Android L unified icons sizes and shapes

I believe they're still refining this, but it as far as I know icon shapes will remain as they are (i.e. any shape) but they are pushing developers to follow their 'template' which means all icons should exist within the same border.
 
Scottland said:
I believe they're still refining this, but it as far as I know icon shapes will remain as they are (i.e. any shape) but they are pushing developers to follow their 'template' which means all icons should exist within the same border.
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Ok thanks. I hate how messy the icons all look together on my home screen.
 
What phone are you using? You can use a 3rd party launcher like Nova and use a different icon pack which will feel more unified.

Moonshine is based off the Android L leaks and looks very good:https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nexbit.icons.moonshine

The developer is working on a massive update which will update every icon to be more in line with Google's material design guidelines so it should feel even more unified.
 
I realise I can use icon packs (and have done so in the past), I would just prefer Google to fix it properly, and hence was wondering whether it would be in Android L.

So it looks like we're getting a partial fix in terms of icon sizes, but not a fix to icon shapes.

Thanks for the info

M.
 
From the screenshots and preview builds we've seen so far, they're not going the same way as iOS whereby apps have a square icon with rounded corers so they all look the same, but they the Material design ethos is there to guide developers to what they should look like.

I agree though, for me an icon the shape of the camera next to an icon that looks like a phone handset or a book doesn't look neat to me. They should have a circle/square background to bring some uniformity. They're going with circles in contact pictures/G+ etc, no reason not to do it elsewhere for icons...
 
mrochester said:
I realise I can use icon packs (and have done so in the past), I would just prefer Google to fix it properly, and hence was wondering whether it would be in Android L.

So it looks like we're getting a partial fix in terms of icon sizes, but not a fix to icon shapes.

Thanks for the info

M.
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Issue might be that google doesn't see a fixed shape as being the correct way, it gives developers more freedom with icon design and at times looks very nice. With most things design there isn't a correct way.
 
I actually prefer the inconsistent shape of the icons, even as a designer myself. I find it helps me find what I want quicker. If the icons are all the same shape/size, the designs have to be more differentiated.
 
Yup Let devs create unique icons the way they want as long as they are icons fitting inside the max icon size corners.

If you want unified icons then simply install an icon pack to have that.

This isn't an issue that needs "fixing" really.
 
Yeah, I can see both sides of it - and most of it comes down to user preference. When using an iOS device I can never seem to find the app I want as they all appear to look the same :p
 
Your using it wrong :p, I give up looking for apps and I just use spotlight. I can see reason for a unified size, it helps with laying out things, you get a nice symmetry to everything, but at the same time you get a lot of apps that have their logo then the rest of it is just colour, it doesn't look as unique as I would like it too, a lot of logos have different shapes and its part of their companies brand, its nice that on Android they can keep it.

With all things design its all a compromise in either direction.
 
I prefer the inconsistent shapes as well, it helps me recognise what app it is easier and faster. The icons on iOS gives me a headache trying to find an app as they're all the same shape.
 
Well personally I find it a weak point of Android that they aren't all the same size and shape and I hope Google will one day rectify this.
 
There is no way of 'rectifying' it via an Android update anyway unless they took the BB10 approach. They could bring new icon requirements into the developer submissions outside of any Android releases but I expect most people wouldn't want that.
 
Personally I prefer the current mixture of shapes but surely the best fix would just to allow people to change app icons, be that to a pack or individually, within the default OS hence giving the choice.
 
memyselfandi said:
Personally I prefer the current mixture of shapes but surely the best fix would just to allow people to change app icons, be that to a pack or individually, within the default OS hence giving the choice.
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I'm not really bothered about having a choice, just make them all the same size and shape and I'll be happy!
 
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