Android Devices which support a landscape UI

[johnpeat]

I'm just wondering how many popular Android devices actually support their UI in landscape mode 'out of the box' (I know they can be rooted!!)

I'm assuming all tablets do (would make sense?) but it seems (from my limited experience of handsets) that phones generally lock their UI into portrait???

Are there a significant number of devices which offer a landscape UI by default and if so, which phones/manufacturers/UIs are offering this??

Thanks

 

[chanchan05]

You dont need to be rooted. Just install a launcher like GO Launcher or Launcher Pro that supports landscape and you are good to go, wont even take like 5min (ok, that depends on how fast you can download the app).

As for default, MotoBlur is the only one I know that does so.

 

[sohguanh]

Motorola smart-phones Settings app has a checkbox for that.

 

[johnpeat]

Thanks for that - it's fair to say that the vast majority of phone users are going to be looking at a portrait home/UI tho - yes?

I'm in the UK, so Motorola Android handsets are scarce (none of the major providers offer them) - we're all about HTC, Samsung, LG, Huawei and Acer here it seems...

 

[johnpeat]

Thinking on - I assume handsets which offer slide-out keyboards must support a landscape UI?

They're also scarce here but the Xperia Play would be an obvious contender?

 

[chanchan05]

Just curious, why dont you just install a new launcher? No rooting required. Install from market, press home button, select default new launcher. Then go to settings and enable landscape? Why all this trouble when any Android phone can do it anyway?

 

[sohguanh]

The reason is sometimes very simple. Why must one install a launcher other than the default to get what it wants? Theoretically the default Android should come with that feature in place instead.

I believe manufacturers are coming up fast and stuff like able to lock or switch orientation will soon be available as part of their software just like Motorola Settings app.

In the not so distant future, most generic features app will most likely be dominated by manufacturers and big players and then most users don't have to download extra into their phones unless they feel like trying out other apps with similar features.

 

[johnpeat]

Just curious, why dont you just install a new launcher? No rooting required. Install from market, press home button, select default new launcher. Then go to settings and enable landscape? Why all this trouble when any Android phone can do it anyway?

Sorry - I should have been clearer - I'm developing some widgets/live wallpapers and I want to know what % of people are likely to use them in landscape over portrait (as there are issues such as resizing and reloading which take time).

I'm also looking for a new phone and I'd like one which supports landscape for testing (as the emulator does not work properly with widget updates).

Obviously 'default' Android supports landscape - but few phones offer 'default' Android. There's a suggestion that it's an option on Acer handsets which I'm looking into atm

 

[chanchan05]

The reason is sometimes very simple. Why must one install a launcher other than the default to get what it wants? Theoretically the default Android should come with that feature in place instead.

I believe manufacturers are coming up fast and stuff like able to lock or switch orientation will soon be available as part of their software just like Motorola Settings app.

In the not so distant future, most generic features app will most likely be dominated by manufacturers and big players and then most users don't have to download extra into their phones unless they feel like trying out other apps with similar features.

The answer is also simple: Why must we install another launcher to get what we want? Of course, to get what we want.

Why must we install another calendar to get what we want? Why must we install another keyboard or another SMS app or even another clock widget to get what we want? That question you asked about launchers applies to all apps as well.

Personally, I dont believe in everything should be provided out of the box already. If thats what you believe I'd actually be surprised why you are even using Android. Thats the whole point of it being open source: So anyone can basically do anything they want with it, stuff that even the manufacturer did not think of in the first place are able to be done without waiting for them to update it. We can change our interface, copy Windows 7 or iPhone icons,or make our interface unique, if we wanted to, simply by installing stuff. Android is about not being locked down or relying on the manufacturers for our features. It gives the users the power to decide what features we want and how we want it to look.

Thats the whole point of apps at all. If you even question why do you even need to install apps, you should straight out ask why do you even need smartphones at all.

 

[chanchan05]

Sorry - I should have been clearer - I'm developing some widgets/live wallpapers and I want to know what % of people are likely to use them in landscape over portrait (as there are issues such as resizing and reloading which take time).

I'm also looking for a new phone and I'd like one which supports landscape for testing (as the emulator does not work properly with widget updates).

Obviously 'default' Android supports landscape - but few phones offer 'default' Android. There's a suggestion that it's an option on Acer handsets which I'm looking into atm

My best advice would be to release the app at first only as a portrait version, then release an update later with a settings menu to enable landscape if it takes you too much time to get that correctly. No one will really mind.

 

[johnpeat]

My best advice would be to release the app at first only as a portrait version, then release an update later with a settings menu to enable landscape if it takes you too much time to get that correctly. No one will really mind.

Landscape already works - it's just considering how the layout should appear which is tricky.

The emulator has massive issues with widget updating (short version: it doesn't work properly) so I'd like to see how widgets transition between the 2 properly.

Also - the emulator is bonegrindingly slow so I've no idea if the reloading is really an issue either (some people seem to think it is).

At this rate I suspect a cheap phone like an Orange SF (ZTE Blade) unlocked, root and default-ROMed seems a good move for me

 

[John Redcorn]

No landscape homescreens on stock launchers IMO is almost surely a cya type thing by oems not wanting the phone to be any more complicated than it is already to pick up and dial 911 (or whatever you guys have over there).

Pick it up and the screen's sideways, the "phone" button isn't where it is normally, might confuse some people, esp in a stressful emergency scenario.