Ask Android @lemdro.id Horsey @kbin.social 11 mo. ago

iPhone user here:

I'm sorry if this is a really controversial question, but I really enjoy the system-wide transparency and glassUI of iOS. I want to migrate to Android, but the big manufacturers (Samsung, Google, OnePlus, etc) all have a flat UI design by contrast. In my research, the closest I could find is MIUI, but the phones that run MIUI don't support all the carrier bands in the USA. Does android really not have the option of a glassy transparent UI?

15 comments

You can download from the playstore countless of launchers. They will replace the default one and will change graphic and stuff (so no matter what brand you pick).

They're also pretty customizable so you can basically recreate what you like the most.

That said, I never used one as I don't care at all about the ui look.
You can have literally any kind of UI on Android, all you have to do is install the relevant launcher from the Play Store.

There are plenty of iOS-style launchers and icon packs.
- This was a valid option before, but now Android has managed to fuck up 3rd party launchers because the cringe full screen gestures we get.
  
  @kratoz29
  
  @people_are_cute
  
  How so? Could you perhaps make a small screen recording of what you mean?
I'm not just referring to the launcher though, I'm referring to all of the system UI such as textboxes, the keyboard, notifications, toasts, etc. Nearly everything in iOS has a transparency "layer" scheme to it whereby the most important elements are always drawn on top of everything else with gaussian blur + transparency. For example, in messages, the text bubble+header+keyboard are all drawn on top of the messages content and is blurred letting you see a layered glass effect.
- You're never going to find that on any OEM skin simply because some apps themselves don't adhere to certain (Material/other) Guidelines / aren't on a particular version of Android.
  
  Hell, this app from Lemmy I'm using doesn't have context or nothing else other than reply to in a blank reply box
  
  https://i.imgur.com/aiOZR5f.jpg
- I see, you're interested in a more comprehensive system-wide Glass UI look and feel. This is a bit more complex than just changing the launcher because it involves modifying the user interface elements of many different system apps and settings, not just the home screen.
  
  While Android doesn't offer this kind of aesthetic out of the box, it's not impossible to achieve. However, it will require more extensive modifications to your device, typically in the form of a custom ROM or a system-wide theme. Here's a little more detail on these options:
  
  System-wide Themes: Some Android manufacturers (like Samsung and OnePlus) offer built-in theme engines in their versions of Android that allow you to change the appearance of the system UI extensively. If a theme exists that provides the Glass UI look you're after, this could be an option. However, the availability of such themes may vary.
  
  Substratum Theme Engine: The Substratum Theme Engine is a third-party app that can theme the entire system UI on a rooted Android device. It's more powerful than most built-in theme engines, but it requires more technical knowledge to use and comes with some risk. It's important to note that it requires root access, which means unlocking your device's bootloader and potentially voiding its warranty.
  
  Custom ROMs: Custom ROMs replace your device's entire operating system with a customized version of Android. Some of these ROMs may offer a glass-like UI, or they may support more extensive customization options than the default Android OS. However, installing a custom ROM requires a good understanding of Android, and is generally recommended for advanced users. It also involves unlocking the bootloader, which could potentially void your warranty.
  
  Please note that while these modifications can help achieve the Glass UI aesthetic you're after, they come with risks and should only be attempted if you're comfortable with potentially voiding your warranty and dealing with any issues that may arise. Always ensure that you understand the steps involved and the potential risks before modifying your device.
  
  Ah yes, write you own android rom. Why didnt I think of that. The answer was so simple.
Edit: i found this but it is a few years old so i cant say if it really would help: https://www.quora.com/Which-Android-UI-is-most-like-iOSs

Sorry for my information dump, i think it has less to do with your question and more with choices from the start for privacy and other featurs like replaceable batteries so feel free to skip it completly if it does not interest you or go away on any point you like

i suggest you buy something like fairphone, that is more expensive for its stats, but you wont have any trackers that you dont like and when there are no updates for the os anymore it is very easy to switch the os. i think shiftphone is like the cheaper less repairable option.

At least with those companies no tracking from the producers, replaceable batteries and custom os choice (if launcers dont give enough flexibility, no ios obviously) are guaranteed.
At least the replacable battery feature should be interesting because you could have a second battery and change them in a minute on a travel instead of needing to recharge it with a powerbank.
I think booth companies have a more mediocre/enough camara quality so i suggest getting a seperate cam if you need more quality. At least my FP3 with an app that has like no ai to help it looks terrible compared to all the good looking cat pics but i still can make pics of documents and are able to read anything.

i suggest downloading besides the google play store the aurora store (more private than google play) and f-droid which has only free open source software, maybe not more qualitative but in like all cases without ads and it does what it should.

Likely a lot of apps, especcially the free ones, contain ads that could be checked with classyshark3xodus which is definetly available in the f-droid store.

the alternative stores would have to be downloaded from a browser because google does not like alternatives. That needs to allow from an unknown source (the browser, i suggest brave or firefox with the add on ublock for ad blocking because ads are nasty) and instantly reverse that you allowed firefox downloading apps from external sourced because some of them actually contain viruses.
I remember a user that was for appel because they would not even allow to download apps free from the web (he had an android and was shocked that the cs:go app was a virus and cs:go is a pure pc game)

Sorry that it got sooooo long... hopefully it is helpful, maybe not

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The short answer is no. Android does not use the glassy look. It has a design standard called Material You. The emphasis is on colour. When you change your wallpaper the phone automatically changes the colours in the system and in apps to match.

It's fantastic because it's feels like a new phone everytime.

I'd recommend you buy a cheap Android like the Pixel 7a and try it out alongside iPhone and see how you like it.

You can always sell either phone if you choose the other.

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