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Amazon app picks up new UI with bottom bar navigation and better Whole Foods integration
It appears to be a server-side change, so you may not see it right away
If you rely on Amazon's dedicated shopping app to peruse the digital aisles, you might have noticed a change recently. The dedicated Android app for Amazon's storefront is seeing some significant tweaks, most notably a new general navigation bar on the bottom of the screen. The updated interface doesn't seem to be tied to a specific version of the app (we tried one on multiple phones), so this may be a server-side switch.
Back in December, Netflix was running what appeared to be a server-side test of a refreshed UI featuring a bottom navigation bar. Now it seems Netflix is rolling out the new interface to some of its beta users, and we finally have an APK download to share too.
A couple of months ago, we reported that Twitter was testing a bottom navigation bar in its Android app. This came as no surprise since many apps from Google and others have been following this UI trend in response to the ever-increasing size of our smartphones. Twitter has now announced, on Twitter, that the test is over and the bottom navigation bar is here to stay.
All the way back in September of last year, YouTube began testing a new layout with a bottom navigation bar. Over the past few months, it has continued to go live for more users on Android, with a few minor tweaks along the way. Now YouTube has officially revealed the new design.
Amazon Music is one of many audio streaming services. If you're neck-deep in Amazon's ecosystem, then I suppose it's one of the best choices for you — especially since Prime members get a discount on the monthly fee. The Android app just received an update that switches from the hamburger menu to a bottom nav bar. The new version also comes with the ability to share tunes to other subscribers.
In the midst of the MWC hullabaloo, Reddit released a small redesign to its official Android app. Gone is the cluttered hamburger menu, so say hello to a bottom nav bar that's taking its place — for better or for worse. Version 2.1.9 also brings some other changes, which are mentioned in the official changelog.
Android visual standards are a hot topic - just check the comment section every time a point of contention in Material Design springs up. One of the most contentious is top tabs and slide-out menus, as featured in Android since Ice Cream Sandwich, versus bottom navigation links, as tends to be popular with lazy iPhone ports (though they're actually part of the documentation). The latest update to the official Wikipedia app indulges in a little bottom-nav action, and it's... okay.
Bottom nav bars. Between the time of Gingerbread and Marshmallow, they seemed to become significantly less prevalent on Android (or maybe I was just able to avoid more of them), with many developers and designers going for other navigation models. But those other nav models - specifically the hamburger menu - aren't always ideal. Often, teams worry that items in the drawer are "hidden" from users. Sometimes immediate visibility and total obscurity seem like the only two realistic options.