Hi! I’ve been using the android companion app since it’s very beginning and I’m very happy with the way it’s progressing. Thanks to all those who spend their time to give us such a good experience!
Still there’s one thing that bothers me a bit, but maybe there’s an easy solution for that.
I have many tabs and dashboards set up for my installation and whenever I want to switch from one tab to another I have to either overstretch my thumb or use two hands to operate my phone. Same goes for the “burger” menu to change to a different dashboard or add-on through the menu on the left hand side of the screen. To activate that menu I have to reach to the upper third of my smartphone and swipe inwards. That’s a bit cumbersome to say the least and I find it does not really work consistently (that has to do with android, not with the companion app).
Maybe it’s just an option I haven’t discovered already. If so, please comment and let me know where my mistake is.
Having said that I would suggest giving the users an option to move tabs to the bottom of the screen and subsequently having the “burger” symbol on the bottom of the screen as well (left or right side), depending on the hand you’re used to operate your phone anyway.
If my explanation is unclear I’ll be happy to provide screenshots and a mock-up as needed.
The app itself is just a webview to the frontend you will want to make these suggestions to the frontend team. Also you can already add dashboards to the sidebar that was an HA feature several versions ago.
I think you make valuable points and still I would like to differ on some views:
The app is much more than a webview since it offers the ability to send phone sensor values (such as gps position, …) to home assistant, widgets, …
Like this it could use a preset of parameters to make the UI “mobile friendly” while the UI for the Browser stays the same. I know, that’s not how adaptive design is supposed to work, but hey, I’m just saying what I’d like to see as end result. I think more wise humans are to suggest a solution.
I’m not sure if it makes sense to go to the frontend team directly since imho this concerns solely my user experience with the app. In the grand scheme of things this could add functionality that benefits more users, this is where you are absolutely right
If you are the app developer and you feel like I should go “upstream” with this feature, I’ll happily do so. In the meantime I think it would be best, if the app dev spoke to the frontend team about this. At least that’s how I would feel if I was a dev in this project.
Tell me if I could do something to help my own problem and if so, who would I need to speak to?
Yes but in respect to the HA frontend which is exactly what you are referring to with sidebar and views it is just a webview. Sensors, widgets and location tracking has nothing to do with the HA frontend. The app only controls what you see under App Configuration in the sidebar. Everything else is the HA frontend and feature requests for that should be directed to them.
Try checking the behavior in a browser on your device and you will experience similar behavior with the HA frontend. That is what I mean by just a webview. I do help contribute to the development of the app.
