Here’s how adaptive icons will work with Android O [Diving into Android O]

Be sure to check out our Diving into Android O series for more coverage!
For the most part, app icons on your smartphone are just that; flat artwork that just sits there on your home screen. With the release of Android O, Google hopes to put some life into those app logos on the display with the introduction of what the company is calling adaptive icons.
While this feature isn’t really available to users in the first O developer preview, Google says that this new feature will allow app developers to create icons that will have different shapes for different devices. For example, a Facebook app icon may have a square shape on a Google Pixel XL but a circular (or squircle) shape when it is displayed on a Samsung Galaxy S8. Google says that with Android O, each device can provide a mask for that icon, which the OS can use to render all icons with the same shape. This will likely be embraced by OEMs who would like to have some unique looking home screens and app icons without having to create their own unique UX.
The adaptive icons can be used with app shortcuts, and they can also be set up inside the Settings app, along with sharing dialogs and the overview screen. They can also support a number of visual effects when a person interacts with an icon. In order for this new feature to work, Android O developers must create the launcher icons at 108 x 108 dp for both layers (the foreground and the background). Previous versions of Android supported just one layer for the app icon, and it was smaller at 48 x 48 dp.
In addition to the new animated icons, Android O will also support apps that will be able to take advantage of devices that have a wide-gamut color capable display. Android O apps will need to enable a flag in their manifest and load bitmaps with an embedded wide color profile. Google indicated it will support AdobeRGB, Pro Photo RGB, and DCI-P formats, among others.
Finally, the new version of Android will be able to use fonts as a fully supported resource type, which means that app developers will be able to use use fonts in XML layouts, along with the ability to define font families in XML. App developers can find out a lot more about how to use these new font resources on the Android O dev site.
All in all, it sounds like the new OS will offer developers a wider variety of UI and icon designs.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Linktree’s free workaround lets you add multiple links to your Instagram bio

Image
Instagram only gives you one opportunity to link to outside resources inside its photo sharing platform. This might not be a problem for a majority of the users, but for those wanting a little more customization and even more options, it leaves much to be desired. Enter  Linktree , a free tool for Instagram designed to improve traffic to your outside link, be it a blog, portfolio, or store. How it works is fairly straightforward. After connecting Linktree to your Instagram profile, you’ll receive a single link to place in your Instagram bio. Once that link in place, you can customize what it’s linked to within your browser, be it a single website, or a collection of sites you’re looking to direct followers to Say you’re a photographer who’s using Instagram as a marketing tool for your wedding photography. Using Linktree, you can direct Instagram followers to your blog, your portfolio site, and even your other social media accounts. Until now, you would’ve been stuck c...
Read more

The best antivirus software to download in September 2018

Image
You probably don't need us to tell you just how important it is to download antivirus software for your computer and mobile devices in 2018. But where we can help is to tell you what the best antivirus is right now, having tested and reviewed the latest packages from the biggest names in cyber security. Hackers are always coming up with new ways to gain access to your PC and other internet enabled devices (with your mobile phone and tablet included). Luckily the best antivirus companies are constantly updating their security software packages. We're already starting to see their 2019 packages come to market, with user experience tweaks and the latest protection against phishing scams, ransomware and all other types of viruses and malware. Right now, we think that  Bitdefender Antivirus Plus 2019  is the best antivirus that your money can buy  (or  head here for UK pricing ). It combines watertight antivirus tools with an array of other excellent security...
Read more

Apple is again extending TV Plus trials to July

Image
According to 9to5Mac, Apple will be extending its free year-long trials of its TV Plus service to customers until July 2021. The trials were originally included with the purchase of any Apple device (e.g., an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV) and were initially set to last until November 1st, 2020. This is the second extension, with the first extending from November 2020 to February 2021. Subscribers who had free subscriptions that were set to expire any time from February 2021 to June 2021 will also get an extension until July. The extension comes in the wake of production delays. Only one of the shows the service launched with (Dickinson) has had its second season premiere, while others — like For All Mankind, The Morning Show, and See — are still waiting for their second seasons to come out. Show productions being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic is no surprise, and extending the trial is a nice gesture. Viewers probably would like to start watching the second seasons of their favorit...
Read more