
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