Related
Options

(No) uniform fonts on series 6

phn55
over 5 years ago

Hi all,

at the start - this is not an issue (we have them enough here) but call for oppinions.

Posted similar in Developer's section.
Fenix 3 had IMO great device font - and one font everywhere.
Uniform font across user interface brings familiarity and strong connection with the brand. 

935  I had was similar - 1 font across (although different font)
Recently switched to 6X - and discovering that Garmin stopped this

Now - there is a separate, wide font used on the data screens - which coexists in menus with old font
Pay attention to photo below (credit to DC Rainmaker and his review)
(see narrow font for swimming and wide font for steps on one screen)
This is a design mess.

Now check the menus on the Coros Apex Pro from the review below:
https://www.roadtrailrun.com/2019/09/coros-apex-pro-gps-sports-watch-first.html

Yes - they "took" Fenix design - but they did much better job with uniform interface - and use font similar to Fenix 3.
Wish Garmin kept things more tidy here.

Anyone?

  • 0 over 5 years ago

    I don't think I ever would have noticed that if you didn't mention it. Now that you've mentioned it, I still don't think I have any opinion about it. Seems fine to me. The wider font is easier to read, but the narrow font fits more text on a line. So I could reasonably see why they may want different fonts for different things, and I'm ok with it.

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to C.sco

    Slight smile I work in marketing / creative industry and things like these are basics.
    Many people dont consciously recognize them - but still make choices towards uniform interface
    (Apple uses San Francisco fonts on ALL of their devices).
    My post here is actually supportive towards Garmin's (previous but abandoned practice).
    Don't change if it ain't broken - unless you can sell it to customer as an improvement.

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to phn55

    That explains our differing opinions for sure, I'm an engineer, so I'm a function-over-form kind of guy Slight smile

  • 0 over 5 years ago in reply to phn55

    I'm in the design industry and typography is for me perhaps the most overlooked piece of functional aesthetic. I would agree with you about uniformity, but I used to see uniformity as monotony and thought using just one font family is the only way to go. Now I would say that the new bolder and squarer typeface actually compliments the UI quite well. While keeping the Futura Condensed as the regular menu font, Garmin actually did a nice job to highlight information and provide a more distinctive hierarchy. That being said the UI is still lacking a bit of polish, with many lingering inconsistencies as you've pointed out -  it just cannot be compared with Apple software.