The navigation paradigma Microsoft uses is not for me, I prefer Apple's more natural approach.
I'm fascinated to know what is "natural" about Apple's approach. I think it is "natural" because you are used to it. To me, it feels overly (/incredibly) app-centric. Both Android and Windows Phone (to differing degrees) feel far more task based: "You have a photo. What would you like to do with it?", as opposed to "You opened Instagram? I assume you want to do stuff with photos".
By example, when I look up a contact in my address book in Windows Phone, it allows me to look up my history with that person. Emails, texts, IMs, tweets, everything- all in one place, because who thinks "Dave tweeted that at me" over "Dave sent that to me"? By contrast, iOS keeps every interaction siloed in-app.
Apple's most "natural" interactions result in making the address book look like a leather bound book.
"By example, when I look up a contact in my address book in Windows Phone, it allows me to look up my history with that person. Emails, texts, IMs, tweets, everything- all in one place, because who thinks "Dave tweeted that at me" over "Dave sent that to me"? By contrast, iOS keeps every interaction siloed in-app."
that's a very good point. And that sounds like a FANTASTIC feature I'd love to have on my phone. your right, if the windows phone is more "people centric", as opposed to "app centric" And now that you mention it, I'd love to try out the windows phone, because it really sounds like they have it together. I think Android could go this way too, there's a lot they can do. But as fass as buggieness, and overall satisfaction, I've had a rather disappointing time with android (only smartphone I've owed.)
It isn't just limited to being 'people centric'. It's more content(? there may be a better word) centric. When you're looking at a photo, do you want to share it? go to one of your photo apps? adjust it? e-mail it to somebody?
I was really surprised when I got my iPad that I couldn't open a photo and just upload it to facebook or send it to somebody in an e-mail. I had to go find an app to do that.
And it's funny how BlackBerry has been doing this for several years now, but people seemed to have just glossed over it. RIM has had NUMEROUS missteps over the last few years, but they do have some good ideas in there. Let's hope they shine this week with BB10.
Oh, and let me get the obligatory, "BlackBerry? They still exist?" out of the way.
Hmm, you bring up some good points. Blackberries did have a lot of crazy good things about them. And I might even consider looking at a BB or WP for my next phone (just to be different, a bit of a hipster decision I suppose, but I'm disappointed with android, and I don't know if I want to support Apples frivolous patent trolling.)
iOS' UI tries to emulate things we already know (through metaphors & skeumorphism). What I meant by iOS being "more natural" is exactly this - while Apple emphasizes on reminding users of things they already know, Microsoft has chosen to kill many such analogies by purpose. The Zune/Phone 7 interface tries to get the max out of the fact that it's a digital environment, where you do not need beveled buttons or stitched leather ribbons. While I think I understand why MS is doing this - increased focus on presented data, less distractions for the eye, less energy usage on AMOLED displays - I don't think I particularly like its plainness, emotionally. And I believe that many people feel the same, mabye unconsciously.
The other thing is that, on iOS, there is a context (app) for everything, with a dedicated meaning to every screen. I agree that Microsoft's approach to navigation is not bad, and it surely fares better in some aspects. But dedicated context is often lost when apps act as a "hub". I think that this kind of information presentation leads to information overburden, the kind of which prevents people from opening an app more often than once a week.
A good majority of apps use a hierarchy of views, which is exceptionally natural since we see generations of things everywhere, including our own families. One view is parent to the next, and so on.
I'm fascinated to know what is "natural" about Apple's approach. I think it is "natural" because you are used to it. To me, it feels overly (/incredibly) app-centric. Both Android and Windows Phone (to differing degrees) feel far more task based: "You have a photo. What would you like to do with it?", as opposed to "You opened Instagram? I assume you want to do stuff with photos".
By example, when I look up a contact in my address book in Windows Phone, it allows me to look up my history with that person. Emails, texts, IMs, tweets, everything- all in one place, because who thinks "Dave tweeted that at me" over "Dave sent that to me"? By contrast, iOS keeps every interaction siloed in-app.
Apple's most "natural" interactions result in making the address book look like a leather bound book.