METRO is our
design language. We call it metro because it’s Modern and Clean. It’s Fast and
in Motion. It’s about Content and Typography. And it’s entirely Authentic.
- Microsoft's
description of Metro.
In Windows 8, one of the main User Interface change is the Metro
Style apps. The Windows start button leads you to a page like follows:
Here the screen itself is saying that it is designed for
Touch Screen. After the huge success of Google Android and Apple iOS, the operating
system giant Microsoft is running beyond the competitors. In the first look,
the UI may feel like the Advanced version of Android or iPad menu page.
The Metro Style apps are full screen applications focusing on
the Touch Screen interactions, tailored
to the user’s needs. The goal is to clearly direct end users to the content
they want. Metro interfaces are supposed to embody harmonious, functional and
attractive visual elements. The UI design can encourage playful exploration
when interacting with the application and the user can feel a sense of wonder
and excitement.
The Metro style, as shown on the "Music + Video"
hub of the Windows Phone operating system, incorporates the use of
typographical elements, a horizontally panning layout and a large thumbnail of
contents used to access them.
For developing Metro Style apps you need to have Windows 8
and Visual Studio 11(the Developer Preview version is available for both) and Windows
SDK for tools and samples. The Windows Store is the
market place to sell your Metro Style apps.
