Material Design – Latest Feature For Android Developers

Android 5.0 brings Material design for Android Developers and gives you an expanded UI toolkit for integrating the new design patterns easily in your apps. New 3D views let you set a z-level to raise elements off of the view hierarchy and cast real-time shadows, even as they move. Built-in activity transitions take the user seamlessly from one state to another with beautiful, animated motion. The material theme adds transitions for your activities, including the ability to use shared visual elements across activities. 

We challenged ourselves to create a visual language for our users that synthesizes the classic principles of good design with the innovation and possibility of technology and science. This is material design. This spec is a living document that will be updated as we continue to develop the tenets and specifics of material design. 

Goals 

Create a visual language that synthesizes classic principles of good design with the innovation and possibility of technology and science. 

Develop a single underlying system that allows for a unified experience across platforms and device sizes. Mobile precepts are fundamental, but touch, voice, mouse, and keyboard are all first-class input methods. 

Principles 

1. Material is the metaphor 

A material metaphor is the unifying theory of a rationalized space and a system of motion. The material is grounded in tactile reality, inspired by the study of paper and ink, yet technologically advanced and open to imagination and magic. 

2. Bold, graphic, intentional 

The foundation elements of print-based design—typography, grids, space, scale, color, and use of imagery—guide visual treatments. These elements do far more than please the eye. They create hierarchy, meaning, and focus. Deliberate color choices, edge-to-edge imagery, large-scale typography, and intentional white space create a bold and graphic interface that immerses the user in the experience. 

3. Motion provides meaning 

Motion respects and reinforces the user as the prime mover. Primary user actions are inflection points that initiate motion, transforming the whole design. Motion is meaningful and appropriate, serving to focus attention and maintain continuity. Feedback is subtle yet clear. Transitions are efficient yet coherent. 

Advance Features For Android Developers 

Performance focus: Android 5.0 provides a faster, smoother and more powerful computing experience. 

Notifications: Notifications in Android 5.0 are more visible, accessible, and configurable.

Your apps on the big screen: Android TV provides a complete TV platform for your app’s big screen experience. Android TV is centered on a simplified home screen experience that allows users to discover content easily, with personalized recommendations and voice search. 

Document-centric apps: Android 5.0 introduces a redesigned Overview space (formerly called Recent) that’s more versatile and useful for multitasking. 

Advanced connectivity: Android 5.0 adds new APIs that allow apps to perform concurrent operations with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), allowing both scanning (central mode) and advertising (peripheral mode).