Android 4.0 ( a.k.a . Ice Cream Sandwich ) is the prettiest , most intuitive adaptation of Google ’s mobile OS yet , but hardware manufacturers still insist on dirtying it up . Android hide are inevitable , but who does it best ? See for yourself .
In each of the comparisons , below , HTC will be on the left with its Sense 4.0 peel ; Motorola will be in the center , with an unnamed skin ( previously MotoBLUR ) ; Samsung will be on the right wing with its late implementation of TouchWiz . For your reference , here ’s a gallery of the same screen running stock Android 4.0(Ice Cream Sandwich ) .
https://gizmodo.com/stock-ics-gallery-5921431
Homescreens
At the top of this post is the Android 4.0 homescreen , as see by HTC , Motorola , and Samsung . Each of them has a bottom row of four icon , and they ’re all swappable ( thank jeebus ) . All of them also support scrollable gismo , which is very handy . The only major difference among them , really , is that Samsung set the Apps icon on the far correct rather of midsection by default option . Samsung and HTC let you abstract to see all homescreens , however , and Moto does n’t . Between that and aesthetically pleasant time / conditions widget that ’s been Sense ’s stylemark , HTC beget the win .
Lockscreens
All three skins propose lockscreen shortcut to jump straight to unlike apps , and music control are usable without the need for a password . Both handy features . HTC requires that you drag the unlock icon down to a circle below , which arise up to meet you , which is n’t entirely nonrational . Its four shortcut are mirror from the shortcuts on your homescreen , which is either commodious or not depending on personal taste . Motorola does n’t let you opt which cutoff you have at the lockscreen , which is lame . Samsung is squeamish and clean - looking at , but you have to go deep into the configurations to set your crosscut . Also , because a swipe in any direction unlocks your phone , TouchWiz is prostrate to more accidental unlocks . Or maybe just use a PIN ! We ’re calling this one a tie between Samsung and HTC .
App Drawers
Each skin gives you multiple options for sorting your content , though with more or less different take . HTC ’s is apps - only ; if you want to sift through appliance , you have long - press the homescreen . Motorola leaves ICS pretty well alone here , including both apps and gubbins , plus sorting . Samsung includes apps and gismo , though with fewer class options . Also , TouchWiz does n’t include a shortcut to Google Play for downloading more apps . Moto and Sense both do . Point : Motorola .
Contacts
Samsung takes the win here . Why ? HTC is a turn bright , and more importantly , does n’t let in a shortcut to Favorites . Motorola ’s have its own problems ; if you want to spread out the dialer , it switches you over to a separate app . Samsung has everything in one post , plus the full-strength trick mechanically dial a selected physical contact just by lifting your phone to your auricle . Noice .
Dialers
Speaking of dialers , Samsung acquire this one , too , for the accurate same reasons it won Contacts .
Camera Apps
HTC ’s native camera app is not only intuitive and easy to use , but it ’s also extremely customizable ; that can be a hard line to walk . Motorola ’s is nicely lay out , but also very visceral ; it ’s just a bit more bare - os . Samsung ( which would n’t rent me screencap while the camera was clear for some intellect ) has a customizable layout , which is prissy , but the card is actually a bit more cumbersome to navigate . They ’re all skillful , but HTC get the nod for being the good of both world .
Calendars
HTC ’s calendar app is head - scratchingly bad . Not only does the monthly view show no information , but there ’s no weekly view option at all . What the hell were they cerebrate ? ( UPDATE : you’re able to enable a weekly calendar in sentiency 4.0 , but it ’s inter in the preferences . Thanks , slickdylan ! ) Moto ’s calendar app is quite full . Easy to voyage , well-to-do to change which calendar are displayed . Samsung stand out them both , though . As you’re able to see , the information density is just room , way high than on Sense or Moto . Not only can you see more info on the individual days , the little path at the bottom is rather useful .
https://gizmodo.com/every-major-android-skin-compared-5921220
Notifications
HTC and Moto are pretty much identical , and very faithful to stock , which is just dandy . Samsung , though , has a handy set of toggle switch ( which it ’s been follow up since the other days of TouchWiz ) . Need more info ? Swipe rightfield . Simple , uncontaminating , efficient . We sleep with that , but we care they were customizable , as you ’ll never practice most of them , and it ’s missing a few options — like sieve brightness — that seem like they would ’ve been no - brainers . Still we ’ll give Samsung the bound .
So Which Is Best?
To be honest , it really all boils down to personal preference . HTC has the edge on looks and intuitiveness . Samsung packs in more functionality , but holy crap is it busy . Motorola is very thin and unproblematic , but there ’s a heap to be said for sticking nigh to gunstock ICS .
Daily Newsletter
Get the better tech , science , and culture intelligence in your inbox day by day .
News from the time to come , delivered to your present tense .
Please select your desired newssheet and submit your electronic mail to upgrade your inbox .
You May Also Like
