Why doesn't webOS have a design language?

[jdlashley]

Android has Holo, Windows Phone has the artist formerly known as Metro, and Apple has... skeumorphism. Why doesn't webOS have its own recognizable style?

(re-posted from my thread over on the Open webOS project site)

[Vistaus]

Why do you think that it doesn't? Most Enyo apps have the same style on my Touchpad... which, again, is Enyo.

[johncc]

Originally Posted by jdlashley

Android has Holo, Windows Phone has the artist formerly known as Metro, and Apple has... skeumorphism. Why doesn't webOS have its own recognizable style?

(re-posted from my thread over on the Open webOS project site)

I would say that it does have a recognisable style. Enyo/Onyx result in a recognisable style.

[GMMan]

The problem seems it's sort of inconsistent. A bunch of apps out on the Catalog use their own color scheme and icons, and some forgoes that altogether (e.g. Neo and some Enyo 2 apps).

[Vistaus]

Originally Posted by GMMan

The problem seems it's sort of inconsistent. A bunch of apps out on the Catalog use their own color scheme and icons, and some forgoes that altogether (e.g. Neo and some Enyo 2 apps).

Yeah, but Neo has a reason to do that. And even then it's not fair. Holo on Android? Yes. But what about apps like Flipboard? Also incosistent because no Holo style. Neo is the Flipboard of webOS in that logic.

[Derek Kessler]

webOS generally does have a consistent design language.

There are outliers, just like there are outliers on every platform - with the exception of Windows Phone, where Microsoft is almost draconian in their enforcement of adherence to not-Metro.

[chalx]

Originally Posted by Derek Kessler

webOS generally does have a consistent design language.

which evolved with sliding panes quite nice. I think main reason for general dislike of Android among webOS users is related to form not function. Android functionality is fantastic but form is really bad even in new versions of Android.

[UncleVanya]

I use android and iOS both daily but still miss my webos. The style was part of it but mostly just the underlying UI and the ease of switching from one app to another.


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[geekpeter]

why does it need a gimmick name for its "style", enyo apps already "look" uniform/unique enough, it doesnt need a gimmicky name to make it sound better.

i dont like android apps because they look dull and bland, so their "holo" gimmick doesnt amount to much, esp when most apps utterly ignore whatever thats meant to be.

apple apps i suppose mostly look uniform, cant say ive used a vast array to tell any differences.

metro may as well be a glorified "lego" theme tbh.

etc etc

basically all these things can be watered down to a visual "theme" that their all capable of doing.

[ComicBookBin]

Actually webOS does have a design language. I even wrote an almost scholarly article about this for the mobile lab I work at. You could call it Enyo.

Semaphore Enyo Workshop and Open webOS Hackathon Report

[Armada]

I don't think it should be called Enyo, but Onyx, since Onyx is the widget set and essentially the graphical building blocks of the UI. Enyo is the framework behind it so I find that a tab bit inaccurate and confusing.

Also, strict adherence to style is bad. So is throwing predesigned styles out for the sake of being different. The key is to balance the two: a recognizable, predictable UI that implements enough changes for brand recognition. I can't think of a good example on another platform, but let's create a hypothetical Enyo 2 app called Orange Stand. I could make it ho-hum Onyx slate, or I could use the same textures and widgets from Onyx but make them oh-so-citrusy. This gives Orange Stand a unique look without confusing the user. I could go deeper by extending or adding widgets and change the look of existing ones but as long as Onyx widget functionality and iconography are used the user should never feel like they don't know how Orange Stand works.

This is the balance that needs to be found for a coherent design. This is why I feel that Onyx is a good name for the UI building blocks but shouldn't be considered the "design language". Because webOS doesn't need a design language. It's all about being based around the web. And websites are meant to be flexible and unique. An app needs to control predictably though, which is the only guideline that should really be followed.

Kind of an incoherent post but do you catch my drift? I guess it really is the "design language" in the end though. :-P