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Comment by ryanmonroe | Hacker News Reader

I can't comment on whether it's the best for the platform, but I don't think there's much of a cognitive burden placed on iOS users by material design. A whole lot of iOS users use the Google Maps and Youtube apps, and many also use Gmail/Inbox for email, and Chrome as a browser. My Grandmom uses Google Maps and has never had to ask me any questions about how to do things with it.

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Honestly it bothers me every time I use a Google app on my iPhone. Because it feels like they've willingly sacrificed a uniform platform experience to push their own brand. Now I can't comment on the quality of the app itself, but consider what Apple did with the UI for the Apple Music app for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apple.andr...

For years Android users complained, that when apps were originally introduced on iOS and later brought to Android, they were looking like iOS apps. I guess that Google realized in the end, that it works both ways.

I instant uninstall any apps from my Android phone if it looks like an iOS app.

I instantly uninstall the apps don't work.

> they've willingly sacrificed a uniform platform experience to push their own brand.

What if you consider the 'platform' google? They've not 'sacrificed', they kept it consistent. No?

It's not a huge leap compared to a lot of mental gymnastics. But I don't find it to be a particularly compelling argument.

I agree it isn't really any extra cognitive burden. I've yet to meet anyone capable of using any touchscreen UI who wouldn't be able to seamlessly switch between iOS/Android UIs. The amount of cognitive burden required for using ANY new app is far greater than the tiny bit of extra that may be added due to switching between app UI styles, IMO.

Having said that, and speaking as an Android user/developer, I am always annoyed when an Android app I am using is very clearly an iOS port and still retains the iOS look & feel. This annoyance isn't coming from added cognitive burden or a fanboy-type perspective but probably from a design perfectionist/hipster perspective.

It just seems.... rude, I guess, to not follow the local cultural norms (though I do get why it is done for expediency).

Have you looked at the YouTube reviews on the iOS App Store? They're exceptionally horrible for what really is an A-grade app! I don't know for sure, by my assumption is it's mostly because of material design, but subconsciously to those writing reviews. The average basically plummeted the instant they updated the design.

The problem with YouTube redesign is that it wastes a huge amount of space considering there are a lot of users rocking 4" iPhones. Basically a third of the screen is the top bars.

They also blown up the huge thumbnails for videos, so you can basically see 2 and half videos on the screen, compared to a much denser list before.

Not to mention the information density on the tablet : http://a3.mzstatic.com/us/r30/Purple69/v4/37/3f/0d/373f0d5d-...

Material design can be pretty nice, but not with horrible wasting of space where Google went completely overboard. This is BAD.

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