Skip to main content

Android may soon have a flatter look, if these leaked shots are real

leak points major design makeover upcoming version android redesign
Photo via Android Police Image used with permission by copyright holder

Android is getting a makeover. According to Android Police, a major redesign may be coming to the Android interface, one that emulates what we’ve seen in iOS 7. 

The supposed leak, which Android Police said came from “a source familiar with the new designs,” shows a flatter interface similar to the design scheme that first appeared in iOS 7. The new design, which is said to be called “Moonshine” internally, shows Android app icons that more closely resemble their desktop versions.

The leaked photo is a screenshot of an Android home screen that shows the revamped icons for Google+, Chrome, YouTube, Hangouts, Maps, Gmail, Calendar, People and the Play Store. To make the changes a lot easier to spot, Android Police put out a side-by-side comparison of Google icons, which can be found below. As added proof, the site also published a screenshot of a Google Partners home page that shows the new flatter icons.

Recommended Videos

We should point out that design elements can be easily changed so you should take this leak with a degree of skepticism. It’s also unclear how far along the new style is in the design process so even if it does show up in a future Android release, some elements can be changed completely. There’s also no way to tell when this may come out. However, some publications have already called it for the upcoming Android 4.5 release. If that turns out to be accurate, we may see it as early as this summer.

Christian Brazil Bautista
Christian Brazil Bautista is an experienced journalist who has been writing about technology and music for the past decade…
Everything you need to know about the OnePlus 13
Official OnePlus 13 product renders showing rear panel colors.

OnePlus is an excellent brand that offers powerful flagship phones at a great value compared to some of its competitors. We followed every rumor about the OnePlus 13 for months, but now it's here — and it's everything we hoped for. It might not be available in the Western market yet, but it will be soon.

So, what makes the OnePlus 13 so special? Here's everything you need to know about OnePlus' latest flagship.
When is the OnePlus 13 being released?

Read more
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite vs. MediaTek Dimensity 9400: the race is on
Comparison of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite and MediaTek Dimensity 9400 processors.

The flagship mobile silicon race has entered its next phase, one that will dictate the trajectory of Android hardware heading into 2025. Merely weeks after MediaTek wowed us with the Dimensity 9400 system on a chip (SoC), Qualcomm also pulled a surprise with the reveal of the Snapdragon 8 Elite.

But this time around, the battle is not as straightforward. Where MediaTek is working closely with Arm and adopting its latest CPU and graphics innovations, Qualcomm has firmly put its faith in custom cores. These are no ordinary cores, but a next-gen iteration of the same fundamental tech stack that powers Windows on ARM laptops.

Read more
Discolored line on your new Kindle? You aren’t alone
Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition on a table.

The new Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition is the first full-color e-reader, and a lot of bookworms couldn't wait to get their hands on it. Sadly, many people are reporting the display has a discolored yellow area at the bottom of the screen. The problem is so widespread that the Kindle Colorsoft dropped to an average review rating of 2.6 out of 5, although it does remain the bestselling e-book reader at the moment.

The cause of the discoloration isn't clear. Some users report that it only happens when using the edge lighting feature on the Kindle, while others say it appeared after a software update. Either way, the yellowing is a problem, especially on a device that Amazon has marketed as being great for comics and graphic novel fans. It's hard to enjoy the colorwork in a comic when it's distorted.

Read more