Half-Assed ⇥

On one hand:

Android OEMs and app developers will be provided with a set of in-depth guidelines on how to build atop of Android.

The initial version of the guide includes information like typography, color palettes, and other stylistic advice, as well as a breakdown of the components making up the Android UI.

That’s great for everyone. Developers get a clear idea of what an Android app should look like, and how it should behave. Users get a consistent, reliable experience.

On the other hand, though:

Matias stresses that what we’re seeing today is a purely optional aid for Android designers, not something that Google will seek to enforce.

Half-assed.

The Pure Android page is a wise attempt to note Android conventions and to try to convince developers not to adopt iOS conventions. It’s a good guide throughout, but without more direct intervention from Google, Android will remain a convoluted and fragmented platform.