Immersive apps

Immersive apps can be used to play games, watch media content, and perform specific tasks. Users usually open games or multimedia applications during breaks (at least for a few minutes or hours). In contrast, task-oriented immersive apps are used to complete specific tasks, such as taking photos and viewing them in a slideshow. The following scenario shows how a task-oriented application can be used in a specific environment.

Perform specific tasks

Every three or four weeks, Sharon and her assistants will accept a new work in her gallery. Although Sharon has a traditional level in the back of the gallery, she finds it easier to use the iHandy app because she carries her iPhone in her dress pocket.

After Sharon uses iHandy to detect the level position, her assistant will fix the painting. She then used her iPhone to take photos of the paintings and view them in a slideshow.

Note that although in the App

Store, iHandy level is listed among practical applications, its application style is immersive because the application is displayed in full screen and its The user experience is also completely personalized.

Although there are great differences between immersive applications, they all have the following characteristics:

Focus on content

Personalized user experience

Let's take a look at these features one by one.

Focus on content

Immersive apps may take up the entire screen, including a status bar that displays battery and network information. This is very common in many games, movies, books, and musical instruments. This immersion allows users to focus only on the main content. Settings and other controls are also available, but they are visible in some apps and not in others. For example, steering wheel controls usually appear when you're playing a driving game, but the Play and Pause controls don't appear when playing a movie. Figure 1-25~Figure 1-26 show these two states of YouTube videos.

Personalized user experience

Immersive applications usually provide a completely personalized user experience, and these are not the standard controls listed in the HIG. When a utilitarian or productivity style doesn't meet your design goals, you can make all your apps immersive. As mentioned earlier, using standard controls will make it easier for users to learn and use the application.