Windows Phone 7: Professional Tips - Always show the SystemTray
Published on Estimated reading time: 1 minutes
In Windows Phone 7, there is an option to show a small strip at the top of your application that displays the time, battery level, and signal strength. This is called the System Tray.
My suggestion for professional applications is that you should display that System Tray. Full-screen games and media viewers are excluded, but most utility-like applications should include it.
My reasoning is twofold:
- If your users are spending time in your application, they may need to check their battery or the time. Having it available keeps them within your app and prevents frustration from toggling back and forth (glance and go!).
- If your application requires an internet connection, and it fails, you must inform the user. Internet connection failures often stem from poor signal or a hotspot issue. Without a System Tray, users must exit the app to check these details. Again, the glance and go principle!
It takes up just a few pixels, but your users will appreciate its presence!