One of the first things users will notice when they use the Nexus 7 tablet is the setup which Android 4.1 Jelly Bean offers. The user interface of the tablet resembles that of an Android phone rather than the layout of an Android tablet.
Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has multiple UIs for different form factors: phones, mini and full-size tablets
Jelly Bean, Android 4.1, on the home screen of the Nexus 7 comes in the form of a portrait style orientation. This means that the notifications are in a pull down at the top of the devices screen. In contrast the traditional Google tablet interface which is utilized by ICS and Honeycomb is landscape. This means that the notifications would appear at the lower right hand side of the display.
But is the new approach something that is a wide change for Jelly Bean or is it something that is only seen in the 7 inch version?
ComputerWorld reports that Jelly Bean apparently will choose different layouts depending on the size of the tablet. A spokesman for Google said that on the 10 inch version of the tablet the layout is in the landscape orientation with notifications being at the bottom right, even after the upgrade to 4.1 Jelly Bean. This means that the operating system adapts itself to devices to ensure that it delivers, or rather what Google see as, an optimal experience for the user on their particular screen.
Now let’s make it clear the user interface on the 7 inch version of the Jelly Bean tablet is not just a blown up version of the smartphone interface of Android, its something entirely new. You can see this in Gmail on the Nexus 7 as an example. The tablet style setup comes with multiple panes when in the conversation list, while viewing a single message, if you are holding the tablet vertically. However if you turn the tablet horizontally you will see dual panes. On Android 4.1 the home screen is the only part that will stay vertical, the same as on smartphones that come with Android 4.0. So this means that on the 7 inch tablet Jelly Bean is a hybrid set up that was designed based on the form’s strengths.
Of course this does not mean that it will cause problems for developers as they will not have to worry about many new configurations. If apps have the correct coding any adjustments will be made on the fly. In summary, the 7 inch tablets has a unique form factor as opposed to being lumped in with smartphones or larger tablets. What Google have essentially done is to create a category in-between for them on Jelly Bean (phablet UI?).
So rest assured that the landscape orientation that has notifications at the bottom is not disappearing, it’s just that it doesn’t play a part in devices that are 7 inches.
The next question is, what other form factors will welcome this special UI? Would the Samsung Galaxy Note qualify for the smartphone or the 7-inch tablet UI for example? We’re can’t wait to find out more hidden features in Android 4.1 Jelly Bean as more devices begin to get it.
