Above images via monkfish-bandana
Facebook is arguably one of the most popular applications on Android. Yet, the design of the application has not yet made any efforts to look and feel truly Android.
The above images are mockup’s by monkfish-bandana on DeviantArt, and show how great the Facebook application could and should be. The designer obviously spent a large amount of time invested into his redesign, and includes several screenshots in his main gallery on his DevianArt page (listed below).
Both designs (v2 at the top, and v1 at the bottom), keep the uniqueness of using a Facebook application while following the Android design guidelines. I especially enjoy the use of the dropdown in the News Feed design and the left to right swipe navigation in the profile view. All of this is coupled with a functional and clean interface that looks and functions like an Android designed application.
I can understand that many major application producers feel the need to make a unified and similar interface between iOS applications and their Android counterparts. That being said, it continues to disappoint me to see so few major applications such as Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, etc… that continue to make dated looking designs, that don’t take advantage of the clean and distinct look of the Holo interface.
As the designer above demonstrated, you can keep the branding and uniqueness of your applications without going against the design guidelines in place.
One can only hope that developers will make the shift to following the design guidelines, so that we all may benefit.
Via: monkfish-bandana on DeviantArt