In an official new blog post, Microsoft explains the story behind the upcoming Windows Phone 8 Start Screen and how it is the best home screen on any phone. “Windows Phone replaces the static, do-nothing icons found on competitors’ home screens with an innovation we call Live Tiles,” Microsoft explains.
“Set a Windows Phone down next to an iPhone or an Android device and one thing you’ll probably notice is how much more empty, or “negative,” space we use. Compared to other smartphones, there are also fewer visual frills like borders, shadows, or glassy reflections. This isn’t an accident. Our goal is a more balanced, uncluttered look that puts the focus on your stuff, not our stuff,” Microsoft explains. During the Windows Phone 8 launch on October 29th, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore took a shot at Apple and Google’s mobile operating system and how they use rows of icons. As far as having rows of icons on the home screen, during the keynote, Belfiore stated that the iOS app grid was a “tired old metaphor.” Apple may have standardized the row of icons and Android may have copied it but Windows Phone 8 is designed to put people at the center of the experience.
Microsoft designed the Start Screen in Windows Phone 8 to showcase your content and allow for more and bigger tiles. Microsoft also removed the arrow shown on the top of the home screen which allows for access to the apps list. Instead, Microsoft toyed and experimented with different arrow positioning and eventually settled with the arrow being placed at the bottom of the home screen. Windows Phone 8 also allows for re-sizable live tiles so you can make whatever tile you wish larger than before. Microsoft also added new color support, which brings it to a total palette of 20. “Besides vibrant new options like cobalt, yellow, and indigo, there are more muted tones like olive, steel, and mauve. And these don’t just show up on Start. We’ve sprinkled more accent color throughout the phone, including on places like the keyboard. I’ll leave it up to you to find where else we snuck in a little bit of color in,” Microsoft stated. With all these new customization options, what will your Windows Phone 8 Start Screen look like?