Android interface design

Question

I've noticed that there are several applications which have been developed within the last 6 months or so which share a common design. I can think of 4 off the top of my head, Twitter, Google IO, Evernote and Facebook (new version). They all have a "home" screen with a grid of icons for various app areas. And a top bar with the app logo in the top left, then global/common functions in the top right.

I'm sure the newer apps were inspired by the earlier ones (Twitter was the first I can remember to use this style). My question is: are they all just happening to use this style or is there templates out there to make my app look similarly?

Answer 1

I don't think there are existing "templates" but there were guidelines noted on the dev blog earlier this year that mentioned some of the same techniques: http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2010/05/twitter-for-android-closer-look-at.html.

Many other apps adopted some of those same approaches after the Twitter app came out, and after Google advocated "Dashboard," "Action Bar," and so on.

Answer 2

These slides talk a bit about why to design such interfaces. It also has some good UI tips.