14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft announced the new Fluent Design System, previously known as Project Neon, at Build last week, but the company talked exclusively about how this is going to change universal apps, without making a single mention of Windows phones.
Since universal apps are supposed to run on all devices, including here PCs, phones, tablets, and even HoloLens, it makes sense for Fluent Design to arrive on Windows 10 Mobile smartphones as well, though according to a new report, it will happen with a catch.
Some features brought by Fluent Design on PCs won’t be available on smartphones, as is the case of the blurred background, mostly because this doesn’t make sense on mobile devices.
The acrylic material is being used on PCs to show what’s behind the window, but on a smartphone where windows are running in full screen, there’s no need for such a feature.
Finalized before the launch of Redstone 3
Other than that, Fluent Design could bring an important design overhaul on Windows phones, even though at first glance, Microsoft isn’t specifically looking for this. Phones are actually receiving the Fluent Design refinements because of the universal app concept, so if it weren’t for this approach, Windows 10 Mobile devices would be stuck with the existing design.
Fluent Design System is supposed to be finalized before the launch of Windows 10 Redstone 3 due in September, so the next preview builds are likely to bring more substantial improvements in this regard.
As far as phones are concerned, the Redstone 3 update is more or less uncertain, with sources explaining that Windows 10 Mobile is currently in maintenance mode, so instead of a Redstone 3, the platform is going to get an update codenamed feature2 and sporting only small tweaks here and there.
On the other hand, mobile apps have already started getting visual tweaks as part of Fluent Design, including Groove Music, but as with everything Windows 10 Mobile these days, it all happens at a painfully slow pace as far as new features are concerned.