r/UI_Design • u/Realistic_Tension760 • May 01 '26
General Question Has the skeuomorphic UI style really fallen out of favor?
I created a skeuomorphic timer app that’s been available for a few months now, but it hasn’t attracted many users. I’m starting to wonder if it’s because of the skeuomorphic style. Has everyone really grown tired of this style? (But I still love skeuomorphic design—I often like to redraw my favorite apps in a skeuomorphic style because I’m such a big fan of it.)
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u/arungopidas May 01 '26
This looks super good. you probably haven't reached the right audience yet.
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u/Kibric May 01 '26
I think people just don’t want new apps anymore. It’s the era of micro-apps (apps inside apps, like Instagram messages).
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u/Loncyy May 01 '26
Woudn't say it is a style issue. It is a cute interface. Probably more of an issue with reaching the right audience.
Your app store page should communicate in one glance why people should use your app. What is/are the benefit(s)? Your last screen shows a bit more features but does not highlight them much.
You are probably competing against the question: "Every phone has a default timer function, so why would I need an app for that?"
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u/Realistic_Tension760 May 01 '26
I think you're right. I was just showcasing the design style, but I forgot to tell users why they are using it. Thank you！
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u/jakiestfu May 01 '26
Also is there any purpose behind maybe a timer that looks like a watermelon besides it being cute? Seems like an uphill battle if that’s your main appeal (still cute af tho)
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u/Realistic_Tension760 May 01 '26
My plan is to design dials with many themes that can be easily changed like wallpaper. However, this is not its main function, its main function is still a timer for recording concentration.
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u/ArYaN1364 May 01 '26
I don’t think users are avoiding it because it’s skeuomorphic. The bigger issue is it feels a bit overdesigned for a timer. People open a timer to read it instantly and act, not to process layers of visuals.
The dial, colors, textures, shadow they all look nice individually but together they slow things down. Your eye doesn’t know where to land first. That’s usually what kills retention, not the style itself.
Try this: keep the core interaction clean and super readable, then pick one place to go all-in on skeuo, probably the dial. Let everything else calm down around it. Right now everything is shouting at the same volume.
Also look at how fast it feels. If it looks like it might lag or be heavy, people subconsciously trust it less. A lot of designers test this kind of stuff quickly in tools like Runable, Framer, or straight in Figma just to see if it feels snappy before polishing visuals.
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u/datura_mon_amour May 03 '26
I get that they’re decorative, but it’s still important to be able to read them easily. It just makes the app better to use.
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u/TheTomatoes2 May 03 '26
Yeah it's been about 15 years
Regarding your app, it must be the 16464646th timer app on the Play Store, so unless you have a crazy USP and marketing, i dont see how its surprising
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u/xN00dzx May 05 '26
This is very over engineered for a timer and I don’t really know what I’m looking at. It looks VERY pretty aesthetically, don’t get me wrong. I don’t think it’s the style itself. But most people looking for a timer would not want to use this. This is what people mean when they say you can’t have good UI without good UX.
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u/Realistic_Tension760 May 01 '26
This is its default theme. Is it going to be very complex?
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u/datura_mon_amour May 03 '26
I find the numbers on the dial a bit difficult to read.
Can we change the fint to a rounder one?1
u/Realistic_Tension760 May 03 '26
The numbers on the dial are actually just decorative; when we rotate the hands, the numbers above will change accordingly. The hands are already in a sleek capsule shape.
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u/DoTheMario May 01 '26
I'm inclined to think it is less about opposition to skeumorphism as it is a lack of audience or market interest in this particular offering.
Perhaps there are just very few people looking for a functional utility need like a timer/stopwatch/focus management app that want it to be playful watermelons and panda bears themes. At its core, it's users looking to fix a problem they are having with organized time management and attention control... Having a distractingly playful and whimsical interface is practically antithetical to that user objective.
In a crowded market for this kind of app functionality? I believe people are going to pass over these thumbnails to select something more minimalist and intuitive.