Android app should follow Material Design, not iOS patterns
The recent Android update (12.4.*) introduces design elements directly ported from iOS, creating a non-native experience that ignores platform conventions and reduces usability.
Core issues:
Platform-inappropriate navigation
The fixed bottom tab bar (Chats / Contacts / Settings / Profile) wastes screen space on rarely used sections. Settings and Profile are accessed only occasionally, yet occupy permanent space. This reduces chat visibility and forces extra scrolling—especially problematic on smaller screens and during one-handed use.
Material Design addresses this with navigation drawers or contextual bottom sheets, showing relevant actions only when needed instead of always displaying everything.
Reduced information density
New borders, spacing, and visual effects in chat lists add visual clutter without functional benefit. Users scan dozens of chats regularly—extra noise slows this down and reduces the number of visible conversations per screen.
Inconsistency with platform expectations
Android users expect Material Design patterns because they are consistent across the OS and well-designed apps. Deviating from these creates cognitive friction and makes Telegram feel like a lazy cross-platform port rather than a thoughtfully designed Android app.
Why this matters:
iOS enforces Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines through App Store review. Android does not mandate Material Design, but this freedom should be used to create better native experiences—not to copy-paste iOS designs that don’t fit the platform.
Suggestion:
Design the Android UI according to Material Design principles. Use platform-appropriate navigation patterns, respect Android’s visual language, and optimize for different screen sizes and interaction models expected by Android users.
The desktop and web versions also deserve platform-native designs or their own Telegram style rather than a universal iOS aesthetic.
Why did you waste so much UI space with buttons one normally uses once a month or so?
Александр Феоктистов
Please, revert new design (Android).
И
Иван Ткаченко
Dyrov, verni steny
Bagus Kusuma
please make material design as default for android
Narrik
The new design is annoying, not just that but now there's a persistent exclamation point in the contacts button that I have no idea what it is, and won't go away.
Rafael
I never use any of these icons. Why would I ever need a direct access to my profile? I only chat with 2-5 people in whole year, why would I need a floating icon on contacts? Same in settings. Useless as floating icon in middle of screen And chat was already active by default, no need for an icon Please revert this change, or make it optional. This new UI is absolute garbage
Thomas H.
Besides being inconsistent, annoying and stealing space (I don't need a permanently visible search bar) it also does not have a different background for pinned chats. And it violates the android design by going over/under the bottom buttons of the Android UI making them hard to see.
Maxim Tsegelnikov
I agree. Bring back the old design. It's simply unusable.
Tramp_TM
It was terrible mistake to drag the rules on one system into the ecosystem of another. As a result, you created a comletely awkward solution, that in inconvenient, unsightly, and violates basic UI and UI principles. Please revert it asap.
Onko
yes it looks bad. i'm tired of everyone using this liquid ass look everywhere
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Why would I ever need a direct access to my profile?
I only chat with 2-5 people in whole year, why would I need a floating icon on contacts?
Same in settings. Useless as floating icon in middle of screen
And chat was already active by default, no need for an icon
Please revert this change, or make it optional. This new UI is absolute garbage
And it violates the android design by going over/under the bottom buttons of the Android UI making them hard to see.