As a long time Android user I had the same complaint about the transitions that the author did. I've already had plenty of time to figure out how things work, so I don't need those visual cues, and it just makes the whole experience feel more laggy. At the same time I can see your point for new users. Random idea: what if those transitions just sped up over time so that the longer I use the app (and the more experienced I am with it) the more the UI would prioritize speed of use over friendly reminders about how UI elements work (ie. transitions).