Android vs iOS Platform: UI Design Guidelines
Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2025 6:34 am
In a scenario that gives us the feeling that time is passing faster and transformations are increasingly frequent, one thing does not change: the battle between the Android vs iOS operating systems remains intense and shapes the digital landscape.
Both have voracious advocates and offer unique experiences to their users, driven by their distinct characteristics in terms of user interface ( UI ) and user experience (UX) .
In this sense, developers, designers, product managers and other professionals involved in creating applications need to know the guidelines of each platform and understand how these elements will influence decisions regarding the development of the final product.
In this article, you'll see a complete and detailed comparison between Android vs iOS, diving deep into the differences, design principles, usability, and philosophies behind each platform.
iOS and Android systems follow different rules and guidelines for interface design and application development:
Android : Material Design (maintained by Google): highlights the use of layers, shadows, and motion to create clean, intuitive interfaces.
iOS : Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) (maintained by Apple): Emphasizes the use of familiar elements, such as recognizable icons and intuitive gestures, to create a cohesive and familiar experience for users.
Contrary to what many may think, these guidelines are not intended to dictate the aesthetics of your product, but rather to instruct professionals involved in application development on the use of components and the adaptation of UIs to meet the requirements and restrictions of the platform.
Platform guidelines aim to create a seamless user experi why choose us? ence between the device and third-party apps. Without these controls, each app would work in a completely different way, forcing users to learn a new interface for each product.
Design Philosophies: What's the Difference Between Android vs iOS Interface Design?
Android
Android, developed by Google, is known for its open and customizable approach. The design philosophy behind Android is to give users and device manufacturers the freedom to customize their experiences. This is reflected in the diversity of Android devices on the market, each with its own unique interface and feature set.
iOS
On the other hand, Apple's iOS is known for its more closed and consistent approach. Apple's design philosophy is user-centric, with a focus on simplicity, clarity, and cohesion. iOS's minimalist and elegant design is a key part of Apple's brand identity.
Integration and consistency: Android vs iOS
iOS stands out for its integration and consistency across apps and devices. iOS apps are designed to work seamlessly across all Apple devices, providing a smooth and consistent experience . Additionally, Apple tightly controls the iOS ecosystem, ensuring high quality and security in all apps available on the App Store.
On the other hand, Android's more open nature can lead to a lack of consistency across devices and apps . The variety of Android device manufacturers and models means that not all apps are optimized for every device, resulting in inconsistent user experiences.
Navigation
Navigation is one of the most decisive features when comparing the iOS vs Android user experience . This is indisputable: the bottom navigation bar that can be visible on Android devices does not exist on iOS.
In this navigation bar, Android uses a standardized 'back' button to facilitate navigation, unlike iOS, which opts for navigation only within the app. This fundamental difference directly influences the way users move around within the app.
Additionally, Android's bottom navigation allows users to:
View all open applications
Return to Home Screen
Go back to the previous screen
On iOS, there is no home or back button, but users can view all open apps by swiping up from the bottom left.
The top navigation bar (the top app bar on Android) is similar for both platforms, with a back button on the left, a central title, and other action buttons on the right. iOS typically uses text buttons for top navigation bar actions when there is only one, such as “edit,” while Android always uses icons.
Primary navigation
In iOS apps, the main navigation patterns within the app usually follow the foreground and sandwich menu used specifically to store occasionally used functions.
When comparing Android vs iOS interface design, you will see that the main navigation can be in the sandwich menu or spread throughout the interface in the form of search bar, floating action buttons, among others.
Secondary navigation
A navigation drawer is a menu that opens from left to right when the sandwich menu icon is pressed. All tabs are placed just below the screen title, allowing the user to switch between views, datasets, and functional aspects of an application.
Apple's Human Interface Guidelines state that there is no standard navigation control similar to the drawer navigation menu. Instead, you'll find global navigation in a tab bar across all iOS apps, which sits at the bottom of the app screen, giving you the ability to quickly switch between the main sections of an app. You'll find secondary navigations under the 'more' tab.
Both have voracious advocates and offer unique experiences to their users, driven by their distinct characteristics in terms of user interface ( UI ) and user experience (UX) .
In this sense, developers, designers, product managers and other professionals involved in creating applications need to know the guidelines of each platform and understand how these elements will influence decisions regarding the development of the final product.
In this article, you'll see a complete and detailed comparison between Android vs iOS, diving deep into the differences, design principles, usability, and philosophies behind each platform.
iOS and Android systems follow different rules and guidelines for interface design and application development:
Android : Material Design (maintained by Google): highlights the use of layers, shadows, and motion to create clean, intuitive interfaces.
iOS : Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) (maintained by Apple): Emphasizes the use of familiar elements, such as recognizable icons and intuitive gestures, to create a cohesive and familiar experience for users.
Contrary to what many may think, these guidelines are not intended to dictate the aesthetics of your product, but rather to instruct professionals involved in application development on the use of components and the adaptation of UIs to meet the requirements and restrictions of the platform.
Platform guidelines aim to create a seamless user experi why choose us? ence between the device and third-party apps. Without these controls, each app would work in a completely different way, forcing users to learn a new interface for each product.
Design Philosophies: What's the Difference Between Android vs iOS Interface Design?
Android
Android, developed by Google, is known for its open and customizable approach. The design philosophy behind Android is to give users and device manufacturers the freedom to customize their experiences. This is reflected in the diversity of Android devices on the market, each with its own unique interface and feature set.
iOS
On the other hand, Apple's iOS is known for its more closed and consistent approach. Apple's design philosophy is user-centric, with a focus on simplicity, clarity, and cohesion. iOS's minimalist and elegant design is a key part of Apple's brand identity.
Integration and consistency: Android vs iOS
iOS stands out for its integration and consistency across apps and devices. iOS apps are designed to work seamlessly across all Apple devices, providing a smooth and consistent experience . Additionally, Apple tightly controls the iOS ecosystem, ensuring high quality and security in all apps available on the App Store.
On the other hand, Android's more open nature can lead to a lack of consistency across devices and apps . The variety of Android device manufacturers and models means that not all apps are optimized for every device, resulting in inconsistent user experiences.
Navigation
Navigation is one of the most decisive features when comparing the iOS vs Android user experience . This is indisputable: the bottom navigation bar that can be visible on Android devices does not exist on iOS.
In this navigation bar, Android uses a standardized 'back' button to facilitate navigation, unlike iOS, which opts for navigation only within the app. This fundamental difference directly influences the way users move around within the app.
Additionally, Android's bottom navigation allows users to:
View all open applications
Return to Home Screen
Go back to the previous screen
On iOS, there is no home or back button, but users can view all open apps by swiping up from the bottom left.
The top navigation bar (the top app bar on Android) is similar for both platforms, with a back button on the left, a central title, and other action buttons on the right. iOS typically uses text buttons for top navigation bar actions when there is only one, such as “edit,” while Android always uses icons.
Primary navigation
In iOS apps, the main navigation patterns within the app usually follow the foreground and sandwich menu used specifically to store occasionally used functions.
When comparing Android vs iOS interface design, you will see that the main navigation can be in the sandwich menu or spread throughout the interface in the form of search bar, floating action buttons, among others.
Secondary navigation
A navigation drawer is a menu that opens from left to right when the sandwich menu icon is pressed. All tabs are placed just below the screen title, allowing the user to switch between views, datasets, and functional aspects of an application.
Apple's Human Interface Guidelines state that there is no standard navigation control similar to the drawer navigation menu. Instead, you'll find global navigation in a tab bar across all iOS apps, which sits at the bottom of the app screen, giving you the ability to quickly switch between the main sections of an app. You'll find secondary navigations under the 'more' tab.