Alright, I think there's still something I'd like to talk about. Please forgive me for spamming a bit here. Truth is, I'm actually having fun thinking about these things!
Both apps and websites present content and settings/navigation tools. As a custom controls, menus and the likes mostly sit at the top of the screen in a header, while content is placed below. Most (all?) mobile OSs follow this tradition, including FxOS. When single-handedly holding a smartphone, though, we use our thumb to press the controls and the top of the screen is the most difficult area to reach. Moreover, the thumb could partially cover some of the content at the bottom of the screen. Given those observations, I can't help wondering whether it would be beneficial to reverse this structure: placing app controls in a footer at the bottom of the screen, close to the thumb, and leaving the top area for content. That would radically revolutionise the whole UI and I cannot imagine all the consequences (and issues) that would arise. I think though that it would enable some exciting possibilities: for example accessing an app's menu by sliding up the footer, just like we access the system tray by sliding down the status bar. I am certainly not qualified to really evaluate this proposal: I'm just presenting it as casual conversation, not as a definite, viable design. Also, all of the other OSs going the other way round suggests that there are considerable obstacles in this direction. That said I think FxOS, unlike Android or iOS, is in the unusual position where bold designs can be experimented, and I think it would be a pity not take advantage of it. Moreover it would be good for FxOS to differentiate itself from mainstream OSs, to establish its own identity (as long as this doesn't compromise usability, of course). So, I think there's nothing bad in considering unconventional, weirder designs too. _______________________________________________ dev-fxos mailing list [email protected] https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-fxos
