Windows Phone Modern UI: do you like it?

When you first take a look at a Windows Phone device you instantly get it - this is different. And it’s different mostly because of the Modern UI (or what Microsoft used to call Metro interface).

What is the Modern UI? Two things, mostly: Live Tiles and big typography.

Inspired by the design language used in the Seattle public transportation system, the interface is at the core of the Zune and later on the Windows experience.

Zune failed, and Windows Phone so far has generated little momentum despite huge efforts from Microsoft, Nokia and a bunch of other partners. Windows Phone 8 has just been released, and we can’t help but wonder: will it succeed? And what is the reason for WP slow start so far?

Digging down to the core, we bump into the Modern interface. On one hand, it’s dynamic, with some Live Tiles changing on the go, but on the other the tiles seem just like icons, and a weird monochrome take on icons.

Next comes the funky typography. It’s fun, but nay-sayers accuse it of being impractical, leaving tons of unused spaces.

And the combination of the Tiles and typography that dominates the Windows Phone platform could be interpreted as both modern and plain. Apple and Android are hugely successful with fairly traditional interfaces, giving preference to practicality over those avant-garde looks. So help us out here - is the Modern UI what’s stopping Windows Phone from succeeding? Finally it all boils down to whether you like it or not. Have your say below.