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Android app icons: Do you prefer adaptive and uniform (new) or unique and distinct (old)? [Poll]

With Android 8.0, Google is implementing something called Adaptive Icons, which allow the end-user to decide the uniform shape they want all of their installed app icons to look like. Unfortunately, with this change, apps that have uniquely-designed icons like the old Slack app and Adsense will have to be changed to work with the new system.

Do you prefer the new round and uniform or old unique and personalized application icons?

With Adaptive Icons, we have seen developers either make a more simplified icon like what Slack did (see the image above) or place their old icon into the middle of the shape. While Google has been good at updating some of its apps to fit this design language, a majority of its most popular applications have just been placed onto a white background — i.e. Google Photos and Play Books.

As Abner wrote in his piece from earlier today:

Adaptive Icons are likely born out of how major OEMs like Samsung already place icons in squircle-shaped containers. Rather than providing varying solutions, Google opted to do the background work to deliver a more consistent experience for end users.

So, do you like the fact that Google is trying to make uniform looking app icons? Do you wish Google would allow each app developer to create their own unique looking icon? Answer the poll below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!


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Avatar for Justin Duino Justin Duino

I’m a writer for 9to5Google with a background in IT and Android development. Follow me on Twitter to read my ramblings about tech and email me at justin@jaduino.com. Tips are always welcome.


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