The document outlines 10 design trends for mobile user interfaces and experiences in 2013, including: simplifying interfaces to focus on one main concept per app; exploring new color schemes beyond just blue; improved font treatment across platforms; a shift from skeuomorphic to flatter designs; increased interaction methods like tapping and swiping; responsive design for multiple screens; exploring new navigation patterns beyond slide menus; allowing more white space for readability; using full-screen background images to set tone; and fighting for a world full of well-designed apps.

1. 10
Design
Trends
2013
User interface and user experience trends for mobile solutions.

2. 10 Design Trends 2013
1. Simplify - Less is more
A great designed mobile solution is always easy to understand and simple to use.
Avoid using unnecessary content. A great user experience is direct and displays only
content that reflects the concept of the app. Only one concept per mobile solution.
An example of a great and simple solution is the app VIVO - Need to focus.
The app consists of only one screen and all the user needs to do to use the app is
swipe left, right, up and down. Less is more. 01

3. 10 Design Trends 2013
2. Explore colors
Blue is the most dominant color for all apps out on the market and it is time to explore
other color schemes such as softer/lighter colors, pastel colors, metallic colors and
black, white and gray.
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4. 10 Design Trends 2013
3. Font treatment
The font treatment is an important part of the overall design and will form a bigger part of
the user interface. Until now it has been a complicated and time consuming process for
developers to implement different font treatmens but the latest sdks now facilitate this and
it is easier to implement combinations of different fonts, sizes and styles. iOS sdks are the
easiest to work with for this sort of treatment but it can be done for all platforms.
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5. 10 Design Trends 2013
4. Flat vs. Skeuomorphism
User interface trends is leaning towards a more flat design, escluding shadows, gradients
and other elements creating volume. Skeumorphism designs as seen today is a thing of
the past. When used the designs will be heavily toned down and will have more sutil details
to get away from the ultra realistic look and feel. Event though trends are leaning towards
flat there will also be the option where sutil shadows and gradients are used to create
sensation of depth. 04

6. 10 Design Trends 2013
5. Point, click, tap, swipe, wave & speak
This is probably the most contradictory trend of all. It means that we are moving towards
more and more methods of interactions which increase the complexity for designers,
developers and end users. On the other hand we strive towards simplyfing services and
making them more and more accessible, productive, fun and easy to use.
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7. 10 Design Trends 2013
6. Responsive design
Responsive design is a very interesting approach and mobile solution providers have
the advantage of having the know how of “mobile first”. It is a more difficult task to
make a great user experience for a mobile device than for a computor screen so mobile
solution providers have an advantage towards web agencies when creating solutions with
responsive design.
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8. 10 Design Trends 2013
Solutions to be explored
7. Explore the UX
The slide menu used by Facebook, Path and Dolphin and now a million others is a fantastic
solution but it’s time to explore what other user experiences can be used for menus and
navigation. Some interesting examples of different menus are:
· GroupON’s swipe menu replacing the navbar and a hidden tabbar on the bottom.
· Band of the day’s hidden menu displayed when tapping anywhere on the screen.
· Or why not give the user the option to configure where to place the menu. 07

9. 10 Design Trends 2013
Good A lot of content Good
8. Breathe to read
A normal mistake is to fit a lot of content on a page. Layouts with more empty space
between elements and texts gives the user more breathing room and allows the user to
focus on the important content. To much content on the same page = less chance that any
of the content will be read.
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10. 10 Design Trends 2013
9. White
In scandinavia the use of white has always been of great use in all kind of designs such as
graphic, industrial, decorating and web design. This is also something we will see more of
this year for mobile solutions. White is clean, elegant and allows the user to focus on the
important content.
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11. 10 Design Trends 2013
10. Background images
Atractive full screen images are not only beautiful to look at but also transmits well the
sensation you wish the user to have when using the app. An image says more than a
thousand words.
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12. 10 Design Trends 2013
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13. Fighting for a
world full of apps
since 2005
Kim Peratt
Head of Design
web www.goldengekko.com
email kperatt@goldengekko.com