Great Examples of Flat UI Design for Mobile Devices
‘Flat’ design emerged through the course of 2013 as an incredibly functional and aesthetically pleasing design style. Today, companies whose apps or mobile websites aren’t optimised with a design worthy of engaging their users lose out. Big time.
Users are becoming increasingly conscious of their digital experience and want it to be enjoyable throughout. If the design doesn’t provide a flawless experience, they’ll simply use another service or provider. In short, a poor design will lose a business trade.
Going Mobile
2013 saw a big change with Apple’s iOS 7 roll out, featuring new app designs, flat icons and interface alterations. Towards the back end of 2013 most major apps had updated to a flat design.
As content and design work harder together to create a unique UX, mobile device apps now have a slimmer and simpler design. The result of these design traits? A more navigable and friendly user experience. An improved user experience equals more money in the bank.
Here at Parallax we’ve rounded up some of our favourite mobile apps which utilise flat design to create a fantastic user interface that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
BBC iPlayer Radio Mobile App
The BBC have cleverly engineered their iPlayer Radio app with a turntable scroll style between radio stations.
With strong visual brand identities for each different station, the design offers a simple yet engaging navigation. Rather than having a simple drop down navigation, the novelty of this design is another great way to encourage the user to buy more into the brand identity.
Facebook Mobile App
Interestingly we’ve not yet had Facebook’s latest innovation, Paper released in the UK. However, Facebook’s mobile app already features one of the most beautiful log in pages that flat UI designers will find.
While the app itself has been refined with the recent announcement of Paper, the design’s colour scheme and brand consistency between mobile and desktop sees it make our list.
BBC Sport Mobile App
As the ‘go-to’ sports app for many of the team in the Parallax office, the BBC Sport App’s design and ability to prioritise your own content base around different sports is tantastic.
With an already strong brand, the BBC Sport App’s use of images to typography, has created a beautiful interface and easy to navigate mobile app. Even if your team doesn’t get a win on the weekend, you can still enjoy the bespoke design of this app.
City Car Club App
Living in Leeds city centre the Parallax team rarely need to use a car but when we have meetings around the country, or need to visit clients in the Yorkshire region, the City Car Club App never fails.
We’re incredibly proud of this as it’s very contemporary and designed with the users needs in mind as they move through the booking and management of their hire. The flat UI throughout makes the users experience an enjoyable and easy one, which was a key element of the brief to encourage customers to visit again repeatedly. Let us know what you think of the app, you can download it here for free.
Zoopla Property App
With mobile browsing set to overtake traditional desktop browsing, Zoopla were very quick to ensure their app was on the market and designed with an ‘on-the-move’ mantra.
Efficient, clean and making property search enjoyable, the Zoopla App’s design makes what can be a stressful experience an enjoyable one.
Guardian Witness App
User generated content (UGC) is causing a storm across the internet, and The Guardian were fast to react to this trend. Philippa Law, The Guardian’s UGC Community Coordinator said at the 2013 BBC College of Journalism conference that journalists can’t be everywhere at once, and that communities would have more and more impact on breaking news stories and providing visual and on site accounts of events.
The Guardian Eyewitness App utilises flat design to communicate quickly and clearly how users can become involved and become part of the story as news breaks.
Basecamp Project Management Mobile App
Basecamp is our primary project management tool here at Parallax. Although we most commonly use it on desktop (dtp) devices, Basecamp have created a fantastic mobile app version of the tool, which features all of the same desktop functionality including document management, to-do lists, project overview pages and communications both internally and with clients.
The Basecamp App for mobile has used a very simple and clean UI to ensure their users can manage projects on the move and have just as much control over their projects when on the way to a client meeting or even in the pub for catching up.
HipChat Mobile App
HipChat is a great instant messaging tool that we use everyday to communicate in the Parallax office.
From one-on-one chats, to group rooms discussing individual projects or deadlines, HipChat is very easy to use on mobile, just as it is for desktop.
With simple and clean call to actions and icon designs, the mobile app is incredibly useful to keep in the loop when out of office or traveling between meetings. HipChat is also handy for sending files and the occasional emoticon to liven up a Monday morning. The mobile app is simply a beautifully designed communications tool.
Have you seen any outstanding examples of flat UI for mobile devices? Let us know by dropping us a tweet, or you can get in touch through our contact form.