Google’s stance on the Windows platform has been made abundantly clear to anybody on Windows Mobile. The OS is missing every single Google application with the exception of search, forcing users to turn to alternative methods.
Google’s applications would do well on Windows, so it’s clear that the company has made a deliberate choice to avoid the platform. However, that hasn’t stopped users from dreaming, and UI/UX designer Jei Dawnn has shown just how great YouTube could look on Windows 10.
Metro Design
Naturally, Dawnn’s design took a lot of influence from Microsoft’s Metro style. The Vietnam-based freelancer spends much of his time creating stunning websites, and the Redmond giant’s style in particular caught his eye.
“Windows 10 is beautiful, the best OS that MS has ever delivered,” he says, “Microsoft has done a very good job with Metro-style designs. Windows store has 99% of all the apps that I need to survive…1%, sadly, includes apps from one of the world’s biggest companies.”
The UWP design closely follows Microsoft’s design requirements and is easily on par with other apps in the store. It features solid blocks of color, the Segoe font family, and other Windows-specific details.
The sidebar is one such example. It sits on the left of the screen, complete with square icons for easy touchscreen use. The active page is highlighted with a little red line, just as we’ve come to expect.
Clicking on a hamburger icon brings out the whole menu, allowing users to log in, upload videos, access playlists and more. Dawnn has even taken the time to design a video player, search system, and dark theme. It even comes with a mobile version. Gallery below, but credit, of course, goes to Jei Dawnn.
Is it Time for Google to Change?
In short, it’s exactly the app you’d want to see. The design is so good it makes Google’s refusal feel like even more of a kick in the face. Especially when you consider the advantages Mann points out:
“I really want this app to be able to replace the web version of YouTube,” he writes. “You can have powerful tools on Desktop, even on Tablets, Mobiles Devices, Xbox and flexible display-sized devices.”
With the Windows platform expanding rapidly to other devices, it bridges an important question. Is it time for Google to drop the policy and meet the needs of a growing user base?