Nova Launcher feature to normalize icons

When Google released their new logo recently, it came with a host of updates to their app icons on mobile devices. These changes in turn have drawn attention to the varying sizes of icons on Android devices. While some users welcome the variety offered by the operating system, others seem to be irked by this and would prefer to see icons presented more consistently similar to some other operating systems. Nova Launcher sees this as an opportunity and has started beta testing a new feature to normalize icon sizes.

To make this happen, Nova looked to Google's Material design guidelines that set forth sizes for basic shapes like squares, rectangles and circles. Nova is using some algorithms that will examine the shapes of app icons to compare them against the standard dimensions and adjust accordingly. One of the challenges is handling icons that are unusual shapes, like triangles, or that have protrusions. Nova thinks their algorithms will be good enough to identify the underlying, basic icon shape and adjust them.

Sources have noted that the goal is not to make the icons all the same size, though they will end up close, but to present a consistent visual experience to users.

Nova indicates they are also planning to add in support for Marshmallow with the next beta and features like opening animations. The beta is expected to be released in a couple weeks.

Are more consistently sized icons a look you would be interested in seeing on your Android device?

source: Android Police