Reader Concept: Adding more Live Tiles to your Windows Phone

By Sam Sabri
last updated

Earlier today we shared with you guys news about Microsoft looking to add more live tiles to Windows Phone. It would allow the interface to look better on displays with larger and higher resolutions, something that Windows Phone 8 currently might not excel at. A reader sent a quick mockup of what that would look like. We figured we’d share it with you all.

Full HD on Large Device

RafK decided to play around with Photoshop and see what more tiles would look like on larger devices. It put it on his Galaxy Note to see what it would look like. If you aren’t familiar with the Note, it’s a 5.5-inch device from Samsung running Android that, believe it or not, was received enthusiastically by a large portion of consumers. It would be a shame for Microsoft to lose out on customers wanting ‘phablets’, devices that straddle the line between phones and tablets. Up above is what more tiles would look like on a device that large, it looks better on the larger display than on my Lumia 920 in the lead image. This is what he has to say on it:

“My guess is that Microsoft could use the same tile size as on 1280x720 screens, and this could allow us to get the third 'big' column (as 3 * 720 / 2 is simply 1080). I made a quick concept”

What do you guys think? Even if larger phones aren’t for you, it’s hard to argue that giving potential consumers more options is a bad thing. If you want to try it out on your device check the link here.

Thanks for sharing RafK!

241 Comments
  • I'm all in!
  • Love it, give me 5" Lumia and I'm in
  • Yup 5"+ Lumia I'm im
  • Don't you guys feel NOW would be a good time for MS to give Windows Phone the tile grouping feature like Windows 8? I mean LOOK AT THAT MESS!
  • Yes
  • WP will soon dominate the market.
  • You can do that already with the group apps in the store, Group Tiles has some customization available.
    They are just fake tiles though but it lets you group the StartScreen kinda like on Win8
  • I use GroupTlles too to organize the 30+ tiles I have on my screen.  Nice.  I'd still like to see user creatable hubs that would allow us to group apps.  Also, give us a "Favorites" feature for the app list on the right swipe so we could list commonly used apps at the top without having to scroll down the list. 
     
    I know a few people on here that might throw spears at me for saying this, but I'm a function over form guy.  Speed, productivity are my focus on something like this device because it is, after all, a tool.
  • I am hoping Nokia makes a high end phone with a smaller display as well, some of us want the great features of a 4.5" phones on something that actually looks like a phone and not a tablet, if I want a huge screen I will bring my Surface.
     
  • I agree!
  • I feel you, but I think 5" its just on that perfect edge between phone and phablet, I played with my friends DNA and I love the screen, that with WP8 and Nokia's technology, would be amazing phone.
  • +1
  • Agree!! Please don't get bigger than 4,5.
  • That's what she said. Wait.
  • I'm already all in at 4".. :D
  • Agreed on 5" Lumia
  • No. Imallin. ;-)
  • Its really not to different at a glance. I mean if it was just some random image I wouldn't even notice.. Well, at least on larger devices.
  • Looks awesome!
  • Hell yeah!!
    I'm in on 5" phablet!
  • I laughed when I saw the thumbnail ;D
  • I'm going to buy a 920 and port Android on it! That would be cool.. A Nokia Droid 1020!!
  • Eww android :P
  • Ugly mess
  • The only way that WP looks "ugly mess" is that the user made it look like a mess. Remember WP revolves around you and not the the app. Therefore you make your home screen beautiful the way YOU want it. If you don't like all those tiles, just place one or two big ones. Simple as pie. You understand bro?
  • Isn't that how Android works too? You set it the way YOU want it?
  • You are correct friend. Go buy yourself both a wp8 and Android phone and compare. And I'm sorry I did not bring Android into the conversation. Many like to compare the two, I usually try not too as WP is something totally new and awesome beyond the same stale android.
  • This does look bad... It would be difficult to make this not look like a headache if using small live tiles.
  • Agree. I know this is a to each his own sort if thing, but I keep a pretty limited set of tiles pinned. If I had a ton, it is almost no different than the iPhone. Its too easy to get to an app in the default list, and since it is alphabetically ordered, its easy to find.
  • Ewww. But then again, I said the same thing to WP8's home screen and now I like it so we'll see.
  • Lol!
  • Fuckin Hate it
  • Hate what?
  • Same sentiment here. But this looks to be a bit too much of an overkill, doesn't it? I mean, the Metro UI was supposed to look simple, elegant and functional. And this looks horrible. Yuck.
  • I think the phablets would benefit from grouping tiles
  • yes grouping tiles has definitely gotta come for that alone AT LEAST!
  • Grouping seems like an obvious omission. I'd rather have a week view calendar before that though.
  • http://winsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/phablet-640x426.jpg
     
    I think this concept from winsource is much better. Same thing but it looks much less bussy . cause it uses small tiles for another column 
  • Ahhhh, one more column of small tiles is actually a bit less cluttered, I must admit, rather than two as shown in the above article. I was about to ask what the difference was but, I decided to actually think this time loool. But I agree
  • Yeah the one in this link looks better imo
  • Yes it looks good than above. 
  • I actually don't think it looks so bad.... Lol :P
  • F'n love it.
  • Add an Xtra-Long Live Tile option to cover all 6 columns.
  • Yes!
  • Yes!
  • I would love that. I find the current big live tile so conveniant and an even bigger option with even more information on it would be great. Plus a lot of them are really beautifull.
  • Sweet
  • Iss Boodiful...
  • Eh, it definitely look better than I thought it would, but I still think its too crowded.
  • Well its all in how you arrange your screen.
  • what about having some tile groups? just like windows 8?
  • +1.
    6 tiles nice, plus tile groups would be nicer. a little distance with each group.
  • Yeah like in W8! Great idea!!!!
  • There are a few apps that let you name/group your tiles on your start screen right now with WP7 and WP8
  • I strangely LOVE it... but imaginging the live tiles, would make my head spin lol.
  • Have to agree. I like the concept of more space on the startscreen for more tiles, but all those colors and they'll have the potential to give you a headache
  • Not bad...i wouldn't mind them adding the Win8 RT color scheme as well.
  • Each to their own I think. Some people here hate it, but personally if the option was available I think I would use it even on my L920. Especially if we can group them like on Windows 8, preferably with titles like on Blue.
  • You can rename tile groups already in windows 8 ,not new to blue
  • I thought this was Teteris... ha ha ha... In all honesty, it looks like total shit.
  • that's absolutely stunning..question is will they ever make one? eyes bleeding here with enthusiasm..
  • If that concept is a mess then the current one is a mess. So many negative douches in here.
  • True!
  • Hmmm...allow the tiles to rotate in panorama mode and ya got yourself a " mini Surface". Not a fan of really big phones but this might actually be pretty cool.
  • I'm ready for a WP phablet!
  • You're not alone brother...
  • +1
  • Put in groups so it'll look less crowded. Other then that I like it. I think Windows blue' will follow this design. But hopefully will take a more organized path.
  • That is hurting my eyes. What I would like to see is more than one 'screen' of live tiles ... So there is some sort of organizing between apps (websites, games, files, etc)
  • That could happen!
  • I like that! Having multiple start screens.
  • Hi! I like your idea, Catlasers.
    I have been using Kid's Corner as my Entertainment Center... for music, games, tv, and movies.
  • I like it.. I would probably use more of the big tiles as appose to the small ones.
  • Looks great.
  • It's unaesthetic and makes the screen look cluttered. Awful idea, even for people who want a dinner tray as a phone.
  • Thank you DJCBS for being honest, I totally agree with you 100%. This is trash all these fanboys are brain washed. How many damn squares can you fit on to the home screen? Can you imagine all those damn live tiles of all sizes going on at the same time? It's enough to give someone a seizure.
  • You arrange it to your preference...if you dont like it, don't do it. Simple!
  • I agree. People keep trying to say "it would only be optional!" Having too many options, especially one that's unaesthetic, goes against the design principles that they set out with WP. It'd be a "wild west" scenario not unlike Android. Additionally, quarter-tiles are essentially just icons as it is. This many quarter-tiles just look like a STATIC GRID OF ICONS.
  • That's what you all said about the current start screen, too. Not to mention the much-needed notification area. I'm beginning to wonder if you and your compatriots even know what "aesthetic" means, or what Windows Phone design principles actually are...
  • ^^this^^^
    is just incorrect.
     
    When did I say I disliked the current start screen? Aesthetic means it's generally beautiful or pleasing to look at. Windows Phone's beauty was more on the "less is more" side than the "more is better" side. That screen up there looks too crammed and busy. Additionally, you talk as though I agree with the notification area being needed; I still don't. Trying to dismiss someone's opinion by saying they don't know or understand something... classic trolling.
  • No offense but believe it or not I don't follow your comments specifically. I was just lumping you in with the same kind of people who hated on the wp8 start screen when it was first revealed. And no, I think I pretty clearly implied that you would be *against* a notification center. Turns out my hunch was right. You people seem to think that WP is perfect and has no faults and no room for improvement, customization, or even a bit of depth and complexity. The interface needs to evolve to meet the realities of changing hardware and people's changing needs. I agree that that screen is too cluttered-- on a 4.x inch screen. But on a 5 inch screen or higher it might work out pretty well.
  • If you don't follow me, then you shouldn't assume things about me and automatically lump me in with whatever you feel like when I gave no implication of my opinion on subjects I didn't mention.
     
    When you say, "That's what you all said about...", that implies a change of opinion on whatever subject that follows. In this case, you were saying people were against the WP8 screen, but have now changed their tunes, and the same with the notification center we're rumored to be getting, which I still believe is redundant with live tiles.
     
    Lastly, just because I disagree with these two ideas, it neither means that I think WP is perfect nor that I don't have ideas for additions and improvements of my own for WP. They show this idea on a Note and I still think it's too much (ironically, I also think the Note is too much). The link somewhere above with only a half-tile wide addition is exponentially more tolerable.
  • Absolutely agree with you. The Metro UI on Windows Phone is first designed based on the principle of simple, elegant, yet functional. And this is why WP doesn't look like a mess as Android's home screen does. The Surface Pro have a even bigger screen estate with 1080p resolution, and did Microsoft go with an even smaller live tile? Nope. And that's because it just doesn't look elegant like that anymore.
  • Funny)
  • F*cking awful.
  • I love it, it gives a more of a Windows 8 look.
  • Looks promising and would make WP compete better with Phablets on Android perhaps
  • When thinking bout having wp phablet I was gonna be all in....but going by that PhotoShop to me just looks like to much is going on :/
  • I would really like a flagship Lumia with a 3.7 or 4" screen size, as I really find stuff on my 920, just too big . (I had a 4" Samsung Focus before and didn't had that feeling) .  I was really expecting Microsoft to use better the extra pixels and size on the 920's screen, like more text lines, or icons on the start screen.
  • It looks gorgeous actually! I know the screen is filled up with so much information but because the user knows and understands how the home screen is set up, it would work flawlessly. I'd be in but I think I still want to hold on to my 4.5-4.7" devices.
  • Omg its beautiful
  • I love the idea... Bring it on!
  • Put the image from the source up on my 920 and zoomed it to fit the screen and can tell that the tiles would be way to small, at least at the small tile size. But on a 5 or 5.5in screen I could see this working. But at that point, I agree with some of the other comments here that we'll need some of the Windows 8 tile organization features.
  • Lol. This is beginning to look like a board game!!!
  • 5.5 inches is too much for a phone... I like 4.3 and I will probably stick with that size.
  • Not for some people. I want a 10.1 inch phone!! Lol.. No seriously, the larger sizes are appealing to me because I use my phone all day, and I'm not allowed to have a tablet, or laptop, at work.. I use my phone 7 out of the 8 hours I'm here so personally I can't wait.. Don't ask what I do.. Lol... I guess it depends on how the user uses there phone. Don't worry, they will still make the smaller sizes..
  • @SamSabri Is your phone enlarged in that picture or just 'shopped down to fit inside a regular Lumia?
  • Normal size. So the tiles look smaller than they should/would.
  • Did the math and drew it out on my L920. WORKS! I would hope that they release this as a later update. Will seeeeeeeeell phones like crazy.
  • I went from the Note to the 920 and I do miss the large screen, among other things ;). I do like bigger screens. 5.5" please!
  • No real reason to do this for the current or even future larger 5" phones. I mean c'mon, you really need every single application you have on your phone pasted to your home screen? No, you don't. Listen to me, I know what I'm saying. But more options the better. I figure I would contradict myself.
  • Pretty cool stuff. I'd get one myself
  • Love it.
  • Could they give us an extended long small tile for tile grouping?  double wide would give too much of a gap between rows.
  • It is only logical.
  • That's hot!
  • If the small tiles don't actually give live tile functionality, then aren't they basically the same as a grid of icons, like the competition?
  • Yes. I think this image should have shown it mostly filled with medium sized tiles and a few small ones.