Download!Download Point responsive WP Theme for FREE!

Microsoft Please Make First Party Windows Phone Apps Theme Dependent

image 

Everytime I see mockups or press shots of upcoming Windows Phone 8 devices I cringe at the sight of first party apps. The beautiful and live tiles fill the screen and the first party apps like Games, SkyDrive, Skype and the upcoming Xbox Music & Video tiles just stick out like a sore thumb. For the life of me I don’t understand how third party developers are encouraged to utilize the theme dependent option when prepping their apps yet Microsoft ignores this entirely.

imageHTC 8s

That God awful green on the Xbox tiles are the worst offenders of all. It stands in stark contrast to pretty much every tile that will ever be pinned to the start screen. Keep this up and I’m going to most certainly be forced to run my phone in high-contrast mode. Check out the difference the image on the right (high contrast mode) compared to the left without theme dependence applied. It’s a world of difference. It is these little things that take a product from very good to great. By the way all first party apps should have live tiles too. These apps should set the standard for what is possible with the tile system.

That concludes my mini-rant on the need to have first party Windows Phone apps be theme dependent. Just please, Microsoft see the benefit in making this happen sooner than later.

Image Credits: windowsphone.com; areamobile.de

5 Comments