What makes software Phone or Tablet only?

GlenBarrington · 07-06-2015, 05:04 PM

I've long used Moon Reader pro for my epub reading on my phones. So when I bought a Lenovo Tablet, I thought I'd use Moon on it as well.

However, when I went to the App store, its entry said it was for PHONES, so I started to look for something else. After a few weeks, I couldn't find anything I liked better, and out of desperation, I loaded Moon on to my tablet, and it works fine!

It's not only functional from an operational view, but it graphically displays as well as it ever did on my Galaxy S5. I don't understand why it is a PHONE app and not a generic Android app.

My question is the same as the Title of this post? What makes an androd app PHONE only?

eschwartz · 07-06-2015, 07:11 PM

Some apps can be badly misshapen on different form factors that they haven't been tested on.

And sometimes app developers are lazy and don't confirm that the app looks bad on other devices before assuming it will. Or the reverse.

spindlegirl · 07-06-2015, 07:38 PM

I've used moon+ reader on both my phone and the tablet I had. (Nexus 7). I tend to ignore the "for phones" and install it anyway. If it works, I keep it. My husband who still has the tablet, uses that same reading app for his books.

I was surprised at the number of entries that said "for phones" that I used quite well on the tablet. Worst that happened, I didn't like the interface on it and just uninstalled it. Even if apps were originally designed for phones, they can work well on an android tablet, if you test it out.

dickloraine · 07-06-2015, 07:56 PM

I mostly interpreted this as: This app will work and look fine on a phone. All such apps work on tablets to. What they sometimes don't do: Using the possibilities of a bigger screen or supporting landscape mode. Some apps didn't use this line, but had extra tablet apps in addition. Most newer apps seem to be able to choose the layout based on the screen size, so no extra apps needed anymore.

ebusinesstutor · 07-11-2015, 11:51 AM

For Android, most apps work fine on both phone and tablets. But tablet versions are just customized to take advantage of the larger screens that tablets offer. So the navigation and some other functions may vary on a tablet,

Teknikal · 07-20-2015, 06:09 AM

Not a fan of tablet apps if I'm honest I don't even like the tablet specific layouts on my 12" tablet. They just tend to add unnecessary dual pane views which makes apps harder to navigate in my opinion. I wish apps like reddit sync would give users a choice to use the phone single pane view even on tablets.

Also bought Swiftkey tablet and they scrapped that shortly after which left me annoyed because I'd bought both versions and now only had one, later they actually made the phone version free to sell themes (which all look the same apart from colour really) that annoyed me even further and I ended up feeling so bitter I switched.

On Android tablet apps should be avoided in my opinion but it's a personal preference but I see them as completely unnecessary.

dickloraine · 07-20-2015, 07:08 AM

I use my tablet nearly always in landscape mode and like the dual pane views very much. In many apps you can configure that too, so you don't need to use it(greader, reddit is fun etc.).

GlenBarrington · 07-20-2015, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dickloraine

I use my tablet nearly always in landscape mode and like the dual pane views very much. In many apps you can configure that too, so you don't need to use it(greader, reddit is fun etc.).

Yes, I've found on my Lenovo generic 10 inch android tablet, with both the Kindle ereader software and with the Moon+ Pro software, that the two column display with the table held in 'landscape' mode, I get roughly the equivalent of two 6-7 inch columns displayed side by side.

I've found holding the tablet in portrait mode to be a bit awkward and curiously makes the tablet seem heavier than when held in landscape mode.

So far, aside from battery life, I am pleased with my generic Lenovo tablet. I had planned to get a Paper White, or other dedicated Kindle e reader, but went with the less expensive and more versatile tablet at the last minute. So far, so good!

afv011 · 07-20-2015, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

I've long used Moon Reader pro for my epub reading on my phones. So when I bought a Lenovo Tablet, I thought I'd use Moon on it as well.

However, when I went to the App store, its entry said it was for PHONES, so I started to look for something else. After a few weeks, I couldn't find anything I liked better, and out of desperation, I loaded Moon on to my tablet, and it works fine!

It's not only functional from an operational view, but it graphically displays as well as it ever did on my Galaxy S5. I don't understand why it is a PHONE app and not a generic Android app.

My question is the same as the Title of this post? What makes an androd app PHONE only?

An app will be listed as "for phones" if it only provides layouts for the default configuration. Tablet optimized apps provide layouts for small (7") and large (10") tablets. A layout is just a set of instructions to the OS on how to arrange the items the app displays to the user, and it's written in XML.
If the app is "for phones" it will still run and work on tablets, but it will display the phone UI and will most often than not look off.

afv011 · 07-20-2015, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teknikal

On Android tablet apps should be avoided in my opinion but it's a personal preference but I see them as completely unnecessary.

I disagree. Phone apps on tablets tend to look rather ugly; for instance, they have large text lines that expand the whole width of the device, and generally poor use of the available real state (they would display tiny thumbnails for instance, when you have room for larger ones). A properly designed tablet app is not only better looking than a blown out phone app, but it also makes the experience more enjoyable.

GlenBarrington · 07-20-2015, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afv011

I disagree. Phone apps on tablets tend to look rather ugly; for instance, they have large text lines that expand the whole width of the device, and generally poor use of the available real state (they would display tiny thumbnails for instance, when you have room for larger ones). A properly designed tablet app is not only better looking than a blown out phone app, but it also makes the experience more enjoyable.

That is NOT the case on the Lenovo 10". Instead, I wonder if this whole tablet/phone issue is really an issue of the screen's display aspect ratio.

Modern smartphones tend to have what appears to be 16:9 A/R. It is my understanding that the Apple tablets and a very SMALL number of android tablets use a 4:3 A/R while the Lenovo and most other Android tablets are also 16:9 or some other A/R at least close to 16:9.

If this is the case, then the whole "software designed for phone/tablet" issue is bogus My years in trying to fit photographs onto computer screens has taught me that you can't stretch a 4:3s image onto a 16:9 screen without it looking like crap. And you can't go the other way either. You either accept the limitations of your hardware configuration (and learn to live with photos that don't fill the screen), or you change your working environment to accommodate the photos. This is no different, we are looking at pictures with computer commands connected to them.

If what I think is occurring is true, then we have to wonder just how stupid ARE the software vendors? They are supporting marketing labelling conventions that discourage sales not enhance them.

Just how stupid IS that? Answer: Pretty stupid.

afv011 · 07-20-2015, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

If this is the case, then the whole "software designed for phone/tablet" issue is bogus

You are mistaken. This would be a good starting point:
http://developer.android.com/guide/p...-handsets.html

https://developer.android.com/distri...y/tablets.html

07-06-2015, 05:04 PM	#1
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 1,986 Karma: 11677147 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Kindle PW, Samsung Tab A 10.1(2019), Pixel 6a.	What makes software Phone or Tablet only? I've long used Moon Reader pro for my epub reading on my phones. So when I bought a Lenovo Tablet, I thought I'd use Moon on it as well. However, when I went to the App store, its entry said it was for PHONES, so I started to look for something else. After a few weeks, I couldn't find anything I liked better, and out of desperation, I loaded Moon on to my tablet, and it works fine! It's not only functional from an operational view, but it graphically displays as well as it ever did on my Galaxy S5. I don't understand why it is a PHONE app and not a generic Android app. My question is the same as the Title of this post? What makes an androd app PHONE only?

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07-06-2015, 07:11 PM	#2
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Some apps can be badly misshapen on different form factors that they haven't been tested on. And sometimes app developers are lazy and don't confirm that the app looks bad on other devices before assuming it will. Or the reverse.

07-06-2015, 07:38 PM	#3
spindlegirl Wizard Posts: 1,594 Karma: 21245891 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader	I've used moon+ reader on both my phone and the tablet I had. (Nexus 7). I tend to ignore the "for phones" and install it anyway. If it works, I keep it. My husband who still has the tablet, uses that same reading app for his books. I was surprised at the number of entries that said "for phones" that I used quite well on the tablet. Worst that happened, I didn't like the interface on it and just uninstalled it. Even if apps were originally designed for phones, they can work well on an android tablet, if you test it out.

07-06-2015, 07:56 PM	#4
dickloraine Guru Posts: 631 Karma: 7544528 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Berlin Device: PRS 350, Kobo Aura	I mostly interpreted this as: This app will work and look fine on a phone. All such apps work on tablets to. What they sometimes don't do: Using the possibilities of a bigger screen or supporting landscape mode. Some apps didn't use this line, but had extra tablet apps in addition. Most newer apps seem to be able to choose the layout based on the screen size, so no extra apps needed anymore.

07-11-2015, 11:51 AM	#5
ebusinesstutor Star Gawker Posts: 526 Karma: 6944314 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Spruce Grove, AB Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite	For Android, most apps work fine on both phone and tablets. But tablet versions are just customized to take advantage of the larger screens that tablets offer. So the navigation and some other functions may vary on a tablet,

07-20-2015, 06:09 AM	#6
Teknikal Fanatic Posts: 574 Karma: 5264318 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Belfast Device: Sony T1, Note Pro 12.2, Honor 10	Not a fan of tablet apps if I'm honest I don't even like the tablet specific layouts on my 12" tablet. They just tend to add unnecessary dual pane views which makes apps harder to navigate in my opinion. I wish apps like reddit sync would give users a choice to use the phone single pane view even on tablets. Also bought Swiftkey tablet and they scrapped that shortly after which left me annoyed because I'd bought both versions and now only had one, later they actually made the phone version free to sell themes (which all look the same apart from colour really) that annoyed me even further and I ended up feeling so bitter I switched. On Android tablet apps should be avoided in my opinion but it's a personal preference but I see them as completely unnecessary.

07-20-2015, 07:08 AM	#7
dickloraine Guru Posts: 631 Karma: 7544528 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Berlin Device: PRS 350, Kobo Aura	I use my tablet nearly always in landscape mode and like the dual pane views very much. In many apps you can configure that too, so you don't need to use it(greader, reddit is fun etc.).