In April, Google Gmail introduced a redesigned look and feel, a new color scheme, more white space and polished ICONS. Some changes to Material Design have also been introduced — Material Theming (Material theme), which aims to customize Material Design applications to better reflect the product brand. In other words, developers can make small changes to colors or fonts and apply them to an entire theme.
The essence of Google’s material design is to unify the user experience across Google’s platforms. So, from the point of view of the mobile apps that are most relevant to People’s Daily life, what are the best Android material design-themed mobile apps of 2018?
1. Airbnb
Download: 360000 +
Product features:
- Unified UI design across platforms
- Streamlined material design style ICONS, buttons and layouts
- Graphical build
One of Google’s tenets is “Fast is better than slow,” and Airbnb is clearly following that philosophy and taking action by respecting users’ time. Precise design from login, browsing, to booking, these steps can be clearly and quickly guided users. Breaking down the big goals into smaller steps subtly avoids the complexity of the look and makes the overall experience feel more comfortable.
Thankfully, this efficiency doesn’t all come at the expense of Airbnb’s visual appeal. Photography on the web or on mobile is one of the clear focal points, offering many options for users. In addition, the bottom navigation bar has been retained in both Android and iOS versions to make it consistent and comfortable across platforms.
2. Gmail
Download: 4616329
Product features:
- Material Theming
- Intelligently select common replies
- Exquisite material design style icon
- Add sidebar
Gmail as a common mailbox tool in daily life, we are no strangers. In the new version of Gmail released this year, Google showed a new material theme design look, a new material design color scheme, more white space, and a refined icon. The design style changes, so that it presents a more modern style.
Earlier during the Cloud Next 2018 conference, Google showed off an updated Gmail for Android with the Google Material Theme. In keeping with the recent web revamp, the mobile version of Gmail will get traditional desktop features like density options and quick attachments in inbox view.
3. Cheap Flights & Hotels momondo
Download: 42575
Product features:
- Exquisite material design and color matching
- The list of design
- The Material Design button
Momondo is a versatile travel app for finding, comparing and booking flights and hotels. The departure and return date selectors use bar charts to indicate prices. The flight search page uses types of different sizes to create powerful information hierarchies. Selecting FAB allows users to adjust their preferences when viewing potential flights.
As one of the winners of the 2017 Google Materials Design Award, Momondo’s Android app is a great example of how the fundamentals of material design can be embodied in a mobile app. And following Google’s material design theme is also inspiring new directions in android app design.
Copy guest design system online! Three big welfare send ceaselessly!
“We are constantly experimenting with the design of our app to take full advantage of the Material mode while maintaining the unique Momondo style. Every feature is carefully considered and the design is iterative before any release.”
– Emmet Farrell, Lead Android Designer
4. Kitchen Stories – Recipes & Cooking
Download: 22,088
Product features:
- Expressive layout patterns
- Big and attractive photos
Kitchen Stories’ unique layout allows it to work seamlessly on a variety of devices. Big, attractive photos entice users to click and learn new recipes. Providing the user with such a layout experience is not a single decision, but a series of user experience details. A well-experienced mobile app is one where the user doesn’t even realize that the designer is leading him to make conscious decisions, but they definitely feel it when things go wrong.
Kitchen Stories specializes in creating effective, easy-to-scan layouts for recipes of all screens and sizes. As modern people who are not good at cooking, cooking apps have become one of the permanent guests in the kitchen. Whether they use tablets or mobile phones, they always like to consult while cooking in the kitchen. Organized content minimizes the number of times a finger touches the screen.
5. Asana: organize team projects
Download: 20,844
Product features:
- Hover button design
- Repetitive interaction design
Asana’s Android design does not distract from the core functions of the product because of its design while maintaining the visual image of its brand. As one of the implementers of material design, the design of the hover button is well represented in this application. Create new tasks easily by clicking the Brand Float action button to start a new project, conversation or task.
An application built on greater efficiency and better collaboration needs to be visually focused and clear to keep the user focused on getting the job done. Asana enables efficient work and collaboration through short, repetitive interactions, without being diverted from the content by extensive, meaningless operations.
6. Fabulous: Motivate Me! Meditate, Relax, Sleep
Download: 206,169
Product features:
- Illustration design
- Animation design
- Color card
As one of Google’s most engaging materials design awards and one of Google Play’s best App nominees for Android materials design, Fabulous has some design gems to learn from.
Fabulous lures users with illustrations, animations and playful sounds, and bright-colored graphics to make the experience more enjoyable and encourage offline tasks a habit. Colored cards display the user’s goals and show the percentage of goals achieved.
The app’s engaging illustration style is impressive and helps increase user retention, especially after inviting users to play through their first goal-setting experience. Clear state transitions, pleasing goal completion animations, bold notification styles, complete soundscapes, and personalized and direct email alerts are all novel experiences for users.
7. Blinkist – Nonfiction Books
Download: 16,625
Product features:
- Clear type layout
Blinkist offers 15-minute summaries of more than 2,000 best-selling nonfiction books. For each book, the app provides written and audio summaries and lists the target audience for the book. The clear layout and legible types make the application easy to peruse.
At Blinkist, the brand identity is highlighted through graphics, movement and, above all, engaging typography. The type layout establishes a clear hierarchy while keeping the presentation reader friendly by comfortably using white space. Clear, simple text labels further enhance presentations. The end result is a unique and engaging reading experience.
“Creating a truly enjoyable and rewarding product for our customers is what drives us to improve the Blinkist experience. We’ve always felt that a major component of achieving this goal is beautiful, functional design that keeps our readers at the heart of it all the time.”
– Temi Adeniyi, Head of design
8.NPR One
Download: 13,228
Product features:
- Responsive UI design
- Material design
NPR One gets personal stories, shows and podcasts from NATIONAL Public Radio and local public radio stations. The same set of messages can vary from device to device, with a responsive UI designed to work on a tablet, smartwatch or phone screen.
The multi-platform design enables NPR One users to consistently perform tasks in a way that feels natural to each device, whether it’s in their pocket, on their wrist, in their car or at home. Even the content is adaptable, providing a programming range that allows users to be successful in a matter of minutes or to delve into topics of interest. Stories are well organized and can be easily targeted and discovered at will.
“Using Material Design, we are able to effectively organize content in public broadcasting and present it in a way that encourages accidental listening while informing the public about local and national issues. It’s an accessible experience that ensures everyone has access to public radio.”
– Product owner Tejas Mistry
9. Eventbrite Organizer
Download: 1,598
Product features:
- Interaction design
- Usability design
Eventbrite Organizer is a one-stop shop for business event management. Total sales, hourly sales charts and percentage of tickets sold will be clearly displayed in the app’s event information center. Event planners can edit event information, ticket types and even prices directly within the app.
With clear structure, navigation, and usability, Eventbrite Organizer subtly simplifies the entire event management process from creation to completion. The application provides effective support for the many tasks the organizers are responsible for without overwhelming the user.
“Eventbrite Organizer uses custom interactions to check-in, register and scan attendees, and purchase tickets to provide an enjoyable experience for event planners. We use animation to eliminate steps in the event creation process and help make the experience more frictionless.”
— Thomas Censani, Director of Product Design
Conclusion:
Last year, the Copycat team put together a list of 10 Android interface designs. With the update of Google’s material design concept, major developers in Android app design also keep up with the trend, from design, color matching and interaction are constantly updated and improved. Hopefully, these 9 great Android materials design apps will inspire your products.
More material design related reading:
Difficult to match colors? 11 Design resources for Inspiration
12 excellent foreign Material Design website cases