Comparison Shots: Beautiful New Google+ vs. Facebook

Google just released a new Google+ app for iPhone and it’s gorgeous enough to satisfy Apple’s most diehard design snobs.  Subtle and not-so-subtle choices throw you deep into each post in a way that makes Facebook look like an old BBS community.  

Let’s take a look at some side-by-side comparisons.  In all screenshots, Facebook is on the left and Google+ is on the right.

Activity

These are comparable screenshots.  In both, someone posted personal pictures and another person posted a link with a comment.

Photo Albums

The galleries contain the same pictures from a recent trip to Istanbul.  While Facebook shows more pictures, Google+ displays them in higher resolution with better colors.  The result is Facebook looks like a low-grade image archive where Google+’s gallery is evocative, exciting, and emotional.

Notifications

Facebook’s notifications overlay is more attractive because it includes profile pictures and more text color, but Google+’s is more useful for including a snippet of people’s comments.

Splash Screen

Here’s where Facebook really shines!  Google, can’t you get one of your Doodle artists to kill the drab and bring some energy?  The rest of the app is gorgeous, but the first impression screams “blandess, ho!”

Quibble aside, Google deserves massive credit for their work here.  People often refer to their products as antiseptic and unemotional, but they’ve clearly invested in a team that understands the human component of social networking.  

Now I just wish more people would use it so we could get away from ugly ol’ Facebook.  If you haven’t already, download the new app from iTunes here.

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