Apps: research

After doing some first initial drawings of a few designs for my apps I have started to design on the computer. I started by looking at other apps on my iPhone and online and to see how they have been designed. Looking at the simplicity, colour and symbols.

 Some of the apps that I looked at were really simple, which apple have designed as the Music app comes with the iPhone, the colour of this stands out a lot. What I have noticed about a lot of these apps is that they have an oval shape up the top, making a reflection. 

The Temple Run app I think might be too complicated for a series of apps that I have been asked to design. I want to create my series simple like the Music app. I think that this wouldn't appeal to as many people and as it's a game, it does look quite fun, but I think that there might be too much going on in such a small space.

-----------------------------------

This app design is quite simple and self explained. Is is obvious as to what is it and what it does. I think that apps should have this type of image on it as I don't think that you necessarily need to be able to read the description to know what it is. The detail in the image is small and subtle, so when the app is small on the screen on an iPhone you can't see as much but as the rest of the image has all been designed quite big then I think that the smaller bits of details adds to the realisticness.

This British Airways app I think its instantly recognizable. Even if the text wasn't there on the app design, the ribbon is a widely known icon for British Airways. The font used here on the app too is related to the company. The design and simplicity on this app works well and if you was to see this in the App Store then the customer would know exactly what it is without looking at a description and I think this is one of the most important parts about designing an app. 

This app is for Beatwave. Looking at this I didn't know what it was without looking at the name and description of it. I believe that this app is for someone who would be looking for it specifically. I don't think that it instantly describes what it is with the image, but after looking at it closely (and knowing the name) that is when it all came together for me. I think that this could of been designed slightly better to show those who aren't as clued up about the app to know what it is and does.

This is the app for the App Store. This was designed by Apple originally. The outcome and the images of a paintbrush ruler and pencil I think work really well describing the way the app works. The colour and extra texture here is really effective, giving the viewer a feeling of being brought in. The white along side the blue I think is working really well here and for me it makes me want to look at it as the colours are so striking.

This Angry Birds app I think is so good, this might be because of how well known the app is in general and most people would know what the app does or at least what it is if they were to see it in any environment. Angry Birds has branched out into other fields and now makes items for phones, eg. iPhone cases.

This app is called Evi. I'm not sure what this app does, but seeing it in the app store on my phone I thought it was a good example to show an app that doesn't show what it is with its design. To me this looks like a game, but it is in the knowledge section. The simplicity is what is good about this app though, I think that it is a app that you would purposefully go and look for knowing what the app looks like.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2012 app is pretty self explanatory. The app is exactly what it says on the design. The design is a very well know design for EA Games (Sports). I don't really know much about the game but I do know the layout of how they do their designs and so this app I think is good that they have used the continuous theme.

This app is called TuneIn Radio Pro. This is another example of an app that doesn't really explain what it is by the design unless you are specifically looking for it. I think it has the same kind of qualities as the Evi app for design wise.